Side-by-side technical data
Apple iPhone Air vs Apple iPhone 17
Comparison between Apple iPhone Air and Apple iPhone 17: camera, battery, fast charging, display, performance and colors, side by side. More phones from Apple.
NeoTeo's verdict
Which of the two is the better buy
Apple iPhone Air suits buyers who prioritize performance, storage, and low weight; Apple iPhone 17 is the better fit for photography and battery life. Air brings the A19 Pro, 12 GB of RAM, and 1 TB, while the 17 adds an ultrawide camera and a 3,692 mAh battery.
Air leads in performance: its Geekbench 6 results are 3,895 and 9,746 versus 3,608 and 8,810, and it has 12 GB rather than 8 GB of RAM. It is also thinner and lighter at 5.6 mm and 165 g versus 7.95 mm and 177 g. Its display is 6.5 inches, compared with 6.3 inches on the 17.
iPhone 17 leads for cameras and battery because it has a rear ultrawide camera that Air lacks and reaches 53 hours per cycle versus 40 hours. Its fast charging is 40 W versus 20 W, and wireless charging is 25 W versus 20 W; Air remains the choice for more performance and storage.
Apple iPhone Air
Apple iPhone Air is the better buy for buyers who want more performance, RAM, and storage.
Apple iPhone 17
Apple iPhone 17 is the better buy for buyers who prioritize an ultrawide camera and longer endurance per cycle.
The verdict
Your pick: Apple iPhone 17, ahead on Camera and Battery & charging. Unless Performance & hardware decides it for you.
| Category | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 9.2 | 9.0 |
| Performance & hardware | 8.9 | 8.4 |
| Camera | 6.7 | 7.7 |
| Connectivity | 9.4 | 9.4 |
| Battery & charging | 4.4 | 5.6 |
Which one is for you?
Apple iPhone Air, if you care about…
- RAM Capacity
- 12 GB
- against 8 GB
- Maximum Storage Capacity
- 1 TB
- against 512 GB
- Weight
- 165 g
- against 177 g
- Body Thickness
- 5.6 mm
- against 7.95 mm
Apple iPhone 17, if you care about…
- Battery Capacity
- 3,692 mAh
- against 3,149 mAh
- Fast Charge Power
- 40 W
- against 20 W
- Wireless charging power
- 25 W
- against 20 W
- Battery Endurance
- 53 h
- against 40 h
Specification comparison
Performance
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | Apple A19 Pro | Apple A19 |
| Processor Process Size | 3 nm | 3 nm |
| Graphics GPU | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| Storage Type | NVMe | NVMe |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 4.26 GHz | 4.26 GHz |
| Maximum Storage Capacity | 1 TB Best value | 512 GB |
| AnTuTu Score | 2,095,100 | 2,239,708 |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | 3,895 Best value | 3,608 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | 9,746 Best value | 8,810 |
| CPU Description | Hexa-core processor with two cores at 4.26 GHz and four cores at 2.60 GHz. | Hexa-core CPU with two 4.26 GHz performance cores and four efficiency cores. |
| Processor Type | Hexa-Core | Hexa-Core |
| 64-Bit Processor | Yes | Yes |
| RAM Capacity | 12 GB Best value | 8 GB |
| RAM Type | DDR5 | DDR5 |
| AnTuTu version | v10 | v11 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme | — | 4,803 |
Design
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Black, White, Gold, Blue | Black, White, Blue, Green, Lavender, Pink |
| Body Thickness | 5.6 mm Best value | 7.95 mm |
| Body Width | 74.7 mm | 71.5 mm |
| Body Height | 156.2 mm | 149.6 mm |
| Weight | 165 g Best value | 177 g |
| Usable Surface | 89.9 % | 90.1 % Best value |
| Body Materials | Glass, Titanium Best value | Glass, Aluminium Alloy |
| Resistance Features | IP68 | IP68 |
| Waterproof Depth | 6 m | 6 m |
| Drop Resistance Class | B | B |
| Repairability Class | C | C |
| Drop Test Count | 180 | 180 |
Battery
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Efficiency Rating | A | A |
| Battery Capacity | 3,149 mAh | 3,692 mAh Best value |
| Battery Type | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| Fast Charge Power | 20 W | 40 W Best value |
| Battery Features | Non-Removable, Rechargeable, Fast Charging, Wireless Charging, Reverse Charging, Battery Level Indicator | Fast Charging, Wireless Charging, Reverse Charging, Non-Removable, Rechargeable, Battery Level Indicator |
| Battery Endurance | 40 h | 53 h Best value |
| Wireless charging power | 20 W | 25 W Best value |
| Charge cycles | 1,000 | 1,000 |
Display
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Display Aspect Ratio | 19.5:9 | 19.5:9 |
| Display Technology | LTPO OLED | LTPO OLED |
| Peak Display Brightness | 3,000 nits | 3,000 nits |
| Display Diagonal | 6.5″ Best value | 6.3″ |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 1,260 px Best value | 1,206 px |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 2,736 px Best value | 2,622 px |
