Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17, Air, Pro, or Pro Max? 40 Differences Compared

Apple's four new iPhones launch later this month, with more differences between the latest models than ever before.

Instead of the familiar split between standard and Pro models, Apple has introduced the new iPhone Air, expanded the feature gap between tiers, and refined each model to serve a clearer audience. The result is a four-device family that ranges from the affordable and practical iPhone 17 to the feature-packed iPhone 17 Pro Max, with distinct trade-offs in size, materials, camera hardware, and battery life along the way. All models share Apple's latest A19 chip platform, meaning performance is fairly consistent across the board, but their designs, display sizes, and camera features are more specialized than ever before.

This guide offers a detailed look at every difference—dimensions, design, cameras, battery life, and pricing—so you can make an informed choice. Whether you prioritize design, photography, or battery life, this year's iPhones are no longer one-size-fits-all devices, and understanding the lineup is key to choosing the best model for you and your budget.

Sizes and Weights





‌iPhone 17‌

‌iPhone‌ Air

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max





Height

5.89 inches (149.6 mm)

6.15 inches (156.2 mm)

5.91 inches (150.0 mm)

6.43 inches (163.4 mm)





Width

2.81 inches (71.5 mm)

2.94 inches (74.7 mm)

2.83 inches (71.9 mm)

3.07 inches (78.0 mm)





Depth

0.31 inches (7.95 mm)

0.22 inches (5.64 mm)

0.34 inches (8.75 mm)

0.34 inches (8.75 mm)





Weight

6.24 ounces (177 grams)

5.82 ounces (165 grams)

7.27 ounces (206 grams)

8.22 ounces (233 grams)



Designs



‌iPhone 17‌

‌iPhone‌ Air

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max





Anodized aluminum frame

Polished titanium frame

Anodized aluminum unibody

Anodized aluminum unibody







Camera plateau

Camera plateau

Camera plateau





Ceramic Shield front

Ceramic Shield front and back

Ceramic Shield front and back

Ceramic Shield front and back





6.3-inch display

6.5-inch display

6.3-inch display

6.9-inch display





Available in White, Black, Mist Blue, Sage, and Lavender

Available in Cloud White, Space Black, Sky Blue, and Light Gold

Available in Silver, Deep Blue, and Cosmic Orange

Available in Silver, Deep Blue, and Cosmic Orange



Battery Life and Charging



‌iPhone 17‌

‌iPhone‌ Air

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max





3,692 mAh battery

3,149 mAh battery

4,252 mAh battery

5,088 mAh battery





Up to 30-hour battery life

Up to 27-hour battery life

Up to 33-hour battery life

Up to 39-hour battery life





MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W

‌MagSafe‌ wireless charging up to 20W

‌MagSafe‌ wireless charging up to 25W

‌MagSafe‌ wireless charging up to 25W





Up to 50% charge in 20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher

Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher, or 30W adapter or higher paired with ‌MagSafe‌ Charger

Up to 50% charge in 20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher

Up to 50% charge in 20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher



Camera Hardware



‌iPhone 17‌

‌iPhone‌ Air

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max





Dual rear cameras

Single rear camera

Triple rear cameras

Triple rear cameras





48-megapixel ultra wide camera



48-megapixel ultra wide camera

48-megapixel ultra wide camera









48-megapixel telephoto camera

48-megapixel telephoto camera





0.5x, 1x, and 2x optical zoom options

1x and 2x optical zoom options

0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x optical zoom options

0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x optical zoom options









LiDAR Scanner

LiDAR Scanner





True Tone flash

True Tone flash

Adaptive True Tone flash

Adaptive True Tone flash



Camera Features



‌iPhone 17‌

‌iPhone‌ Air

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max





Macro photography



Macro photography

Macro photography





Spatial photos



Spatial photos

Spatial photos









ProRAW

ProRAW





Cinematic mode



Cinematic mode

Cinematic mode









ProRes video recording

ProRes video recording









ProRes RAW

ProRes RAW









Academy Color Encoding System

Academy Color Encoding System









Apple Log 2 video recording

Apple Log 2 video recording









Genlock support

Genlock support





Macro video recording, including slo‑mo and time‑lapse



Macro video recording, including slo‑mo and time‑lapse

Macro video recording, including slo‑mo and time‑lapse





Slo‑mo video support up to 1080p at 240 fps

Slo‑mo video support up to 1080p at 240 fps

Slo‑mo video support for 1080p up to 240 fps and 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps

Slo‑mo video support for 1080p up to 240 fps and 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps



Other Differences



‌iPhone 17‌

‌iPhone‌ Air

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌

‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max





A19 chip

A19 Pro chip

A19 Pro chip

A19 Pro chip





5-core GPU

5-core GPU

6-core GPU

6-core GPU





8GB memory

12GB memory

12GB memory

12GB memory





Stereo speakers

Mono speaker

Stereo speakers

Stereo speakers









Studio-quality four-mic array

Studio-quality four-mic array





USB-C (USB 2)

USB-C (USB 2)

USB-C (USB 3 for up to 20x faster transfers)

USB-C (USB 3 for up to 20x faster transfers)





256GB or 512GB storage

256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage

256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage

256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage



Pricing





256GB

512GB

1TB

2TB







‌iPhone 17‌

$799

$999









‌iPhone‌ Air

$999

$1,199

$1,399







‌iPhone 17 Pro‌

$1,099

$1,299

$1,499







‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max

$1,199

$1,399

$1,599

$1,999





Which One Should You Choose?

Apple's latest ‌iPhone‌ lineup is more segmented than ever, with clear distinctions in size, design, and hardware to suit different needs. All four models share the same core performance, so your choice comes down to priorities like design, camera versatility, and price.

iPhone 17: Best for those who need a good, practical all-round ‌iPhone‌ at an affordable price.

iPhone Air: Best for those who want the thinnest and lightest ‌iPhone‌ in a groundbreaking new premium design with a medium-sized display, but are willing to accept noticeable compromises on camera features, battery life, charging speed, and speakers.

iPhone 17 Pro: Best for those who want the versatile new 48-megapixel telephoto camera and a large range of additional camera features and hardware in a smaller package, along with better mics and faster USB speeds.

iPhone 17 Pro Max: Best for 'pro' users who need the rich feature set of the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌, but with the largest possible display, battery life, and storage.

The ‌iPhone 17‌ should be the default option for most users, with the ability to move up to the Air as a design-led option, the Pro as a creator-focused device, and the Pro Max delivering everything in the largest format.

Pre-orders of the new ‌iPhone‌ lineup open on Friday, September 12, with launch on Friday, September 19.

Related Roundups: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 ProRelated Forum: iPhoneThis article, "Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17, Air, Pro, or Pro Max? 40 Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums