iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Here’s how they stack up

The iPhone 17 family is now available to buy, and early adopters have had plenty of time to get to grips with the new handsets.

But if you’re still on the fence, you may be wondering which new release is right for you. We’ve now put all four models through their paces, and have a good idea of their relative strengths and weaknesses. Here’s how the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air stack up against each other.

iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Specifications

iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Design and screen

As the chart above explains, the four members of the iPhone 17 family come with three different screen sizes.

For those looking for something more compact, both the regular iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro have 6.3-inch panels, while the other two are a bit larger: 6.5 inches for the iPhone Air, and 6.9 inches for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Of course, the midsized iPhone Air is compact in a whole different way. While its screen is the second largest among the new iPhones, it’s by far the thinnest model, measuring just 5.64mm thick — significantly more svelte than the others, which measure between 7.95mm and 8.8mm thick. The Air also weighs less, coming in at 165g, compared to the 177g iPhone 17, 206g iPhone 17 Pro and 233g iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Design wise, they have different styles too, with the backplates instantly pinning whether you’ve opted for regular, Air or Pro.

The iPhone 17 has two lenses arranged vertically, while the Pro models have a camera bar extending along the back, with the three sensors arranged in a triangle formation. The iPhone Air has the same bar, but it’s considerably thinner, as it only has a single lens to house.

For the first time, every member of this generation of iPhones has an always-on 120Hz panel, which is a huge bonus for the cheaper handsets. While the four models have different resolutions to match the screen sizes, all four pack 460 pixels per inch, and can hit the same 3,000-nit brightness, according to Apple.

iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Performance

The iPhone 17 uses an A19 chip, compared to the A19 Pro used by the other three modesl. Despite this, performance is pretty similar across the board, according to our benchmarks.

The A19 Pro-toting iPhone Air lags a little behind the rest, with Apple's thinnest phone turning in the lowest score on 3DMark's graphics test. That's because the iPhone Air may use an A19 Pro, but its version of the silicon only has five GPU cores. The A19 Pro inside the iPhone 17 Pro models has six cores.

The thinness of the iPhone Air also leaves less space for heat dissipation. It’s unsurprising it lags behind the Pro models, given they contain a new vapor chamber. But it’s a bit disappointing that the regular iPhone 17 also has it beat.

Nonetheless, these are benchmarks intended to push phones to their limits, and if you’re not performing similar tasks, you’ll likely find the iPhone Air perfectly speedy — up there with many of the best Android phones, in fact.

iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Camera

Generally with smartphones, the more money you spend, the more cameras you get. That’s not actually the case here, with the $999 iPhone Air losing a lens compared to the $799 iPhone 17, which features an ultrawide camera alongside its main shooter.

All four iPhones have a very similar main camera: it’s 48 megapixels, with a larger f/1.6 aperture on the 17 and Air, compared to f/1.78 on the two Pro models. They also have the same upgraded 18MP Center Stage selfie camera up front. Performance on both of these is pretty similar across the board, so if you keep your photography simple, the Air might be all you need.

The iPhone 17 adds a 48MP ultrawide lens with an f/2.2 aperture. This lets you get 0.5x zoom in — something the iPhone Air isn’t capable of.

The two Pro models come with both of these cameras and add the real prize: a 48MP telephoto lens with an f/2.8 aperture capable of 4x optical zoom. If you like to indulge in distance photography, you simply have to go Pro, as both the Air and iPhone 17 are limited to 2x image cropping, before you get into blurry digital zoom territory.

iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Battery life

Arguably the biggest difference between the new iPhones is battery life. With the iPhone 16 Plus replaced by the iPhone Air and its smaller cell, those seeking the best battery life have to go Pro.

As you can see from the chart above, the difference really is stark. Power users will struggle to get through a day’s use with the non-Pro iPhones, which both give up the ghost in less than 13 hours.

The iPhone 17 Pro’s 15.5 hours isn’t to be sniffed at, but with nearly 18 hours on a single charge, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the choice for those who like to leave the power bank at home.

The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models all benefit from faster charging than what was available in previous models. Each phone's battery reached at least 64% after half-an-hour of charging, with the iPhone 17 and its smaller battery hitting 72%.

The iPhone Air doesn't get the faster charging, though, and it only reached 55% after a 30-minute charge.

iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air vs iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Outlook

In one significant way, the difference between Pro and non Pro iPhones has never mattered less. With all four models packing a ProMotion 120Hz screen, every iPhone 17 owner will enjoy buttery smooth refresh rates and a super-bright display. That’s a big win for those looking to save a few bucks.

But Apple has still provided reasons to go Pro. The 4x telephoto lens is a brilliant addition for shutterbugs, and the battery life on the cheaper versions may not be adequate either if you need a phone that lasts all day and beyond.

The iPhone Air is a good first effort at creating a super-thin phone, but for now it’s in a bit of a tough spot. Pricier than the iPhone 17, but without the superior camera array or stamina of the Pro models, it’s harder to justify beyond just the phone's unique design.

But the first generation of MacBook Air was also too compromised to recommend in 2008 and now it’s one of the best laptops around, so it would be foolish to bet against Apple in the long run. The next generation should be worth watching.

In 2025, however, it’s a three-horse race. The iPhone 17 is a quality value option, but those who go Pro won’t regret it, either.