iPhone Air Review: The Hidden Features Apple Kept Quiet (2025)

The iPhone Air stands as Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever at just 0.22 inches (5.6mm) thick and weighing a mere 5.82 ounces. After spending time with this ultralight device, I’ve discovered there’s more to this slender newcomer than meets the eye.

Despite its premium $999 starting price, the iPhone Air occupies an interesting middle ground in Apple’s lineup, replacing the iPhone 16 Plus while offering both impressive features and surprising compromises. Though it boasts a stunning 6.5-inch OLED display with 3,000 nits of brightness, the iPhone Air makes do with just a single 48-megapixel camera. Meanwhile, performance tests reveal the iPhone 17 – actually cheaper than the Air – outperforms it by 26% in peak processing power.

What’s particularly interesting is how Apple has addressed the battery limitations. While the iPhone Air delivers up to 27 hours of video playback on its own, this jumps dramatically to 40 hours when paired with the new optional MagSafe battery. However, this dependency raises questions about the compromises made to achieve that ultra-thin design.

In this review, we’ll examine what Apple didn’t emphasize in their marketing – from thermal throttling to camera limitations – and help you decide if the iPhone Air’s striking silhouette is worth the tradeoffs.

iPhone Air (2025) Specs and Pricing Overview

Apple’s newest addition to the iPhone family comes with significant storage improvements alongside its premium price tag. Taking a closer examination of what the iPhone Air offers reveals both impressive specifications and notable compromises.

Storage Options and Price Points

Breaking from tradition, Apple has eliminated the 128GB base storage option for the iPhone Air, making 256GB the new entry point. The complete storage lineup includes:

• 256GB: $999.00

• 512GB: $1199.00

• 1TB: $1399.00

This strategic pricing positions the iPhone Air as a premium device, costing exactly the same as the equivalent 256GB iPhone 16 Pro from last year. Furthermore, this placement makes the iPhone Air $100 more expensive than the iPhone 16 Plus it replaces in the lineup.

Notably, the iPhone Air lacks the 2TB storage option that Apple introduced for the first time with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which reaches a staggering $1999.00. For users requiring massive storage capacity, consequently, the Pro Max remains the only viable option.

Pre-orders for the iPhone Air begin on Friday, September 12, with availability starting Friday, September 19. The device comes in four color options: an ethereally light blue, light gold, black, and white.

How It Compares to iPhone 17 and Pro Models

Considering the $200 price difference between the base iPhone 17 ($799.00) and iPhone Air ($999.00), one might expect the Air to outperform in all categories. Nevertheless, this isn’t entirely the case.

The iPhone Air does boast several advantages over the standard iPhone 17:

• Thinner titanium design (5.6mm vs 7.9mm)

• Lighter weight (165g vs 177g)

• Larger 6.5-inch display (vs 6.3-inch)

• A19 Pro chip (vs standard A19)

• 12GB RAM (vs 8GB in iPhone 17)

• Ceramic Shield 2 with 3x better scratch resistance

Although both models feature a 48MP main camera, the iPhone 17 adds something the Air lacks – an ultra-wide lens that enables 0.5x zoom capabilities. Additionally, the iPhone Air has only one rear camera, unlike the dual or triple camera systems found in other models.

Regarding performance, even with its “Pro” designation, the A19 Pro chip in the Air uses a 5-core GPU compared to the 6-core GPU in the Pro and Pro Max models. Combined with its limited internal space for heat dissipation, the Air experiences more thermal throttling under pressure.

Battery life represents another compromise. The iPhone Air offers up to 27 hours of video playback, which is less than the iPhone 17 (30 hours), iPhone 17 Pro (33 hours), and significantly below the iPhone 17 Pro Max (39 hours). The Air also charges more slowly, reaching only 55% capacity after 30 minutes.

Overall, the iPhone Air occupies an interesting position in Apple’s lineup. It delivers the thinnest, lightest design with premium materials and a larger screen than the standard model. Yet simultaneously, it makes compromises in camera capabilities, performance under sustained loads, battery endurance, and charging speed. This makes the decision between models primarily one of priorities – whether design and thinness outweigh versatility and longevity for your specific needs.

