iPhone 17 Pro Max VS iPhone Air
We are comparing the iPhone 17 Pro Max ( Apple ) head-to-head with the iPhone Air ( Apple ) . You'll get the key pros and cons of each phone, in-depth specs, and performance highlights.
Note: This comparison of iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. iPhone Air is based on Comparigon's analysis and is for informational purposes only.
KEY DIFFERENCES OF iPhone 17 Pro Max AND iPhone Air
Here’s how iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air stack up against each other in their most impactful areas. Use these bullets to see at a glance which phone excels where.
Reasons to consider the iPhone 17 Pro Max
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53% larger battery (4832 mAh vs 3149 mAh)
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32% higher AnTuTu v11 score (2400156 vs 1821832)
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4% higher single-core Geekbench score (3895 vs 3736)
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Higher resolution (1320×2868)
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48% faster charging (40 W vs 27 W)
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88% brighter (3000 nits vs 1600 nits)
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6% larger display (6.9 inches vs 6.5 inches)
Reasons to consider the iPhone Air
-
29% lighter at 165g
SPECIFICATION TABLE COMPARISON OF iPhone 17 Pro Max AND iPhone Air
Below is the detailed specification table comparing iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air.
Note: Highlighted specs mean that Phone wins that spec row.
If neither side is highlighted, it is a tie or there is not enough data for both specs.
| Specification | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone Air |
|---|---|---|
|
General Information
|
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| Brand: | Apple | Apple |
| Release Date: | September 19, 2025 | September 19, 2025 |
| Mobile SoC: | A19 Pro | A19 Pro |
| GPU: | Apple A19 Pro GPU | Apple A19 Pro GPU |
| Operating System: | iOS 26 | iOS 26 |
| Weight: | 233g | 165g |
|
Display
|
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| Display Size: | 6.9 inches | 6.5 inches |
| Display Resolution: | 1320×2868 | 1260×2736 |
| Display Pixels Per Inch: | 458 | 463 |
| Display Technology: | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Display Refresh Rate: | 120 | 120 |
| Display Brightness: | 3000 nits | 1600 nits |
|
Camera
|
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| Main Camera Setup: | Triple Camera | Single Camera |
| Main Camera: | 48 MP | 48 MP |
| Main Camera Features: | LiDAR, SmartHDR, Photonic Engine | SmartHDR, Photonic Engine |
| Main Camera Video: | 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps | 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps |
| Selfie Camera: | 18 MP | 18 MP |
| Selfie Camera Video: | 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps | 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps |
|
Standard Lens
|
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| Megapixels | 48 MP | 48 MP |
| Aperture | f/1.78 | f/1.6 |
| Focal Length | 24 mm | 26 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX903 | Sony IMX904 |
| Sensor Size | 1/1.28" | 1/1.56" |
| Pixel Size | 1.22 micron | 1 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
|
Telephoto Lens
|
||
| Megapixels | 48 MP | — |
| Aperture | f/2.8 | — |
| Focal Length | 100 mm | — |
| Sensor | Sony IMX973 | — |
| Sensor Size | a1/2.55" | — |
| Pixel Size | 0.7 micron | — |
| Stabilization | Optical | — |
|
Ultra-wide Lens
|
||
| Megapixels | 48 MP | — |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | — |
| Focal Length | 13 mm | — |
| Sensor | Sony IMX972 | — |
| Sensor Size | 1/2.55" | — |
| Pixel Size | 0.7 micron | — |
| Stabilization | Digital | — |
|
Selfie Lens
|
||
| Megapixels | 18 MP | 18 MP |
| Image Resolution | 4896 x 3672 | a4896 x 3672 |
| Aperture | f/1.9 | f/1.9 |
| Focal Length | 20 mm | 20 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX914 | Sony IMX914 |
| Pixel Size | 1 micron | 1 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus | Phase autofocus |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
|
Battery & Charging
|
||
| Battery Capacity: | 4832 mAh | 3149 mAh |
| Battery Life (in hours tested): | 39 | 27 |
| Battery Type: | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| Charging Speed: | 40W | 27W |
| Wireless Charging: |
|
|
|
Performance
|
||
| RAM: | 12 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage: | 1 TB, 512 GB, 256 GB | 1 TB, 512 GB, 256 GB |
| DxOMark Score: | 168 | — |
|
GEEKBENCH V6
|
||
| Single-Core (V6) | 3895 | 3736 |
| Multi-Core (V6) | 9746 | 9737 |
|
ANTUTU SCORE
|
||
| Overall (AnTuTu V11) | 2400156 | 1821832 |
| CPU | 690322 | 448816 |
| GPU | 897791 | 655716 |
| MEM | 220128 | 232099 |
| UX | 591915 | 485201 |
| Overall (AnTuTu V10) | 2600719 | 2116925 |
| CPU | 929218 | 694086 |
| GPU | 976500 | 740196 |
| MEM | 285782 | 307532 |
| UX | 409219 | 375111 |
|
Connectivity
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| Network Technology: | 5G | 5G |
| SIM Type: | Dual Sim | Dual Sim |
| Wi-Fi: |
|
|
| Bluetooth: |
|
|
| GPS: |
|
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| NFC: |
|
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| USB: | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
|
Extras & Build
|
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| Fingerprint Sensor: |
|
|
| Face Recognition: |
|
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| Water Resistance: |
|
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| Speaker: | Stereo Speakers | Stereo Speakers |
Tip: ▲ indicates a higher-is-better spec advantage, while ▼ indicates a lower-is-better advantage.
PERFORMANCE CHART COMPARISON OF iPhone 17 Pro Max AND iPhone Air
The charts below visualize how iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air stack up in key performance metrics.
Radar Chart Comparison
Bullet Chart Comparison
SCREEN SIZE COMPARISON OF iPhone 17 Pro Max AND iPhone Air
Here’s a proportional visualization of the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 6.9 inches screen compared to the iPhone Air’s 6.5 inches display. Each rectangle is scaled so you can see at a glance which phone offers a larger viewing area.
iPhone 17 Pro Max
6.9 inches″
iPhone Air
6.5 inches″
Release Timeline of iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air
iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air were released on the same day.
Value For Money Calculator
Prices use available launch or current data. Enter your own prices to see which phone gives better value.
iPhone 17 Pro Max
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Domain Score Summary
Note: Scores (0 to 100) are generated by Comparigon’s scoring algorithm and are intended as a high-level guide. They may not map 1-to-1 with the individual spec-by-spec comparisons shown in the table.
Our Verdict
In conclusion, the iPhone 17 Pro Max edges out overall compared to the iPhone Air. It comes out ahead across every comparable key area.
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