iPhone followers face a little bit of a conundrum this 12 months: iPhone 17 Professional vs. iPhone Air. The super-slim iPhone Air shakes up Apple’s telephone lineup significantly, with a cutting-edge new design that makes even devoted iPhone Professional customers query their dedication to the highest-end mannequin.
The iPhone Air sits between the iPhone Professional and the bottom iPhone 17, taking the place of the retired iPhone Plus. So, how does the iPhone Air fare in opposition to the iPhone 17 Professional? Must you ditch the Professional and go Air this 12 months?
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iPhone 17 Professional vs. iPhone Air: Evaluating Apple’s two finest iPhones
After years of stagnation relating to high-end iPhones, 2025 brings two worthy rivals. The iPhone 17 Professional is much more professional this 12 months. Moreover the same old yearly enhancements like a quicker chip and brighter show, it advantages from a critical increase in battery life. The digital camera, too, receives a giant improve, with a 56% bigger telephoto shooter enabling as much as 8x optical zoom.
Then, there’s the Air — Apple’s latest engineering marvel. Regardless of a slim 5.65 mm body, the telephone packs nearly all the pieces you possibly can ask for. It even makes use of the identical A19 Professional chip as its Professional sibling.
So, is the iPhone Air pretty much as good because the iPhone 17 Professional? Or is the latter the higher selection for energy customers?
Desk of contents: iPhone 17 Professional vs. iPhone Air comparability
Design: Contrasting selections
Photograph: Apple
- iPhone 17 Professional: 150 mm x 71.9 mm x 8.75 mm; 206 grams; IP68, Aluminum unibody, Ceramic Defend 2 entrance, Ceramic Defend again, Motion button, Digital camera management
- iPhone Air: 156.2 mm x 74.7 mm x 5.64 mm; 165 grams; IP68, Titanium body, Ceramic Defend 2 entrance, Ceramic Defend again, Motion button, Digital camera management
The iPhone 17 Professional and iPhone Air couldn’t be extra completely different relating to design. They each share only some widespread design parts, together with a full-width digital camera plateau on the again and the Dynamic Island on the entrance. In any other case, they’re poles aside, with the iPhone Air specializing in slimmness over anything.
No surprise the iPhone Air is Apple’s slimmest iPhone but, measuring solely 5.64 mm thick. It’s additionally extremely gentle at 165 grams. Compared, the iPhone 17 Professional is thicker an heavier than its predecessor. (iPhone 17 Professional is available in at 8.75 mm and 206 grams, whereas the iPhone 16 Professional was 8.25 mm and eight.75 mm.)
Surprisingly, the iPhone Air additionally makes use of a premium titanium body, whereas the iPhone 17 Professional drops titanium in favor of a unibody aluminum design. The selection is smart, although: Titanium provides the Air’s slim chassis the rigidity it wants, whereas aluminum gives the iPhone 17 Professional with superior warmth dissipation.
Regardless of their variations, the telephones have widespread floor with IP68 certification, a customizable Motion button and the Digital camera Management.
The iPhone 17 Professional is available in three daring and very un-Professional colours: cosmic orange, deep blue and silver. You may get the iPhone Air in 4 colours: sky blue, gentle gold, cloud white and house black.
Show: Each are brighter and stronger
- iPhone 17 Professional: 6.3-inch Tremendous Retina XDR show, 2,622 x 1,206 pixels, 120Hz ProMotion, Haptic Contact, True Tone, At all times-On Show, Dynamic Island, HDR10, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, 1,000 nits typical brightness, 3,000 nits peak brightness, 1 nit minimal brightness, Ceramic Defend 2 cowl glass
- iPhone Air: 6.5-inch Tremendous Retina XDR show, 2,736 x 1,260 pixels, 120Hz ProMotion, Haptic Contact, True Tone, At all times-On Show, Dynamic Island, HDR10, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, 1,000 nits typical brightness, 3,000 nits peak brightness, 1 nit minimal brightness, Ceramic Defend 2 cowl glass
Apple made the iPhone 17 Professional and iPhone Air alike in a single space: their shows. There’s just one notable distinction, and that’s the dimensions of the display screen. The iPhone 17 Professional homes a 6.3-inch Tremendous Retina XDR show, whereas the iPhone Air enjoys a barely bigger 6.5-inch show.
In any other case, the 2 panels share the identical traits: 3,000 nits of peak brightness, 1 nit minimal brightness, the Dynamic Island consumer interface, and Ceramic Defend 2 cowl glass for added safety and sturdiness. That new glass additionally options an antireflective coating that cuts down on glare, enhancing the viewing expertise on each gadgets
Chipset: A19 Professional, however iPhone Air will get a binned chip
Picture: Apple
- iPhone 17 Professional: A19 Professional, 6-core CPU with 2 efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores, 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, 16-core Neural Engine, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, as much as 1TB storage (as much as 2TB on iPhone 17 Professional Max)
- iPhone Air: A19 Professional, 6-core CPU with 2 efficiency cores and 4 effectivity cores, 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, 16-core Neural Engine, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, as much as 1TB storage
Apple’s A19 Professional chip, which powers each the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Professional, homes a 6-core CPU, which Apple calls the “quickest CPU in any smartphone.” Plus, every GPU core now contains Neural Accelerators and a bigger cache. Apple says the GPU works in “tandem with the brand new 16-core Neural Engine to energy AI fashions, beautiful graphics, and AAA” video games for higher efficiency.
