iPhone Air VS iPhone 16 Pro Max
We are comparing the iPhone Air (Apple) with the iPhone 16 Pro Max (Apple). Scroll down to the pros and cons of each phone, in-depth specs, and performance highlights.
Overall Comparison
KEY DIFFERENCES OF iPhone Air AND iPhone 16 Pro Max
Here’s how iPhone Air and iPhone 16 Pro Max stack up against each other in their most impactful areas.
Reasons to consider the iPhone Air
-
5% higher single-core Geekbench score (3736 vs 3567)
-
50% more RAM (12GB vs 8GB)
-
Higher Selfie Camera Resolution of 18 MP
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8% higher multi-core Geekbench score (9737 vs 9052)
-
11% higher AnTuTu score (2116925 vs 1906329)
-
27% lighter at 165g
Reasons to consider the iPhone 16 Pro Max
-
49% larger battery (4685 mAh vs 3149 mAh)
-
Higher resolution (1320×2868)
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25% brighter (2000 nits vs 1600 nits)
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6% larger display (6.9 inches vs 6.5 inches)
SPECIFICATION TABLE COMPARISON OF iPhone Air AND iPhone 16 Pro Max
Below is the detailed specification table comparing iPhone Air and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
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 | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
|
General Information
|
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| Brand: | Apple | Apple |
| Release Date: | September 19, 2025 | September 20, 2024 |
| Mobile SoC: | A19 Pro | A18 Pro |
| GPU: | Apple A19 Pro GPU | Apple A18 Pro GPU |
| Operating System: | iOS 26 | IOS 18 |
| Weight: | 165g | 227g |
|
Display
|
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| Display Size: | 6.5 inches | 6.9 inches |
| Display Resolution: | 1260×2736 | 1320×2868 |
| Display Pixels Per Inch: | 463 | 458 |
| Display Technology: | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Display Refresh Rate: | 120 | 120 |
| Display Brightness: | 1600 nits | 2000 nits |
|
Camera
|
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| Main Camera Setup: | Single Camera | Triple Camera |
| Main Camera: | 48 MP | 48 MP |
| Main Camera Features: | SmartHDR, Photonic Engine | ProRAW, Night Mode, Panorama, 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 | 12 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/1.6 | f/1.8 |
| Focal Length | 26 mm | 24 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX904 | Sony IMX803 |
| Sensor Size | 1/1.56" | 1/1.28" |
| Pixel Size | 1 micron | 1.22 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
|
Telephoto Lens
|
||
| Megapixels | — | 12 MP |
| Aperture | — | f/2.8 |
| Focal Length | — | 120 mm |
| Sensor | — | Sony IMX913 |
| Sensor Size | — | 1/3.06" |
| Pixel Size | — | 1.12 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 | 12 MP |
| Image Resolution | a4896 x 3672 | 4032 x 3024 |
| Aperture | f/1.9 | f/1.9 |
| Focal Length | 20 mm | 23 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX914 | Sony IMX714 |
| Sensor Size | — | 1/3.6" |
| Pixel Size | 1 micron | 1.12 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus | Phase autofocus |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
|
Battery & Charging
|
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| Battery Capacity: | 3149 mAh | 4685 mAh |
| Battery Life (in hours tested): | 27 | 29 |
| Battery Type: | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| Charging Speed: | 27W | 27W |
| Wireless Charging: |
|
|
|
Performance
|
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| RAM: | 12 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage: | 1 TB, 512 GB, 256 GB | 1 TB, 512 GB, 256 GB |
| DxOMark Score: | — | 161 |
|
GEEKBENCH V6
|
||
| Single-Core (V6) | 3736 | 3567 |
| Multi-Core (V6) | 9737 | 9052 |
|
ANTUTU SCORE
|
||
| Overall (AnTuTu V11) | 1821832 | 1870884 |
| CPU | 448816 | 548655 |
| GPU | 655716 | 594106 |
| MEM | 232099 | 179239 |
| UX | 485201 | 548884 |
| Overall (AnTuTu V10) | 2116925 | 1906329 |
| CPU | 694086 | 473921 |
| GPU | 740196 | 775371 |
| MEM | 307532 | 274230 |
| UX | 375111 | 382807 |
|
Connectivity
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| Network Technology: | 5G | 5G |
| SIM Type: | Dual Sim | Dual Sim |
| 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 | USB Type-C |
|
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 |
Tip: ▲ indicates a higher-is-better spec advantage, while ▼ indicates a lower-is-better advantage.
PERFORMANCE CHART COMPARISON OF iPhone Air AND iPhone 16 Pro Max
The charts below visualize how iPhone Air and iPhone 16 Pro Max stack up in key performance metrics.
Radar Chart Comparison
Bullet Chart Comparison
SCREEN SIZE COMPARISON OF iPhone Air AND iPhone 16 Pro Max
Here’s a proportional visualization of the iPhone Air’s 6.5 inches screen compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 6.9 inches display.
iPhone Air
6.5 inches″
iPhone 16 Pro Max
6.9 inches″
Release Timeline of iPhone Air and iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 16 Pro Max was released 11 months, 30 days earlier than iPhone Air.
Value For Money Calculator
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Domain Score Summary
Scores 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, this is a close match and neither phone clearly wins overall. iPhone Air is stronger in Performance. iPhone 16 Pro Max is stronger in Battery. They are about even in Camera and Display. Pick based on what you value most day to day.
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Disclaimer: Specs, pricing, and benchmarks are sourced from official manufacturer data and verified test results. While we strive for precision, product details and pricing may change. Comparigon may earn an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases.