Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Best Picks Entertainment Technology Magazines Why subscribe? The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From$12.99View MacBook Air M4 iPad Air M3 Nintendo Switch 2 Best mattress Wordle Today iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Biggest rumored differences Mark Spoonauer 14 March 2025 Everything you need to know about Apple's hottest new iPhones for 2025 When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Front Page Tech/@dan_gaffa on X) There's a lot of buzz building around the iPhone 17 Air, because this new rumored iPhone could wind up being the thinnest iPhone ever should it replace the Plus model in Apple's lineup this fall. But the iPhone 17 Pro Max will likely remain Apple's true flagship in terms of features, specs and especially price. Based on the leaked rumored and specs so far, there will likely be some pretty big differences between these two phones. Which will be the best iPhone for you? This iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max comparison will break down everything we know so far. You may like iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Biggest expected upgrades iPhone 17 Pro Max — all the rumors so far Swipe to scroll horizontally iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Rumored specs Row 0 - Cell 0 iPhone 17 Air (rumored) iPhone 17 Pro Max (rumored) 6.6 inches (120Hz) 6.9 inches (120Hz) Rear camera 48MP wide, ultrawide and telephoto Front camera iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Design and thickness (Image credit: Front Page Tech / YouTube) The iPhone 17 Air could very well be the thinnest phone on the market. The rumored dimensions vary, but we've heard it could be anywhere between 5.5 to 6mm thick. By comparison, the current iPhone 16 Pro Max measures 8.25mm thick. Interestingly, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is tipped to feature a larger battery than its predecessor, so it could be even thicker at 8.73mm. In terms of overall design, the iPhone 17 Air's back could house a single rear camera in a long pill-shaped camera bar. The flash would be on the far right side. Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. (Image credit: Majin Bu) Rumors point to an aluminum and glass design for the iPhone 17 Air. And there may be just one speaker, instead of two for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is tipped to feature a new rectangular camera button that would go the length of the design and house the triple rear camera setup. Apple may also ditch titanium on the iPhone 17 Pro Max and opt for aluminum. iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Displays (Image credit: Front Page Tech) The iPhone 17 Air's display is rumored to be in the 6.6- to 6.7-inch range, so it will presumably be smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro Max's screen. Just like the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to feature a large 6.9-inch panel. (Image credit: @asherdipps/X) The leaker Ice Universe has said that the iPhone 17 Air is the same size as the iPhone 17 Pro Max other than thickness, so it's possible they could have the same display size. The good news is that both the iPhone 17 Air and Pro Max are both expected to feature 120Hz refresh rates, though that it definitely not confirmed. iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Cameras (Image credit: Front Page Tech / YouTube) It looks like Apple is going to keep the iPhone 17 Air very streamlined when it comes to cameras. The new model is rumored to feature only a single rear 48MP wide camera. The front camera will likely be the same 24MP that's expected for the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, including the iPhone 17 Pro Max. (Image credit: FPT/Asher Dipps) Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is tipped to feature both a 48MP telephoto lens (presumably with 5x tetraprism zoom) and a 48MP ultrawide camera. So those looking for the best camera phone will want to up for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Chip, RAM and storage (Image credit: BGR) As you might expect, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is tipped to feature the more powerful internal hardware. Rumors point to the iPhone 17 Pro Max getting an A18 Pro chip, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage to start. The iPhone 17 Air should get a slightly slower A19 chip, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. So both the iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 17 Pro should be able to play the same demanding games, but I would expect the iPhone 17 Pro to offer better frame rates. In addition, the extra ram inside the iPhone 17 Pro should lead to better performance in Apple Intelligence features, such as generating images or using Writing Tools. iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Battery (Image credit: Majin Bu/X) We don't have any specific info yet on the battery size for the iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but it's reasonable to expect that Apple will give the Air a significantly smaller battery given its thin profile. