iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone Air

Apple

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple

iPhone Air

Full specifications
Basic information
Release year	2025	2025
Starting price	$1,199	$999
Display size	6.9-inch	6.5-inch
Dimensions	78.0 mm × 163.4 mm × 8.8 mm	74.7 mm × 156.2 mm × 5.6 mm
Weight	233 g	165 g
Front material	Ceramic Shield	Ceramic Shield
Back material	Ceramic Shield	Ceramic Shield
Display
Display technology	Super Retina XDR OLED	Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution	2868 × 1320	2736 × 1260
Refresh rate	120 Hz	120 Hz
Peak brightness	2000 nits	2000 nits
Protection	Ceramic Shield	Ceramic Shield
Performance
Chipset	Apple A19 Pro	Apple A19 Pro
CPU	6-core CPU	6-core CPU
GPU	6-core GPU	5-core GPU
RAM	12 GB	12 GB
Storage	256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB
Expandable storage	No	No
Cameras
Main camera	Fusion · 48 MP · ƒ/1.78 · 24 mm · Second-generation sensor-shift OIS	Fusion · 48 MP · ƒ/1.6 · 26 mm · Sensor-shift OIS
Ultra-wide camera	Ultra Wide · 48 MP · ƒ/2.2 · 13 mm	—
Telephoto camera	Telephoto · 48 MP · ƒ/2.8 · 120 mm · 4× optical zoom · OIS	—
Front cameras	Center Stage · 18 MP · ƒ/1.9	Center Stage · 18 MP · ƒ/1.9
Video recording	4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps, ProRes up to 4K at 60 fps	4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps
Battery & charging
Wired charging	25 W	25 W
Wireless charging	15 W	15 W
Charging standard	MagSafe, Qi2	MagSafe, Qi2
Video playback (Manufacturer claim)	39 h	27 h
Battery type	Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion	Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion
Connectivity
Cellular	5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave), Gigabit LTE	5G (sub-6 GHz), Gigabit LTE
Wi‑Fi	Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be)	Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 6	Bluetooth 6
USB	USB-C (USB 3)	USB-C (USB 3)
NFC	Yes	Yes
eSIM	Yes	Yes
Satellite	Emergency SOS via satellite	Emergency SOS via satellite
Build & durability
Frame	Aluminum unibody	Titanium
Ingress protection	IP68	IP68

Basic information

Release year

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 2025
iPhone Air: 2025

Starting price

iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,199
iPhone Air: $999

Display size

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch
iPhone Air: 6.5-inch

Dimensions

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 78.0 mm × 163.4 mm × 8.8 mm
iPhone Air: 74.7 mm × 156.2 mm × 5.6 mm

Weight

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 233 g
iPhone Air: 165 g

Front material

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Ceramic Shield
iPhone Air: Ceramic Shield

Back material

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Ceramic Shield
iPhone Air: Ceramic Shield

Display

Display technology

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Super Retina XDR OLED
iPhone Air: Super Retina XDR OLED

Resolution

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 2868 × 1320
iPhone Air: 2736 × 1260

Refresh rate

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 120 Hz
iPhone Air: 120 Hz

Peak brightness

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 2000 nits
iPhone Air: 2000 nits

Protection

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Ceramic Shield
iPhone Air: Ceramic Shield

Performance

Chipset

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Apple A19 Pro
iPhone Air: Apple A19 Pro

CPU

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6-core CPU
iPhone Air: 6-core CPU

GPU

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6-core GPU
iPhone Air: 5-core GPU

RAM

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 12 GB
iPhone Air: 12 GB

Storage

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB
iPhone Air: 256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB

Expandable storage

iPhone 17 Pro Max: No
iPhone Air: No

Cameras

Main camera

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Fusion · 48 MP · ƒ/1.78 · 24 mm · Second-generation sensor-shift OIS
iPhone Air: Fusion · 48 MP · ƒ/1.6 · 26 mm · Sensor-shift OIS

Ultra-wide camera

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Ultra Wide · 48 MP · ƒ/2.2 · 13 mm
iPhone Air: —

Telephoto camera

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Telephoto · 48 MP · ƒ/2.8 · 120 mm · 4× optical zoom · OIS
iPhone Air: —

Front cameras

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Center Stage · 18 MP · ƒ/1.9
iPhone Air: Center Stage · 18 MP · ƒ/1.9

Video recording

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps, ProRes up to 4K at 60 fps
iPhone Air: 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps

Battery & charging

Wired charging

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 25 W
iPhone Air: 25 W

Wireless charging

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 15 W
iPhone Air: 15 W

Charging standard

iPhone 17 Pro Max: MagSafe, Qi2
iPhone Air: MagSafe, Qi2

Video playback (Manufacturer claim)

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 39 h
iPhone Air: 27 h

Battery type

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion
iPhone Air: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion

Connectivity

Cellular

iPhone 17 Pro Max: 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave), Gigabit LTE
iPhone Air: 5G (sub-6 GHz), Gigabit LTE

Wi‑Fi

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be)
iPhone Air: Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be)

Bluetooth

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Bluetooth 6
iPhone Air: Bluetooth 6

USB

iPhone 17 Pro Max: USB-C (USB 3)
iPhone Air: USB-C (USB 3)

NFC

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
iPhone Air: Yes

eSIM

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Yes
iPhone Air: Yes

Satellite

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Emergency SOS via satellite
iPhone Air: Emergency SOS via satellite

Build & durability

Frame

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Aluminum unibody
iPhone Air: Titanium

Ingress protection

iPhone 17 Pro Max: IP68
iPhone Air: IP68

Key differences

The most meaningful measured gaps in size and weight — not an overall winner.

Weight
iPhone Air
68 g lighter
Thickness
iPhone Air
3.1 mm thinner
Height
iPhone 17 Pro Max
7.2 mm taller
Width
iPhone 17 Pro Max
3.3 mm wider

View iPhone 17 Pro Max details View iPhone Air details

User Experience Summary

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Strengths

Best-in-lineup battery endurance for real travel and heavy days
6.9-inch display transforms media, gaming, and mobile editing
Full Pro camera system including 4x telephoto

Compromises

Wide, heavy body limits one-handed and pocket-first use
Incremental upgrade for recent Pro Max owners
No camera advantage over the smaller iPhone 17 Pro

Read user experience

iPhone Air

Strengths

Distinctive thin-and-light design at 165 g
Large 120Hz ProMotion display
Exceptional durability for extreme thinness

Compromises

Mono speaker limits media and speakerphone use
Battery margin below larger iPhones for heavy users
Single rear camera limits lens versatility

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Device summary

iPhone 17 Pro Max

iPhone Air

Full specifications

Key differences

User Experience Summary

iPhone 17 Pro Max

iPhone Air

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