Design and Display: Thin, Light, and Surprisingly Durable

Holding the iPhone Air feels almost unreal given its impossibly slender profile. At just 5.6mm thick, it vanishes in your palm while maintaining structural integrity that defies its delicate appearance.

Titanium Frame and Ceramic Shield 2

The iPhone Air’s remarkable thinness doesn’t come at the expense of durability. Apple engineered the device with a Grade 5 titanium frame that provides exceptional strength despite its slender profile. This isn’t just any titanium—it’s constructed from 80% recycled materials, combining environmental responsibility with premium build quality.

What truly makes this frame special is the high-gloss mirror finish that catches light beautifully, creating an elegant esthetic that distinguishes it from aluminum-bodied iPhones. Apple precision-milled a plateau on both sides to house the cameras, speaker, and Apple silicon, resulting in a distinctive design element.

The durability enhancements extend beyond the frame. For the first time in iPhone history, Apple protected both sides of the device with Ceramic Shield technology. The front features Ceramic Shield 2, which delivers 3x better scratch resistance than previous generations. Moreover, the back now incorporates the original Ceramic Shield, providing 4x better resistance to cracks compared to earlier models.

In real-world testing, the iPhone Air has proven remarkably resilient. During bend tests, it withstood an impressive 86kg of pressure before showing any flex—nearly matching the iPhone 17 Pro’s 90kg threshold. Indeed, for a device so thin, this level of structural integrity is extraordinary.

6.5-Inch OLED with 3,000 Nits Brightness

The display is undeniably one of the iPhone Air’s standout features. Apple equipped it with a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel that strikes an ideal balance—larger than the standard iPhone 17’s 6.3-inch screen yet more manageable than the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 6.9-inch display.

Technical specifications reveal an impressive resolution of 2736×1260 pixels at 460 PPI, creating crisp visuals for everything from text to videos. The display further excels with these capabilities:

• ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz for smooth scrolling

• Ability to reduce refresh rate down to 1Hz when static to preserve battery

• Always-On functionality for convenient glancing at information

• Peak brightness of 3,000 nits outdoors—the highest ever on an iPhone

The 120Hz refresh rate makes a noticeable difference in daily use. Scrolling through social media feels buttery smooth, and streaming video appears more fluid than on standard 60Hz displays.

Anti-Reflective Coating vs Other iPhones

Perhaps the most practical display enhancement is the anti-reflective coating that dramatically improves visibility in bright conditions. The iPhone Air incorporates this technology across its entire display, reducing glare and making outdoor content consumption significantly more enjoyable.

Interestingly, this anti-reflective coating initially faced production challenges. According to earlier reports, Apple struggled with manufacturing yields, potentially limiting its availability to Pro models. Yet surprisingly, the coating now appears on the iPhone Air, providing better outdoor visibility than previous generations.

When compared to other smartphones, the anti-reflective technology represents a substantial improvement over previous iPhones but falls short of Samsung’s implementation. Side-by-side comparisons with the Galaxy S24 Ultra reveal that Samsung’s anti-glare solution remains superior, almost making Apple’s coating appear absent when viewed directly alongside it.

Nonetheless, the fact that this technology appears on the entire iPhone 17 lineup (including the Air) rather than just Pro models represents a significant democratization of this feature, offering better outdoor visibility across Apple’s product range.

Performance Under Pressure: A19 Pro Chip Limitations

Beneath the sleek exterior of the iPhone Air lies a subtle compromise that becomes apparent only under demanding conditions. Despite sharing the A19 Pro name with the iPhone 17 Pro models, the chip in the Air performs quite differently when pushed to its limits.

Thermal Throttling in Stress Tests

The ultra-thin design of the iPhone Air creates an inherent challenge for thermal management. Unlike the iPhone 17 Pro models, which feature an innovative vapor chamber cooling system filled with deionized water, the Air lacks any dedicated cooling solution. This absence becomes evident during intensive tasks, as the area around the camera module can reach temperatures of 115 degrees after about an hour of gaming—noticeably hotter than the Pro models.

This heat doesn’t just make the device uncomfortable to hold; it directly impacts performance. When the internal temperature sensors detect that the chip has reached its maximum operating temperature, the system throttles performance until temperatures decrease. In benchmark tests, this thermal limitation causes the iPhone Air to sometimes perform more like last year’s A18 chip, especially during extended sessions that push the GPU.

