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Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup brings a few of the largest design adjustments the smartphone sequence 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 among the thinnest smartphones Apple has ever made, made for individuals who worth a modern, transportable design.
In the meantime, the iPhone 17 Professional Max doubles down on energy with a cutting-edge digicam 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 completely different audiences. The query of the day is: Which one must you get as your new day by day driver? It is arduous to decide on, however don’t be concerned — 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 Principal | 18MP Heart Stage / 48MP Fusion Principal, 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 cellular gadget to be simply as sturdy as it’s elegant. The smartphone’s body is manufactured from grade 5 titanium, a cloth identified for its excessive power and “corrosion-resistant traits.”
Additionally: 3 reasons why I’m skipping the iPhone 17 Pro and buying this model instead
Ceramic Defend protects the again of the iPhone Air, permitting it to higher resist injury. On the entrance, Apple selected to equip the display screen with Ceramic Defend 2. Because of 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 gadget’s lack of bells and whistles will profit customers as they’re going to obtain a extra streamlined expertise. As an example, it solely has a single 48MP Fusion lens as its rear digicam system. According to Apple, it permits the equal of 4 lenses with customers capable of 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 help for eSIM at a constant price, so this is not too massive a detriment, however this does imply that you just will not be capable of use your SIM card. Apple has additionally stated that the adoption of an “eSIM-only design” allowed the corporate to avoid wasting area, serving to the iPhone Air obtain that skinny type issue.
You should purchase the iPhone 17 Professional Max if…
1. You need essentially the most highly effective iPhone
The iPhone 17 Pro Max shares a stunning 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, help 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 large 6.9-inch Tremendous Retina XDR show hits 3,000 nits of brightness, guaranteeing visibility beneath direct daylight. Help for ProMotion lets it run at a refresh price of 120Hz for easy 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 the perfect of the perfect.
2. You need the perfect digicam system
The similarities between the 2 telephones do not cease on the chipset or shows as a result of in addition they have related digicam techniques. For instance, each fashions have the brand new 18MP Heart Stage selfie lens. Not solely does it present higher-quality pictures, but it surely additionally makes use of a brand new kind of sensor that lets house owners seize images in each portrait and panorama orientations while not having to rotate their cellphone.
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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 colour gamuts, and genlock.
Genlock is software program that synchronizes “video throughout a number of cameras.” For content material creators, instruments like these enable the iPhone 17 Professional Max to double as a succesful filmmaking digicam.