It’s considerably shocking that the iPhone Air makes use of the A19 Professional chipset, which doubtless will generate quite a lot of warmth. That would pose a problem to its slim titanium chassis. The iPhone 17 Professional, however, incorporates a superior vapor chamber cooling system for higher warmth dissipation.
There’s just one distinction within the A19 Professional chip discovered within the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Professional. The Air makes use of a binned 5-core GPU — one core lower than the 6-core GPU discovered within the iPhone 17 Professional.
For storage, you may get the iPhone Air in 256GB, 512GB or 1TB variants. The iPhone 17 Professional is available in the identical storage configurations, with the iPhone 17 Professional Max getting an unique 2TB choice.
iPhone 17 Professional vs. iPhone Air cameras and audio: No contest
- iPhone 17 Professional: Rear: 48MP f/1.78 Fusion digital camera, second-gen sensor-shift stabilization, 48MP f/2.8 telephoto digital camera, 0.5x to 8x optical zoom; 48MP f/2.2 Extremely Huge, macro images; LiDAR Scanner, Sensible HDR 5, Adaptive True Tone flash, Cinematic mode (4K HDR@30fps), Motion mode, ProRAW and ProRes help, 4K 120fps Dolby Imaginative and prescient video recording, spatial video recording, wind noise discount, Audio Combine. Entrance: 18MP Heart Stage digital camera, ultra-stabilized video, Twin Seize
- iPhone Air: Rear: 48MP f/1.78 Fusion digital camera, sensor-shift picture stabilization, 2x optical zoom, Photonic Engine, Deep Fusion, Sensible HDR 5, Night time mode, 4K 60fps Dolby Imaginative and prescient. Entrance: 18MP Heart Stage digital camera, ultra-stabilized video, Twin Seize
With regards to cameras, the iPhone 17 Professional is in a league of its personal in comparison with the iPhone Air. Each telephones begin with the identical 48MP f/1.78 Fusion important digital camera and 18MP Heart Stage entrance shooter, however the similarities largely finish there.
The Professional packs a much more superior setup, with a 48MP telephoto lens providing as much as 8x optical zoom, a devoted 48MP Extremely Huge digital camera with macro help, and Apple’s second-gen sensor-shift stabilization. Options just like the LiDAR Scanner, Adaptive True Tone flash, and help for ProRAW and ProRes recording make the iPhone 17 Professional a real powerhouse for images and videography.
You additionally get cutting-edge video capabilities corresponding to Cinematic Mode in 4K HDR, 120fps Dolby Imaginative and prescient and even spatial video recording — one thing the Air can not match.
The iPhone Air retains issues less complicated. It homes a single 48MP Fusion digital camera on the rear, which helps as much as 2x optical zoom. There aren’t any devoted telephoto or ultra-wide cameras right here. It covers the fundamentals with Sensible HDR 5, Night time Mode, Deep Fusion and 4K 60fps Dolby Imaginative and prescient video.
You continue to get Apple’s newest entrance digital camera enhancements like ultra-stabilized video and Twin Seize. As for what’s lacking: loads of Professional options. There’s no Cinematic Mode, no ProRAW or ProRes recording, no macro images, and no help for skilled workflows like ACES, Genlock, or Apple Log 2.
Audio
The iPhone Air additionally misses out on the four-mic array that helps the iPhone 17 Professional seize cleaner audio, whether or not for video, music or voice recordings. Plus, for playback, the iPhone Air comes with just one speaker on the prime of the handset. The iPhone 17 Professional packs a pair of stereo speaker arrays, one on the prime and one on the backside.
For those who care about cameras (and to a lesser extent, audio), the iPhone 17 Professional is the clear winner. The iPhone Air is right for somebody who hardly ever makes use of their telephone’s digital camera and doesn’t care about any of the flowery options that allow pro-level video seize.
Connectivity: Nonetheless no mmWave
Picture: Apple
- iPhone 17 Professional: 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave), Emergency SOS by way of satellite tv for pc, Roadside Help by way of satellite tv for pc, Thread networking, excessive dynamic vary gyro, Crash Detection, twin eSIM slots, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, precision dual-frequency GPS, USB-C (as much as 10Gbps), second-gen Extremely Wideband chip
- iPhone Air: 5G (sub-6GHz), Emergency SOS by way of satellite tv for pc, Roadside Help by way of satellite tv for pc, Thread networking, excessive dynamic vary gyro, Crash Detection, twin eSIM slots, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, precision dual-frequency GPS, USB-C (as much as 480Mbps), second-gen Extremely Wideband chip
The iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Professional share loads of connectivity options, however additionally they differ in some necessary methods. Each telephones help Thread networking, Apple’s Crash Detection characteristic, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and dual-frequency GPS.
