iPhone Air VS Apple iPhone 12
We are comparing the iPhone Air ( Apple ) head-to-head with the Apple iPhone 12 ( Apple ) . You'll get the key pros and cons of each phone, in-depth specs, and performance highlights.
Note: This comparison of iPhone Air vs. Apple iPhone 12 is based on Comparigon's analysis and is for informational purposes only.
KEY DIFFERENCES OF iPhone Air AND Apple iPhone 12
Here’s how iPhone Air and Apple iPhone 12 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 Air
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Superior display technology (LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED)
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100% smoother display (120 Hz vs 60 Hz)
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Higher Main Camera Resolution of 48 MP
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12% larger battery (3149 mAh vs 2815 mAh)
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36% higher AnTuTu v11 score (1821832 vs 1341575)
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87% higher single-core Geekbench score (3736 vs 1997)
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200% more RAM (12GB vs 4GB)
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 12
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1% lighter at 164g
SPECIFICATION TABLE COMPARISON OF iPhone Air AND Apple iPhone 12
Below is the detailed specification table comparing iPhone Air and Apple iPhone 12.
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 Air | Apple iPhone 12 |
|---|---|---|
|
General Information
|
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| Brand: | Apple | Apple |
| Release Date: | September 19, 2025 | October 23, 2020 |
| Mobile SoC: | A19 Pro | A14 Bionic |
| GPU: | Apple A19 Pro GPU | Apple A14 Bionic GPU |
| Operating System: | iOS 26 | iOS 26.5 |
| Weight: | 165g | 164 g |
|
Display
|
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| Display Size: | 6.5 inches | 6.1 inches |
| Display Resolution: | 1260×2736 | 1170 x 2532 pixels |
| Display Pixels Per Inch: | 463 | 460 |
| Display Technology: | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | OLED |
| Display Refresh Rate: | 120 | 60 |
| Display Brightness: | 1600 nits | 625 nits |
|
Camera
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| Main Camera Setup: | Single Camera | Dual Camera |
| Main Camera: | 48 MP | 12 MP + 12 MP |
| Main Camera Features: | SmartHDR, Photonic Engine | Quad LED flash, bokeh mode, pro mode |
| Main Camera Video: | 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps | 4K at 30/60 fps, 1080p at 30/60/240 fps |
| Selfie Camera: | 18 MP | 12 MP |
| Selfie Camera Video: | 4K at 30/60fps, 1080p at 30/60fps | 4K at 60 fps |
|
Standard Lens
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| Megapixels | 48 MP | 12 MP |
| Image Resolution | — | 4032 x 3024 |
| Aperture | f/1.6 | f/1.6 |
| Focal Length | 26 mm | 26 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX904 | Sony IMX372 |
| Sensor Size | 1/1.56" | 1/3.4" |
| Pixel Size | 1 micron | 1.4 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) | Phase Autofocus (Dual Pixel) |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
|
Ultra-wide Lens
|
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| Megapixels | — | 12 MP |
| Aperture | — | f/2.4 |
| Focal Length | — | 13 mm |
| Sensor Size | — | 1/3.6" |
| Stabilization | — | Digital |
|
Selfie Lens
|
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| Megapixels | 18 MP | 12 MP |
| Image Resolution | a4896 x 3672 | 4032 x 3024 |
| Aperture | f/1.9 | f/2.2 |
| Focal Length | 20 mm | 23 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX914 | Sony IMX514 |
| Sensor Size | — | 1/3.6" |
| Pixel Size | 1 micron | — |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus | No |
| Stabilization | Optical | Digital |
|
Battery & Charging
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| Battery Capacity: | 3149 mAh | 2815 mAh |
| Battery Life (in hours tested): | 27 | 21 |
| Battery Type: | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| Charging Speed: | 27W | 18W |
| Wireless Charging: |
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|
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Performance
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| RAM: | 12 GB | 4 GB |
| Storage: | 1 TB, 512 GB, 256 GB | 256 GB, 128 GB, 64 GB |
| DxOMark Score: | — | 117 |
|
GEEKBENCH V6
|
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| Single-Core (V6) | 3736 | 1997 |
| Multi-Core (V6) | 9737 | 4665 |
|
ANTUTU SCORE
|
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| Overall (AnTuTu V11) | 1821832 | 1341575 |
| CPU | 448816 | 402035 |
| GPU | 655716 | 336490 |
| MEM | 232099 | 153915 |
| UX | 485201 | 449135 |
| Overall (AnTuTu V10) | 2116925 | 1113239 |
| CPU | 694086 | 303719 |
| GPU | 740196 | 329975 |
| MEM | 307532 | 182615 |
| UX | 375111 | 296930 |
|
Connectivity
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| Network Technology: | 5G | 5G |
| SIM Type: | Dual Sim | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Wi-Fi: |
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| Bluetooth: |
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| GPS: |
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| NFC: |
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| USB: | USB Type-C | Lightning 2.0 |
|
Extras & Build
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| Fingerprint Sensor: |
|
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| Face Recognition: |
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| Water Resistance: |
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| Speaker: | Stereo Speakers | Stereo Speakers |
| Audio Jack: | — | No |
Tip: ▲ indicates a higher-is-better spec advantage, while ▼ indicates a lower-is-better advantage.
PERFORMANCE CHART COMPARISON OF iPhone Air AND Apple iPhone 12
The charts below visualize how iPhone Air and Apple iPhone 12 stack up in key performance metrics.
Radar Chart Comparison
Bullet Chart Comparison
SCREEN SIZE COMPARISON OF iPhone Air AND Apple iPhone 12
Here’s a proportional visualization of the iPhone Air’s 6.5 inches screen compared to the Apple iPhone 12’s 6.1 inches display. Each rectangle is scaled so you can see at a glance which phone offers a larger viewing area.
iPhone Air
6.5 inches″
Apple iPhone 12
6.1 inches″
Release Timeline of iPhone Air and Apple iPhone 12
Apple iPhone 12 was released 4 years, 10 months, 27 days earlier than iPhone Air.
Value For Money Calculator
Prices use available launch or current data. Enter your own prices to see which phone gives better value.
iPhone Air
Apple iPhone 12
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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 Air is slightly better overall compared to the Apple iPhone 12. It comes out ahead across every comparable key area.
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