iPhone 15 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Air
Quick answer
The iPhone 17 Air is 2.61 millimetres0.10 inches thinner and 56 grams1.98 ounces lighter than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The iPhone 17 Air on Amazon (paid link) makes the iPhone 15 Pro Max (paid link) feel like a brick in the hand. You drop significant weight and bulk immediately, though you give up some telephoto reach. It is a striking shift toward comfort without losing the canvas.
Paid link.
Easier one-handed: iPhone 17 Air
Pocket: iPhone 17 Air
Weight difference: Noticeable
TRUE SCALE · 1.4 PX/MM
TRUE SCALE · 2.1 PX/MM
Hand: US Army ANSUR II, 2012 (sex-balanced median). Pockets: The Pudding, 2018. Card: ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1.
iPhone 15 Pro Max: 159.9 by 76.7 by 8.25 millimetres, 221 grams. iPhone 17 Air: 156.2 by 74.7 by 5.64 millimetres, 165 grams.
15 Pro Max, 17 Air shown at 2.1 pixels per millimetre.
iPhone 15 Pro Max
from $1,199 at launch.
Launch price, not a live Amazon price.
Check price on Amazon Renewed (paid link)iPhone 17 Air
from $999 at launch.
Launch price, not a live Amazon price.
Check price on Amazon (paid link)
Paid link.
Height: 15 Pro Max 159.9 millimetres, 17 Air 156.2 millimetres.Height: 15 Pro Max 6.30 inches, 17 Air 6.15 inches.Width: 15 Pro Max 76.7 millimetres, 17 Air 74.7 millimetres.Width: 15 Pro Max 3.02 inches, 17 Air 2.94 inches.Depth: 15 Pro Max 8.25 millimetres, 17 Air 5.64 millimetres.Depth: 15 Pro Max 0.32 inches, 17 Air 0.22 inches.Weight: 15 Pro Max 221 grams, 17 Air 165 grams.Weight: 15 Pro Max 7.80 ounces, 17 Air 5.82 ounces.
Specifications
| Specification | 15 Pro Max | 17 Air |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 159.9 millimetres6.30 inches | 156.2 millimetres, 3.7 millimetres less6.15 inches, 0.15 inches less |
| Width | 76.7 millimetres3.02 inches | 74.7 millimetres, 2.0 millimetres less2.94 inches, 0.08 inches less |
| Depth | 8.25 millimetres0.32 inches | 5.64 millimetres, 2.61 millimetres less0.22 inches, 0.10 inches less |
| Weight | 221 grams7.80 ounces | 165 grams, 56 grams less5.82 ounces, 1.98 ounces less |
| Volume | 101.2 cubic centimetres6.17 cubic inches | 65.8 cubic centimetres, 35.4 cubic centimetres less4.02 cubic inches, 2.16 cubic inches less |
| Screen-to-body — Active display area over body area. Our own estimate, not an Apple figure. | 90 percent | 90 percent, the same |
| Display size — Screen size is always quoted in inches. | 6.7 inches | 6.5 inches, 0.2 inches less |
| Resolution | 1290 × 2796 | 1260 × 2736 |
| Pixel density | 460 pixels per inch | 460 pixels per inch, the same |
| Cutout | Dynamic Island | Dynamic Island |
| Rear main | 48MP | 48MP |
| Rear ultra-wide | — | — |
| Rear telephoto | — | — |
| Front camera | 12MP | 12MP |
| Chip | A17 Pro | A19 Pro |
| Video playback — Apple's rated hours of video playback. Apple does not publish battery capacity. | 29 hrs | 27 hrs |
| Port | USB-C | USB-C |
| Wireless | 5G · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth | 5G · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth |
| Water resistance | IP68 (6m for 30 min) | IP68 (6m for 30 min) |
| Storage | 256 GB – 1 TB | 256 GB – 1 TB |
| Launch price — Base configuration at launch, in US dollars. | 1,199 dollars | 999 dollars, 200 dollars less |
| Released | Sep 2023 | Sep 2025 |
| Status | Discontinued | Current |
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Questions about these phones
How do the dimensions of the iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 15 Pro Max compare?
The iPhone 17 Air is 3.7 mm shorter, 2.0 mm narrower, and 2.61 mm thinner than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Is the iPhone 17 Air noticeably lighter than the iPhone 15 Pro Max?
Yes, the iPhone 17 Air weighs 165 g, which is 56 g lighter than the 221 g iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Which phone has the larger screen size?
The iPhone 15 Pro Max features a 6.7-inch display, while the iPhone 17 Air has a slightly smaller 6.5-inch display.
Does the iPhone 17 Air fit better in one hand than the iPhone 15 Pro Max?
The iPhone 17 Air is easier to use with one hand and better suited for small hands due to its reduced width and lighter weight.
Will both phones fit in a typical men's jeans pocket?
Both the iPhone 17 Air and the iPhone 15 Pro Max fit inside a typical men's jeans pocket, though the iPhone 17 Air is more pocketable overall because of its thinner and lighter profile.
Do both phones fit in a typical women's jeans pocket?
Neither the iPhone 17 Air nor the iPhone 15 Pro Max fits comfortably into a typical women's jeans pocket.