Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs Apple iPhone 17 Air

Compare Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs Apple iPhone 17 Air side by side: Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) vs Apple A19 Pro (2nm), 12MP vs 48MP camera, 2815mAh vs 3150mAh…

Apple

iPhone 17 Air

$1,099

16categories won

2 categories tied · 21 scored in total · add a third phone

Information Gain

Which one wins?

MxMob Algorithmic Verdict

Apple iPhone 17 Air takes the overall win

Overall Pick

The Apple iPhone 17 Air proves superior overall against the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, outperforming on battery endurance and daily usability. In camera testing, the iPhone 12 Pro leads with sharper imaging, while battery endurance leans towards the iPhone 17 Air. Choose the iPhone 17 Air if you want the highest performance ceiling, or opt for the iPhone 12 Pro if its lower retail price better fit your budget.

🔋 BatteryiPhone 17 Air

iPhone 17 Air takes battery honors offering 3,150 mAh alongside 25W charging.

🎮 GamingiPhone 17 Air

iPhone 17 Air provides greater sustained gaming output with its Apple A19 Pro (2nm) and 12GB RAM.

📸 CameraiPhone 12 Pro

iPhone 12 Pro wins photography with 12MP main imaging and 2x dedicated optical zoom.

🏷️ ValueiPhone 12 Pro

iPhone 12 Pro provides a sharper value proposition, coming in at $999 vs $1099.

Category verdicts are computed algorithmically from verified technical specifications and hardware benchmarks. Rows where neither figure is objectively better — screen size preference, operating system choice, aesthetic build materials — are displayed for direct reference without scoring bias.

iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 17 Air: specifications compared

Display

Display comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 17 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 17 Air
Screen size	6.1"	6.6"
Resolution	1170 x 2532	1260 x 2740Winner
Pixel density	457 ppi	457 ppi
Refresh rate	60 Hz	120 HzWinner
Peak brightness	1200 nits	2800 nitsWinner

Performance

Performance comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 17 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 17 Air
Chipset	Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)	Apple A19 Pro (2nm)
Process node	5 nm	2 nmWinner
AnTuTu score	1,120,000	2,400,000Winner
Geekbench multi	4890	8900Winner
Maximum RAM	6 GB	12 GBWinner
Maximum storage	128GB	256GBWinner

Camera

Camera comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 17 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 17 Air
Main sensor	12 MP	48 MPWinner
Rear cameras	3Winner	1
Optical zoom	2xWinner	1x
Ultrawide	12 MP	—
Selfie camera	12 MP	24 MPWinner
Max video	4K at 60fps Dolby Vision 10-bit HDR	8K at 30fps / 4K at 120fps

Battery and charging

Battery and charging comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 17 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 17 Air
Capacity	2,815 mAh	3,150 mAhWinner
Wired charging	20 W	25 WWinner
Wireless charging	15 W	25 WWinner

Design

Design comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 17 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 17 Air
Weight	189 g	149 gWinner
Thickness	7.4 mm	5.5 mmWinner
Water resistance	IP68	IP68
Build	Surgical-grade stainless steel frame, Ceramic Shield front, textured matte glass back	Grade 5 Titanium mid-plate, ultra-thin ceramic back, Ceramic Shield 2 front

Software and support

Software and support comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 17 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 17 Air
Operating system	iOS 14	iOS 19
OS updates	6 years	7 yearsWinner
Security updates	7 years	7 years

Connectivity and value

Connectivity and value comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 17 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 17 Air
5G	Yes	Yes
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be, tri-band 2.4/5/6GHz, 320MHz bandwidth)
Storage expansion	None	None
3.5mm jack	No	No
Launch price	$999Winner	$1,099