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iPhone 17 vs. iPhone Air Buyer's Guide: 25+ Differences Compared

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The iPhone Air costs a whole $200 more than the iPhone 17, yet lacks many of its features. Here's how the two devices compare.

iPhone-17-vs-Air-Feature.jpg

Instead of the familiar split between standard and Pro models, Apple this year introduced the new iPhone Air and expanded the feature gap between tiers. The result is a predicament between the affordable and practical iPhone 17, and the super-thin and all-new iPhone Air, with distinct trade-offs in size, materials, camera hardware, and battery life along the way. While they both share brighter displays, ProMotion, and an all-new 18-megapixel camera, their designs, display sizes, and camera features are more specialized than ever before.

This guide offers a detailed look at every difference—dimensions, design, cameras, battery life, and pricing—so you can make an informed choice. Whether you prioritize design, photography, or battery life, this year's iPhones are no longer one-size-fits-all devices, and understanding the lineup is key to choosing the best model for you and your budget.

Sizes and Weights

iPhone 17iPhone Air
Height5.89 inches (149.6 mm)6.15 inches (156.2 mm)
Width2.81 inches (71.5 mm)2.94 inches (74.7 mm)
Depth0.31 inches (7.95 mm)0.22 inches (5.64 mm)
Weight6.24 ounces (177 grams)5.82 ounces (165 grams)


Designs and Performance

iPhone 17iPhone Air
Anodized aluminum framePolished titanium frame
Camera plateau
Ceramic Shield frontCeramic Shield front and back
6.3-inch display6.5-inch display
Stereo speakersMono speaker
A19 chipA19 Pro chip
8GB memory12GB memory
256GB or 512GB storage256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
Available in White, Black, Mist Blue, Sage, and LavenderAvailable in Cloud White, Space Black, Sky Blue, and Light Gold


Camera

iPhone 17iPhone Air
Dual rear camerasSingle rear camera
48-megapixel ultra wide camera
0.5x, 1x, and 2x optical zoom options1x and 2x optical zoom options
Macro photography
Spatial photos
Cinematic mode
Macro video recording, including slo‑mo and time‑lapse


Battery Life and Charging

iPhone 17iPhone Air
3,692 mAh battery3,149 mAh battery
Up to 30-hour battery lifeUp to 27-hour battery life
MagSafe wireless charging up to 25WMagSafe wireless charging up to 20W
Up to 50% charge in 20 minutes with 40W adapter or higherUp to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher, or 30W adapter or higher paired with MagSafe Charger
Support for Apple MagSafe battery


Pricing

256GB512GB1TB
iPhone 17$799$999
iPhone Air$999$1,199$1,399


Which One Should You Choose?

Many users may find it difficult to justify buying the iPhone Air up against the iPhone 17. Not only does it cost $200 more, but it misses out on a wide range of features such as stereo speakers and physical SIM. It lacks the Ultra Wide camera and a host of camera features like Macro Photography, Spatial Photos, and Cinematic Mode. It also charges more slowly and has three hours less battery life.

The iPhone Air wins out in terms of design, with a strikingly thin and light polished titanium frame. It has Ceramic Shield back glass and a larger display, as well as the A19 Pro chip with 12GB of memory, which should deliver better performance. It is a whole new take on what the iPhone should be and likely provides a glimpse at the long-term direction of the device, being the basis for a future foldable.

The iPhone 17 is an extremely solid device at an affordable price. While the iPhone Air has a slightly larger display and should perform better than the iPhone 17, its added cost and lack of features available on the cheaper device may be hard to rationalize for many customers. You should only buy the iPhone Air if you are comfortable with these drawbacks in exchange for a more luxurious, radically thin design.

Article Link: iPhone 17 vs. iPhone Air Buyer's Guide: 25+ Differences Compared
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/guide/iphone-17-vs-air/
This is an excellent article which reveals the advantages as well as shortcomings of iPhone Air.

Every phone is a compromise of sorts. In the case of the Air it’s what one gives up to have the “latest trendy model” from Apple.

It’s about a minimalist phone that is here to compete with the Samsung Galaxy Edge which currently has two cameras, two speakers and a slightly larger display and is lighter.

Time will tell how this model fares after the newness wears off.
 
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Let's not kid ourselves. While these performance metrics are fine and dandy, 98% of iPhone users couldn't tell the performance difference between an Air and a 17. Where as 98% can tell which device is thinner. For the overwhelming majority of iPhone customers, how the device looks it what matters most. All the scrutiny over specs is for the niche here. Not my mom.
 