| Display Pixel Density | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Display Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Touch Sampling Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Display Contrast Ratio | 2,000,000 :1 | 2,000,000 :1 |
| Display Features | Hole-Punch Notch, Ceramic Shield, Mohs Level 5, Anti-reflective coating, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Always-On Display, LTPO, DCI-P3, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Scratch Resistant, Frameless, 120Hz | Hole-Punch Notch, Ceramic Shield, Mohs Level 5, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Always-On Display, LTPO, Anti-reflective coating, DCI-P3, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Scratch Resistant, Frameless |
Sensor
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Features | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Light Sensor, Compass, Barometer, Cooling System, 3D face recognition, LiDAR Scanner | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Compass, Barometer, Light Sensor, Cooling System, 3D face recognition, LiDAR Scanner |
Software
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | iOS 26 | — |
| OS Family | iOS | — |
| OS Version | 26 | — |
| OS Update Support | 7 years | 7 years |
| Direct OS Updates | Yes | Yes |
Connectivity
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Dual eSIM, eSIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM, Dual eSIM, Dual Nano-SIM, Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Cellular Bands | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B12, 4G LTE B13, 4G LTE B17, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B25, 4G LTE B26, 4G LTE B28A, 4G LTE B30, 4G LTE B32, 4G LTE B34, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B39, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 4G LTE B42, 4G LTE B48, 4G LTE B53, 4G LTE B66, 5G NR n1, 5G NR n2, 5G NR n3, 5G NR n5, 5G NR n7, 5G NR n8, 5G NR n12, 5G NR n20, 5G NR n25, 5G NR n26, 5G NR n28a, 5G NR n30, 5G NR n38, 5G NR n40, 5G NR n41, 5G NR n48, 5G NR n53, 5G NR n66, 5G NR n70, 5G NR n75, 5G NR n77, 5G NR n78, 5G NR n79 | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B12, 4G LTE B13, 4G LTE B17, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B25, 4G LTE B26, LTE B28, 4G LTE B30, 4G LTE B32, 4G LTE B34, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B39, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 4G LTE B42, 4G LTE B48, 4G LTE B53, 4G LTE B66, 5G NR n1, 5G NR n2, 5G NR n3, 5G NR n5, 5G NR n7, 5G NR n8, 5G NR n12, 5G NR n20, 5G NR n25, 5G NR n26, 5G NR n28, 5G NR n30, 5G NR n38, 5G NR n40, 5G NR n41, 5G NR n48, 5G NR n53, 5G NR n66, 5G NR n70, 5G NR n75, 5G NR n77, 5G NR n78, 5G NR n79 |
| Cellular Technologies | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE, 5G | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) |
| Wi-Fi Features | Tri-Band, Dual Band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, MIMO, Wi-Fi Password Sharing Best value | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, MIMO, Wi-Fi Password Sharing |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 6.0 | Bluetooth 6.0 |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP, LE | A2DP, LE |
| Navigation Systems | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC |
| Connectivity Features | USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB Host 2.0, USB Type-C, NFC, eSIM, UWB, VoLTE, VoWiFi, Tethering, Computer Sync, OTA Sync, Satellite Connectivity, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) | USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB OTG, USB Host 2.0, USB Type-C, NFC, Computer Sync, OTA Sync, Tethering, eSIM, UWB, VoLTE, VoWiFi, Satellite Connectivity, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) |
| USB Version | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| SAR American Head | 1.19 W/kg | 1.19 W/kg |
| SAR American Body | 1.19 W/kg | — |
| SAR (EU) head | 1.49 W/kg | 1.49 W/kg |
| SAR (EU) body | 1.49 W/kg | — |
| Max. download speed | 10,000 Mbps | 10,000 Mbps |
| Max. upload speed | 3,500 Mbps | 3,500 Mbps |
Audio
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone Count | 3 | 3 |
| Audio Features | Dolby Atmos, Noise-Cancellation Microphone | Stereo Speakers, Dolby Atmos, Noise-Cancellation Microphone, A2DP, LE |
Technical
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Launch price | 1,219 € | 959 € Best value |
| Model numbers | iPhone18,4, A3517, A3260, A3518, A3516 | iPhone18,3, A3520, A3258, A3519, A3521 |
