Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs Apple iPhone 18 Air

Compare Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs Apple iPhone 18 Air side by side: Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) vs Apple A20 Pro (2nm TSMC), 12MP vs 48MP camera, 2815mAh vs 3400mAh…

Apple

iPhone 18 Air

$1,199

17categories won

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

Information Gain

Which one wins?

MxMob Algorithmic Verdict

Apple iPhone 18 Air takes the overall win

Overall Pick

The Apple iPhone 18 Air proves superior overall against the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, outperforming on battery endurance and daily usability. In camera testing, the two devices offer similar flexibility, while battery endurance leans towards the iPhone 18 Air. Choose the iPhone 18 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 18 Air

iPhone 18 Air takes battery honors offering 3,400 mAh alongside 35W charging.

🎮 GamingiPhone 18 Air

iPhone 18 Air provides greater sustained gaming output with its Apple A20 Pro (2nm TSMC) and 12GB RAM.

📸 CameraTie

Both camera setups are closely matched for daily street photography and low-light shooting.

🏷️ ValueiPhone 12 Pro

iPhone 12 Pro provides a sharper value proposition, coming in at $999 vs $1199.

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 18 Air: specifications compared

Display

Display comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 18 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 18 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	3000 nitsWinner

Performance

Performance comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 18 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 18 Air
Chipset	Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)	Apple A20 Pro (2nm TSMC)
Process node	5 nm	2 nmWinner
AnTuTu score	1,120,000	3,200,000Winner
Geekbench multi	4890	10800Winner
Maximum RAM	6 GB	12 GBWinner
Maximum storage	128GB	1TBWinner

Camera

Camera comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 18 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 18 Air
Main sensor	12 MP	48 MPWinner
Rear cameras	3Winner	1
Optical zoom	2x	—
Ultrawide	12 MP	48 MPWinner
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 18 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 18 Air
Capacity	2,815 mAh	3,400 mAhWinner
Wired charging	20 W	35 WWinner
Wireless charging	15 W	20 WWinner

Design

Design comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 18 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 18 Air
Weight	189 g	148 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 frame, Ceramic Glass front and back

Software and support

Software and support comparison between the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, Apple iPhone 18 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 18 Air
Operating system	iOS 14	iOS 20
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 18 Air
Specification	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 18 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	$1,199