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is reportedly getting thicker to accommodate a larger battery. Based on teardowns, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 4,685 mAh battery. And in our iPhone 16 Pro Max battery testing, Apple's current premium flagship lasted an average of 17 hours and 35 minutes. That's a superb result and good enough to make our list of the best phone battery life. I'm worried that the iPhone 17 Air could last several hours less due to its more constrained battery. But that remains to be seen. iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Modem (Image credit: Apple) The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly be the second phone after the iPhone 16e to feature Apple's own C1 modem. This modem doesn't support mmWave 5G, so you're not going to always get the fastest speeds, but the C! performed well in our iPhone 16e testing. The C1 modem is also designed to be super efficient, and the iPhone 17 Air will need that without a large battery to squeeze out as much endurance as possible. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to stick with a Qualcomm 5G modem, so it should offer better performance in terms of speedy connectivity. iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Outlook The iPhone 17 Air and IPhone 17 Pro Max seem like they are going to target very different audiences. Based on the rumors and leaks, the iPhone 17 Air will be geared toward people who care about portability and style above everything else. It should easily slip into a front pocket without weighing you down. At the same time, the iPhone 17 Air should offer good enough performance, even if it has a slightly lesser chip with less RAM and storage compared to Apple's Pro model. The biggest iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max difference — other than the profile — will likely be the triple camera setup on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. If you want to be able to shoot ultrawide shots and get in very close with a powerful optical zoom, the iPhone 17 Pro Max will likely be for you. Plus, the iPhone 17 Pro Max will likely offer a slightly larger display and bigger battery. It all comes down to what you're looking for when shopping for the best phone for you. More from Tom's Guide Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. iPhone 17 Air: What we know so far iOS 19: All the biggest rumors so far This iPhone 17 Pro Max rumor could push people toward the iPhone 17 Air Today's best AirPods 4 deals $99.99View $118.98View $129.99View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices See more Phones News Mark Spoonauer Social Links Navigation Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Biggest expected upgrades iPhone 17 Pro Max — all the rumors so far iPhone 17 rumors — everything we know so far iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: Here's the biggest differences iPhone 17 Air rumors — everything we know so far iPhone 17 Pro Max — this new rumor could push people towards iPhone 17 Air Latest in iPhones iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Biggest rumored differences iOS 19 risks turning Apple Intelligence into the new Siri — and that's not good Apple CarPlay just got a welcome upgrade in iOS 18.4 — what you need to know 5 biggest iOS 19 rumors — here’s how Apple could transform your iPhone iPhone 17 Air could be just 5.5mm thick — but 9.5mm when you throw in the camera bump Hoping for a new iPhone 16 color? Here's why that's looking unlikely Latest in News Google has a fix for broken Chromecasts as long as you didn't factory reset NYT Connections today hints and answers — Friday, March 14 (#642) I played with Nvidia's AI NPC prototypes — now they're real, and I fear I'll never finish a game again iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Biggest rumored differences Intel's Panther Lake appears in public for the first time — what we know about the new chip OnePlus Pad 2 Pro specs leak — this tablet is a beast More about iphones iOS 19 risks turning Apple Intelligence into the new Siri — and that's not good Apple CarPlay just got a welcome upgrade in iOS 18.4 — what you need to know I gave up my $3,000 speakers for this stunning stereo system — and the results blew me away See more latest Most Popular I played with Nvidia's AI NPC prototypes — now they're real, and I fear I'll never finish a game again Google has a fix for broken Chromecasts as long as you didn't factory reset NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #376 (Friday, March 14 2025) NYT Connections today hints and answers — Friday, March 14 (#642) NWSL 2025 livestreams: watch the National Women's Soccer League online Australian Grand Prix 2025 — how to watch the high-octane Formula 1 fun! Intel's Panther Lake appears in public for the first time — what we know about the new chip Netflix top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now OnePlus Pad 2 Pro specs leak — this tablet is a beast Android 16 beta 3 arrives today — all the newest features LATEST ARTICLES I gave up my $3,000 speakers for this stunning stereo system — and the results blew me away 4 reasons why Samsung's Galaxy A56 is a better buy than the iPhone 16e I played with Nvidia's AI NPC prototypes — now they're real, and I fear I'll never finish a game again My most anticipated comedy-thriller of 2025 is now streaming — but you should see it on the big screen instead I just tested Manus vs ChatGPT with 5 prompts — here's the winner Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. Terms and conditions Contact Future's experts Privacy policy Cookies policy Accessibility Statement Advertise with us Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Please login or signup to comment Please wait...