However the iPhone Air makes use of Apple’s new C1X modem. And whereas it helps quicker speeds than even the iPhone 16 Professional‘s Qualcomm modem, it nonetheless misses out on mmWave 5G help. Plus, there’s solely an eSIM variant of the iPhone Air. That’s not the case with iPhone 17 Professional, with Apple promoting a model with a bodily SIM card slot in a number of international locations.
One other Professional-tastic characteristic on the iPhone 17 Professional: file switch helps speeds of as much as 10Gbps. Compared, the iPhone Air tops out at a paltry 480Mbps.
Battery life: Professional wins
Photograph: Apple
- iPhone 17 Professional: As much as 33 hours of video playback; 50% quick cost in 20 minutes with 40W adapter; 25W MagSafe and Qi2 wi-fi charging help
- iPhone Air: As much as 27 hours of video playback; 50% quick cost in half-hour with 20W adapter; MagSafe and Qi2 wi-fi charging help
The iPhone Air’s slimness comes at the price of battery life. Regardless of Apple utilizing power-efficient parts, the corporate charges the iPhone Air to offer as much as 27 hours of video playback. That’s the identical because the iPhone 16 Professional, and it’s spectacular for such a slim telephone because the Air
Nonetheless, if you’re an influence consumer, you’ll need your telephone to final even longer. That is the place the iPhone 17 Professional is available in and lives as much as its Professional moniker. Apple says it delivers a video playback runtime of 33 hours — six hours greater than the iPhone 16 Professional.
Moreover battery life, the iPhone 17 Professional expenses quicker over a wired connection. Apple says you possibly can fill a virtually empty cell to 50% in solely 20 minutes with a appropriate charger. The iPhone Air wants half-hour to succeed in the midway mark.
If battery life is certainly one of your main issues, the iPhone 17 Professional is the apparent selection. However in the event you choose the iPhone Air’s slim design, you possibly can all the time pair it with Apple’s new slim MagSafe Battery Pack to increase its runtime.
iPhone 17 Professional vs. iPhone Air worth: Virtually the identical
- iPhone 17 Professional: Begins at $1,099 for 256GB storage, with a $200 bump for the 512GB variant
- iPhone Air: Begins at $999, with a $200 leap for the 512GB variant
The iPhone 17 Professional begins at $1,099, a $100 worth hike over the bottom iPhone 16 Professional. Nonetheless, there’s an upside: Apple discontinued the 128GB mannequin. This implies the bottom mannequin iPhone 17 Professional comes with 256GB storage. And this 12 months’s worth for that a lot storage is identical as final 12 months’s. In different phrases, sure, it’s costlier — however you get the identical worth proposition as final 12 months, regardless of all of the spectacular upgrades.
The iPhone Air is $100 cheaper, with costs beginning at $999. Given the variations, the $100 worth hole between the 2 telephones is comparatively modest.
For each fashions, stepping as much as 512GB provides $200, whereas the 1TB choice comes at an extra $400.
Conclusion: iPhone 17 Professional vs. iPhone Air
For those who’re selecting between the iPhone 17 Professional and iPhone Air, worth doubtless received’t be the deciding issue, since they’re positioned equally in that regard. As an alternative, the distinction lies within the completely different focuses of the 2 gadgets.
The iPhone Air is all a few slim, light-weight design, whereas the iPhone 17 Professional is constructed to fulfill prosumers with its superior options and all-day battery life.
Purchase now
iPhone 17 Professional: Apple or Greatest Purchase
Extra professional than ever
iPhone 17 Professional (256GB mannequin)
Apple’s strongest iPhone will get a redesign and spectacular new capabilities. The iPhone 17 Professional’s aluminum unibody design appears to be like completely different for positive, with a wider digital camera plateau. However the large modifications are inside: the highly effective A19 Professional chip and a vapor chamber to chill it off for max efficiency.
- Base mannequin jumps to 256GB of storage.
- 48MP rear cameras, with 8x optical zoom.
- 18MP Heart Stage entrance digital camera for higher selfies.
- Helps ProRes RAW for studio-quality video.
- Solely three colours: silver, deep blue and cosmic orange.
iPhone Air: Apple or Greatest Purchase
Skinny is in
iPhone Air (256GB mannequin)
With its radically slim design, the iPhone Air shakes up Apple’s telephone lineup. It comes with the identical A19 Professional chip because the iPhone 17 Professional and makes use of Apple’s N1 and C1X chips to boost connectivity and effectivity.
- Killer new design with titanium body is simply 5.6 mm skinny and weighs simply 165 grams.
- 6.5-inch Tremendous Retina XDR show with ProMotion as much as 120Hz.
- Heart Stage entrance digital camera for higher selfies.
- Is available in 4 colours: house black, cloud white, gentle gold and sky blue.
- Battery life takes a little bit of successful.
- 48MP Fusion digital camera system, with 28 mm and 35 mm focal size lenses, is spectacular however extra restricted than Professional fashions.
- Optical-quality telephoto lens is simply 2x.