iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air: what do you miss and what do you get with the thinnest iPhone?

If you put the iPhone 17 and the iPhone Air side by side, you will see both positive and negative points – we will list them in this comparison.

iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air

The most noticeable differences between the iPhone 17 and the iPhone Air are of course the thickness and the price. You buy the iPhone 17 from Apple for 969 euros and the iPhone Air for 1229 euros. In other places the difference is already smaller and you pay € 969 for the iPhone 17 and € 1,076 for the iPhone Air. But of course there are many more differences. We reveal this by comparing the devices with each other.

Housing

Although the iPhone Air is of course a lot thinner than the iPhone 17, it is also larger. The dimensions are: 156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm compared to 149.6 x 71.5 x 8 mm. Due to its thinness, the iPhone Air is nevertheless a lot lighter than the iPhone 17, namely 165 grams compared to 177 grams.

But the main difference is that the frame of the Air is made of titanium and that of the 17 is made of aluminum. If Apple had also chosen aluminum for the iPhone Air, it would have been a bit lighter. But also less strong and that is of course not desirable for such a thin iPhone. The iPhone Air is also equipped with Ceramic Shield on the back, which is missing from the iPhone 17.

Screen

Just like the casing, the iPhone Air’s 6.5-inch screen is also slightly larger than that of the iPhone 17 (6.3 inches). This causes a difference in resolution: 1260 x 2736 pixels compared to 1206 x 2622 pixels. The pixel density therefore remains the same on both devices: 460 pixels per inch. For the rest, the screens are completely the same, with the same maximum brightness of 3000 nits, the same always-on function and the same anti-reflection coating.

Camera

When you place both iPhones next to each other, you immediately see that the iPhone 17 has an extra camera lens. Yet there is also a great similarity between the cameras. Both devices have the same main camera: a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera, both with an aperture of f/1.6.

The iPhone 17 also has a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with an aperture of f/2.2, so you miss that on the iPhone Air. That is the only difference. The 18-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with Center Stage on the front is completely the same on both iPhones.

Performance

The iPhone 17 runs on the A19 chip and has 8 GB of RAM. This makes it slightly faster and more energy efficient than the predecessor iPhone 16, which runs on the A18 chip with 8 GB of RAM. However, the iPhone Air takes it a step further. It runs on the A19 Pro chip and has no less than 12 GB of RAM. This means that the iPhone Air is indeed faster and more energy efficient than the iPhone 17. Moreover, with the iPhone Air you have the option to choose 1 TB of storage space. You miss that on the iPhone 17.

Battery

A disadvantage of the fact that the iPhone Air is so thin is that it does not fit a large battery. Apple has been able to compensate for this a bit by not installing a SIM slot (the iPhone Air only works with an eSIM). This means it has a battery with a capacity of 3149 mAh. That is still less than the capacity of the iPhone 17 battery, which is 3692 mAh.

Nevertheless, the difference in battery life is not huge. This is partly due to the more energy-efficient chip of the iPhone Air. With the 17 you can play up to 30 hours of video and with the Air you still get 27 hours of video playback. In any case, you can get through the day with ease with both iPhones. But if a long battery life is important to you, this can of course make the difference.

Advantages and disadvantages

Conclusion: iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air

The iPhone 17 is a major improvement over its predecessor: a larger screen with always-on, a better chip, longer battery life, two 48-megapixel cameras and an improved front camera. The iPhone 17 is only 100 euros more expensive than the iPhone 16, so the choice is quickly made.

If we compare the iPhone 17 with the iPhone Air, it is immediately noticeable that the Air is even more expensive. Still, with the Air you have to make do without an ultra-wide-angle camera and with a shorter battery life. On the other hand, you get an ultra-thin iPhone with a titanium frame, a faster chip, more RAM and an option for 1 TB of storage space.

Want to buy an iPhone 17 or iPhone Air?

Have you made your choice and are you planning to purchase the iPhone 17 or the iPhone Air? Then be sure to look at the deals below and avoid paying too much!