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Spec wise it's clearly a straight up downgrade from the base, the only reason to buy it is if you want a basic device to do basic things and don't mind paying more just because you can. Not unreasonable, many luxury items are downgrades from the more regular thing. That being said if I were to upgrade from my 14 Pro I would go for the base; but I think I'm gonna keep this 14Pro for another year... maybe if Apple offers a compelling trade in offer in the summer I might be persuaded, but probably not.
 
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MacRumors said:
It has… the A19 Pro chip with 12GB of memory, which should deliver better performance.
Click to expand...
The 12 GB RAM in the Air is a definite advantage but it should be noted the A19 Pro in the iPhone Air is a binned version, so it has the same number of GPU (and CPU) cores as the A19 in the iPhone 17. That binned A19 Pro still has some design advantages, but in Geekbench 6.5 it actually appears to be slightly slower than A19 on average, or at best about the same, maybe because the Air throttles quicker.
 
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With the introduction of the Air, I’m wondering where that leaves chances of the “E” version appearing at a later date. It almost seems the base model 17 is going to be the affordable replacement for the E version that has been present in prior gen releases.
 
Siriosys said:
With the introduction of the Air, I’m wondering where that leaves chances of the “E” version appearing at a later date. It almost seems the base model 17 is going to be the affordable replacement for the E version that has been present in prior gen releases.
Click to expand...
No there will be an 17e. As if Apple will not continue selling at least one new model with 60Hz 🤣
Next 17e will get the A19, maybe Dynamic Island - basically the old Display from the 16. The 16 will then be discontinued in Spring. This is my guess.
 
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Saw the Air in store. Looks good and feels good in the hands. Liked the polished titanium frame. However I will not buy one anytime or recommend it. For $100 more I will select the smaller Pro or go with the base 17 for $200 less. Cannot recommend the Air as it has only a single lens camera. Other than the slim design, there is nothing that the Air offers. Even battery life will be lower than the base 17. All the color options are very pale. Overall the base 17 is a fantastic phone and is the one I would recommend to buy. I decided to go with the 17 Pro Max in Orange this year.
 
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svish said:
Saw the Air in store. Looks good and feels good in the hands. Liked the polished titanium frame. However I will not buy one anytime or recommend it. For $100 more I will select the smaller Pro or go with the base 17 for $200 less. Cannot recommend the Air as it has only a single lens camera. Other than the slim design, there is nothing that the Air offers. Even battery life will be lower than the base 17. All the color options are very pale. Overall the base 17 is a fantastic phone and is the one I would recommend to buy. I decided to go with the 17 Pro Max in Orange this year.
Click to expand...
I like the pale Air colours actually, even though I went with the orange PM too. I think the light colours look better than the black Air, and I'm sure the black will be a fingerprint magnet.
 
MacRumors said:
iPhone 17iPhone Air
Anodized aluminum framePolished titanium frame
Camera plateau
Ceramic Shield frontCeramic Shield front and back
6.3-inch display6.5-inch display
Stereo speakersMono speaker
A19 chipA19 Pro chip
8GB memory12GB memory
256GB or 512GB storage256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
Available in White, Black, Mist Blue, Sage, and LavenderAvailable in Cloud White, Space Black, Sky Blue, and Light Gold
Click to expand...
The iPhone 17 has a camera plateau as well:

1758322450717.jpeg

(Accessory Design Guidelines for Apple Devices, page 325)
 
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EugW said:
Yeah, all recent iPhones except the iPhone 16e have a camera plateau.
Click to expand...
Right, so they should change the table to:

iPhone 17iPhone Air
Anodized aluminum framePolished titanium frame
Minimal camera plateauFull-width chunky camera plateau
Ceramic Shield frontCeramic Shield front and back
6.3-inch display6.5-inch display
Stereo speakersMono speaker
A19 chipA19 Pro chip
8GB memory12GB memory
256GB or 512GB storage256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
Available in White, Black, Mist Blue, Sage, and LavenderAvailable in Cloud White, Space Black, Sky Blue, and Light Gold
 
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jpf293 said:
The regular 17 getting ProMotion and 256GB storage is a game changer, good value for money now.
Click to expand...
Definitely. The 16 looks seriously overpriced now. To save just $100 you have to accept a smaller, crappier display, poorer cameras, much poorer battery life, 128GB of storage and a year of support. There's no universe in which giving up so much for so little makes sense.
 
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