5-Core GPU vs 6-Core in Pro Models

Even at identical clock speeds, the A19 Pro in the Air is fundamentally different from its Pro siblings. The iPhone Air version comes with a 5-core GPU compared to the 6-core GPU in the Pro models. This hardware difference combines with the thermal limitations to create a noticeable performance gap.

Surprisingly, in some GPU-intensive benchmarks, even the standard iPhone 17 with its regular A19 chip outperforms the Air. This occurs primarily because the standard iPhone 17, though lacking the vapor chamber of the Pro models, still has more room for heat dissipation than the ultra-thin Air.

Real-World Lag and Heat Management

For everyday tasks, the difference is barely perceptible. The A19 Pro in the Air still delivers exceptional performance for messaging, web browsing, and media consumption. Yet in real-world gaming tests with titles like Assassin’s Creed Mirage at maximum settings, the thermal throttling becomes noticeable with stutters appearing more frequently than on the Pro models.

The iPhone 17 Pro’s vapor chamber allows it to maintain peak performance up to 40% longer than previous generations, resulting in more consistent frame rates during extended gaming sessions. For the Air, performance gradually declines as internal temperatures rise.

Essentially, Apple made a deliberate engineering tradeoff: exceptional thinness at the cost of sustained performance. As one reviewer noted, “Maybe this will matter in a few years, but for now, there isn’t much you’re going to do on an iPhone Air where you’d even notice”. Still, power users who frequently engage in processor-intensive tasks might find this limitation frustrating over time.

Camera Capabilities: What You Gain and What You Lose

The camera system reveals the most visible tradeoffs Apple made to achieve the iPhone Air’s remarkably thin profile. After testing this slender device extensively, I found both impressive capabilities and notable limitations that prospective buyers should consider.

Single 48MP Rear Camera with 2x Zoom

The iPhone Air features a powerful 48MP “Fusion” main camera that Apple claims provides “the equivalent of four lenses in your pocket”. This single lens supports both 28mm and 35mm focal lengths, giving photographers flexibility without changing positions. Photos default to 24-megapixel resolution, yet you can easily switch to full 48MP for maximum detail.

Perhaps most impressive is the camera’s 2x zoom capability. Despite lacking a dedicated telephoto lens, the iPhone Air achieves what Apple calls “optical-quality” zoom by intelligently cropping the central portion of the sensor. This digital zoom technique delivers surprisingly sharp 12MP images at 2x magnification.

No Ultra-Wide or Telephoto Lens

The absence of an ultra-wide lens creates the most noticeable limitation. Unlike the standard iPhone 17, the Air lacks the 0.5x zoom option that makes capturing expansive landscapes or large group shots straightforward. Even more frustratingly, macro photography becomes impossible without the ultra-wide lens.

For telephoto capability, you’re restricted to that 2x digital zoom – far less reach than the iPhone 17 Pro’s dedicated 5x telephoto. Anything beyond 2x quickly degrades in quality.

No Cinematic or Spatial Video Support

Video capabilities suffer several notable restrictions. The iPhone Air cannot record spatial videos for viewing on Apple Vision Pro, a feature available on all other iPhone 17 models. This limitation stems directly from the single-lens design, as spatial video requires stereoscopic capture.

Similarly, the device lacks Cinematic mode, which creates dramatic background blur in videos – a feature I particularly missed during testing. Though the Air can still record impressive 4K60 Dolby Vision video, it misses the 120fps capability of Pro models.

Center Stage Front Camera with Square Sensor

Fortunately, the front camera brings significant innovation. The 18MP “Center Stage” camera features Apple’s first square sensor on an iPhone. This unique design lets you capture landscape selfies without rotating your device. The camera automatically expands the field of view as more people enter the frame, perfect for group shots.

During video calls, Center Stage keeps you perfectly centered, even as you move around. This intelligent framing makes the iPhone Air an excellent tool for video conferencing and vlogging. Plus, with Dual Capture mode, you can record with both front and rear cameras simultaneously.

Battery Life and Charging: MagSafe Dependency Explained

Power management represents a fascinating story of compromise with the iPhone Air. Behind its ultra-thin profile lies a carefully balanced approach to battery life that demonstrates Apple’s engineering priorities.

