When Apple introduced the iPhone Air at the iPhone 17 launch event, it claimed the ultra-thin 5.6mm design still delivered all-day battery life. That raised some eyebrows, because it is hard to imagine such a slim device competing with the larger iPhone 17 lineup in endurance. Now that independent testing is out, we can see how the iPhone Air actually performs compared to the rest of the new models.
Tom’s Guide put the iPhone Air, iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max through its standard battery test. This involves continuous web browsing over 5G on T-Mobile’s network with each display set to 150 nits of brightness. The results show that while the iPhone Air is not a battery leader, it holds up well given its size.
Here is how long each iPhone model lasted in the test:
| Model | Battery life (web browsing over 5G) |
|---|---|
| iPhone Air | 12 hours and 2 minutes |
| iPhone 17 | 12 hours and 47 minutes |
| iPhone 17 Pro | 15 hours and 32 minutes |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | 17 hours and 54 minutes |
The iPhone Air lasted 12 hours and 2 minutes, which is close to the 12 hours and 47 minutes of the regular iPhone 17. The Pro model stretched that to 15 hours and 32 minutes, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max posted an impressive 17 hours and 54 minutes. That means the Pro Max lasted nearly six hours longer than the Air, or about 48.5% more on a single charge.
Apple’s own estimates tell a similar story. The company says the iPhone Air offers up to 27 hours of offline video playback, versus 30 for iPhone 17, 33 for iPhone 17 Pro, and 39 for iPhone 17 Pro Max. These figures show that the Air lags behind the Pro models but is not far off the regular iPhone 17 despite its thin design.
Streaming tests also highlight the Air’s efficiency. After five hours of continuous YouTube playback, the iPhone Air had 81% battery remaining. That extrapolates to roughly 26 hours of total streaming runtime, beating Apple’s claim of 22 hours. By comparison, the Galaxy S25 Edge dropped to 67% in the same test, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max was still at 88%.
For users who want more endurance, Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack can extend the Air’s life substantially. In testing, it added enough charge to push total runtime to 17 hours and 15 minutes, nearly matching the iPhone 17 Pro Max. That accessory helps, but it does counter the purpose of a super-thin design if attached regularly.
Overall, the iPhone Air delivers better than expected results for such a slim device. It is not the champion of battery life, but it competes well with the standard iPhone 17 and beats thin competitors like the Galaxy S25 Edge. The Pro Max remains the clear winner in longevity, but the iPhone Air proves that thinness does not always mean major sacrifices in everyday battery performance.
