iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro — differences and early best picks

Apple’s 2025 lineup spans three models with distinct priorities: the mainstream iPhone 17, the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and the performance-focused iPhone 17 Pro. The differences are easiest to see across price, cameras, materials, and battery life. Where helpful, cross-model details are visible on Apple’s official comparison page, and Pro launch specifics come from Apple’s newsroom release.

Pricing and storage (launch)

iPhone 17: from $799; 256 GB or 512 GB
iPhone 17 Air: from $999; 256 GB to 1 TB
iPhone 17 Pro: from $1,099 (Pro Max from $1,199); 256 GB to 1 TB (Pro Max up to 2 TB)

Model	Starting Price	Storage Options
iPhone 17	$799	256 GB, 512 GB
iPhone 17 Air	$999	256 GB – 1 TB
iPhone 17 Pro	$1,099 (Pro Max $1,199)	256 GB – 1 TB (Pro Max up to 2 TB)

Best value pick: iPhone 17 — the lowest price, still with dual 48 MP rear cameras and strong battery life.
Note on “Air vs Pro” value: iPhone 17 Air is only about $100 under Pro at launch while omitting telephoto and ultrawide; for most buyers it’s not the value play.

Design and displays

iPhone 17: 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR; durable aluminum frame; Camera Control and Action button; 6.3" size is shared with Pro (smaller variant).
iPhone 17 Air: 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR with ProMotion up to 120 Hz; polished titanium frame; Apple’s thinnest iPhone; Ceramic Shield 2 front and Ceramic Shield back.
iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3- or 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR with ProMotion up to 120 Hz; forged aluminum unibody; Ceramic Shield 2 front and Ceramic Shield back.

Model	Display	Material	Notable Features
iPhone 17	6.3″ Super Retina XDR	Aluminum	Action button, Camera Control
iPhone 17 Air	6.5″ Super Retina XDR, 120 Hz	Titanium	Thinnest, Ceramic Shield 2 front/back
iPhone 17 Pro	6.3″ / 6.9″ Super Retina XDR, 120 Hz	Forged Aluminum	3,000 nits brightness, anti-reflection

Cameras

iPhone 17: Dual 48 MP (Main + Ultra Wide); optical 0.5×, 1×, 2×; 18 MP front camera.
iPhone 17 Air: Single 48 MP (Main only, 1×/2× crop); 18 MP front camera.
iPhone 17 Pro: Triple 48 MP (Main, Ultra Wide, Telephoto); 0.5×–8× optical zoom; 18 MP upgraded front camera.

Model	Rear Cameras	Optical Options	Front Camera
iPhone 17	48 MP Main + 48 MP Ultra Wide	0.5×, 1×, 2×	18 MP Center Stage
iPhone 17 Air	48 MP Main	1×, 2× crop	18 MP Center Stage
iPhone 17 Pro	48 MP Main + Ultra Wide + Telephoto	0.5×, 1×, 2×, 4×, 8×	18 MP (square sensor, Dual Capture, 4K HDR)

Performance, thermals, and battery

Chips: iPhone 17 (A19), iPhone 17 Air (A19 Pro), iPhone 17 Pro (A19 Pro with extra GPU core).
Thermals: Pro uses vapor chamber + forged aluminum.
Battery (video playback): iPhone 17 up to 30 hrs; Air up to 27 hrs; Pro up to 33 hrs (Pro Max up to 39 hrs).

Model	Chip	Thermal Design	Battery Life
iPhone 17	A19, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU	Standard	Up to 30 hrs (50% in 20 min)
iPhone 17 Air	A19 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU	Standard	Up to 27 hrs (50% in 30 min)
iPhone 17 Pro	A19 Pro, 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU	Vapor chamber + unibody	Up to 33 hrs (Pro Max: 39 hrs)

Connectivity and software

All models: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread via Apple’s N1 chip.
eSIM + 5G across lineup, satellite features included.
iOS 26 with Apple Intelligence: AI tools, Liquid Glass UI.

Model	Networking	Cellular	Software
iPhone 17	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread	5G + eSIM	iOS 26, Apple Intelligence
iPhone 17 Air	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread	5G + eSIM	iOS 26, Apple Intelligence
iPhone 17 Pro	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread	5G + eSIM only in some markets	iOS 26, Apple Intelligence

Sizes, controls, and ergonomics

Sizes: iPhone 17 (6.3″), Air (6.5″), Pro (6.3″/6.9″).
Camera Control + Action button standard across lineup.

Model	Sizes	Controls
iPhone 17	6.3″	Action + Camera Control
iPhone 17 Air	6.5″	Action + Camera Control
iPhone 17 Pro	6.3″ / 6.9″	Action + Camera Control

Release timing

iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max pre-orders open September 12 with availability starting September 19.

Which should you buy?

Best overall: iPhone 17 Pro (or Pro Max for longest battery).
Best value: iPhone 17.
Best for feel: iPhone 17 Air.
Best for creators: iPhone 17 Pro.
Best battery endurance: iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Tip: If you’re undecided on size, try the 6.3″ versions in store first. The smaller iPhone 17 Pro preserves the full camera stack and ProMotion while staying closer to the iPhone 17’s hand feel.