27-Hour Playback vs 40 Hours with MagSafe Pack

On its own, the iPhone Air delivers up to 27 hours of video playback and 22 hours of streaming video playback. Adequate yet unremarkable figures that place it below all other iPhone 17 models. Thankfully, Apple created a solution—the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery. When attached, this $99 accessory dramatically extends runtime to 40 hours of video playback and 35 hours of streaming, even exceeding the iPhone 17 Pro’s 39 hours. In testing, the MagSafe Battery added approximately 65% additional charge, pushing the Air’s combined endurance past every other iPhone model.

Charging Speed and Power Limitations

In contrast to other iPhone 17 models that support 25W MagSafe charging, the Air tops out at just 20W. This limitation extends to Qi2 wireless charging, where the Air supports 20W instead of the 25W enabled by Qi2.2. Subsequently, fast-charging requires specific configurations—either a USB-C connection with 20W adapter or MagSafe with 30W adapter to reach 50% charge in 30 minutes. The MagSafe Battery itself delivers only 12W wireless charging unless connected to power.

Why Apple Made a Battery Just for the Air

Obviously, the iPhone Air required a completely redesigned power solution. The resulting MagSafe Battery is remarkably slim yet powerful, rated at 3,149mAh (12.26Wh), offering more capacity than the original bulkier MagSafe Battery Pack (2,920mAh equivalent). Beyond power delivery, the battery features a USB-C port capable of charging smaller accessories like AirPods or Apple Watch. Accordingly, this exclusive accessory transforms the iPhone Air from having the shortest battery life in the lineup to potentially the longest.

Conclusion

The iPhone Air represents both Apple’s engineering triumph and its willingness to make calculated compromises. Throughout my testing, the 5.6mm thin titanium frame constantly amazed me – feeling almost impossibly light yet surprisingly durable thanks to Ceramic Shield 2. Nevertheless, beneath this stunning exterior lies a device of fascinating contradictions.

Despite its premium $999 starting price, the Air makes several noteworthy sacrifices. The single 48MP camera, while impressive for its computational photography capabilities, simply cannot match the versatility of multiple lenses found in other models. Additionally, the A19 Pro chip throttles under pressure, sometimes performing more like last year’s processor during extended tasks.

Perhaps most revealing is Apple’s approach to battery life. The Air delivers adequate 27-hour video playback on its own, yet depends heavily on the optional MagSafe battery to reach its full potential. This accessory transforms the Air from having the shortest battery life in the iPhone 17 lineup to potentially the longest – a clever solution, albeit one requiring an additional purchase.

After all, the iPhone Air isn’t designed for everyone. It targets users who prioritize thinness, lightness, and visual elegance above all else. For those willing to accept its limitations, the Air delivers an extraordinary experience unlike any other smartphone. However, many users might find better value in either the standard iPhone 17 or Pro models, depending on their specific needs.

Ultimately, the iPhone Air serves as Apple’s vision of the future – a device stripped to its essentials while still delivering premium performance for everyday tasks. Though not without flaws, it stands as a fascinating entry in Apple’s evolving lineup, challenging our expectations of what smartphones can be.

Key Takeaways

The iPhone Air (2025) pushes design boundaries with impressive engineering, but comes with significant tradeoffs that buyers should carefully consider before purchasing.

• Ultra-thin design comes with performance costs - At 5.6mm thick, the Air throttles under pressure due to limited cooling, sometimes performing like last year’s chip during intensive tasks.

• Single camera limits versatility significantly - No ultra-wide lens means no 0.5x zoom, macro photography, or spatial video recording capabilities compared to other iPhone 17 models.

• Battery life requires accessory dependency - While offering 27 hours alone, the Air needs the $99 MagSafe Battery to reach competitive 40-hour runtime and match other iPhones.

• Premium pricing doesn’t guarantee premium performance - At $999, the Air costs $200 more than iPhone 17 but sometimes underperforms due to thermal limitations and reduced GPU cores.

• Design excellence with durability surprises - Despite its thinness, the titanium frame with Ceramic Shield 2 withstands 86kg of pressure and offers 3x better scratch resistance than previous generations.

The iPhone Air succeeds as a statement piece for users prioritizing esthetics over functionality, but most buyers will find better value in the standard iPhone 17 or Pro models depending on their specific needs.