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Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup brings a number of the greatest design adjustments the smartphone collection has seen in years, and no two fashions higher spotlight this shift than the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The iPhone Air is without doubt one of the thinnest smartphones Apple has ever made, made for individuals who worth a glossy, moveable design.
In the meantime, the iPhone 17 Professional Max doubles down on energy with a cutting-edge digital camera system and a brand new vapor chamber cooling system.
Additionally: iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: I compared both models, and here’s who should upgrade
Each gadgets are nice, however they cater to totally different audiences. The query of the day is: Which one must you get as your new every day driver? It is arduous to decide on, however don’t fret — I am right here to assist. Under, I’ve damaged down how the iPhone Air compares to the iPhone 17 Professional Max.
Specs
Options | iPhone 17 Air | iPhone 17 Professional Max |
Costs | $999 | $1,199 |
Show | 6.5-inch Tremendous Retina XDR with ProMotion | 6.9-inch Tremendous Retina XDR with ProMotion |
Battery | 27 hours of video playback | 39 hours of video playback |
Finishes | Sky Blue, Black, White, Gentle Gold | Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, Silver |
Processor | A19 Professional | A19 Professional |
Body | Titanium body | Aluminum unibody |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
Digicam | 18MP Heart Stage selfie / 48MP Fusion Foremost | 18MP Heart Stage / 48MP Fusion Foremost, 48MP Fusion Extremely Large, 48MP Fusion Telephoto |
You should purchase the iPhone Air if…
1. You need an ultrathin but powerful cellphone
At simply 5.6 mm thick, the iPhone Air is sort of a 3rd thinner than the iPhone 16 Professional. Though it seems fragile, it is something however, as Apple designed its cell system to be simply as sturdy as it’s elegant. The smartphone’s body is manufactured from grade 5 titanium, a fabric identified for its excessive power and “corrosion-resistant traits.”
Ceramic Defend protects the again of the iPhone Air, permitting it to raised resist harm. On the entrance, Apple selected to equip the display screen with Ceramic Defend 2. Due to this materials, Apple says the show has “3x higher scratch resistance” than earlier fashions and “improved anti-reflection” properties.
2. You do not want each bell and whistle
As I discussed in my iPhone 17 series comparison piece, the iPhone Air is not as feature-rich because the higher-end fashions.
This can be a controversial opinion, however I believe the system’s lack of bells and whistles will profit customers as they will obtain a extra streamlined expertise. As an illustration, it solely has a single 48MP Fusion lens as its rear digital camera system. According to Apple, it allows the equal of 4 lenses with customers in a position to shoot images in each 28mm and 35mm focal lengths. You will not should fiddle round with the settings or study what the cameras do. It is all condensed.
Additionally: iPhone Air vs. Samsung S25 Edge: I compared both thin phones, and there’s a clear winner
One other change pertains to mobile connectivity. The iPhone Air depends solely on eSIM expertise. Carriers proceed to extend assist for eSIM at a constant fee, so this is not too massive a detriment, however this does imply that you just will not be capable to use your SIM card. Apple has additionally stated that the adoption of an “eSIM-only design” allowed the corporate to save lots of area, serving to the iPhone Air obtain that skinny kind issue.
You should purchase the iPhone 17 Professional Max if…
1. You need probably the most highly effective iPhone
The iPhone 17 Pro Max shares a shocking variety of similarities with the iPhone Air. Each gadgets run on a three-chip setup, which consists of the A19 Professional processor, N1 networking chip, and C1X modem. Collectively, this trio permits the smartphones to ship highly effective efficiency, assist Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and provide sooner, extra energy-efficient mobile connections.
Additionally: T-Mobile will give you a free iPhone 17 Pro – here’s how to get yours
The place the Professional Max differentiates itself is in dimension and stamina. Its huge 6.9-inch Tremendous Retina XDR show hits 3,000 nits of brightness, making certain visibility underneath direct daylight. Help for ProMotion lets it run at a refresh fee of 120Hz for clean visuals. The glass is even protected by Ceramic Defend 2. Paired with a battery reportedly able to lasting as much as 39 hours of video playback, it’s the iPhone constructed for customers who need one of the best of one of the best.
2. You need one of the best digital camera system
The similarities between the 2 telephones do not cease on the chipset or shows as a result of in addition they have comparable digital camera techniques. For instance, each fashions have the brand new 18MP Heart Stage selfie lens. Not solely does it present higher-quality photographs, however it additionally makes use of a brand new sort of sensor that lets house owners seize images in each portrait and panorama orientations with no need to rotate their cellphone.
The iPhone 17 Professional Max differentiates itself once more by offering professional-grade video. The flagship mannequin now helps ProRes RAW, a video codec that higher preserves knowledge for high-quality footage, the Log 2 format for wider shade gamuts, and genlock.
Genlock is software program that synchronizes “video throughout a number of cameras.” For content material creators, instruments like these permit the iPhone 17 Professional Max to double as a succesful filmmaking digital camera.
