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Battery showdown: thin design vs long endurance
Apple’s new iPhone 17 lineup has reignited discussions about battery life, and recent real-world testing highlights a clear gap between the ultra-thin iPhone Air and the flagship iPhone 17 Pro Max. Independent lab tests using continuous 5G web browsing at 150 nits reveal how each model performs under a consistent workload — and the Pro Max stands out.
Key test results
- iPhone 17 Air — 12 hours 2 minutes
- iPhone 17 — 12 hours 47 minutes
- iPhone 17 Pro — 15 hours 32 minutes
- iPhone 17 Pro Max — 17 hours 54 minutes
Those numbers come from a Tom’s Guide battery test and show the Pro Max delivering roughly 48% more runtime than the iPhone Air in this scenario. Apple’s own offline video playback ratings echo the trend: Air (27 hours), iPhone 17 (30 hours), 17 Pro (33 hours), and 17 Pro Max (39 hours).
Why the gap exists
The difference is mostly physical: the Air prioritizes a slim, lightweight chassis, which constrains battery size and thermal headroom. The 17 Pro Max, by contrast, has more internal space to house a larger battery and more robust thermal management, which translates to longer sustained use — especially during heavy tasks like gaming, streaming, or extended 5G browsing.
What this means for buyers
Most casual users who make calls, check email, browse social media, and use maps will likely get a full day from the iPhone Air. But for power users — frequent streamers, mobile gamers, or people who spend long days away from chargers — the Pro Max is a safer bet.
Considerations at a glance:
- Portability vs. endurance: choose the Air for a lighter phone, Pro Max for maximum battery life.
- Accessories: a slim MagSafe battery pack can extend the Air’s runtime, though teardowns show the pack uses a compact 12.26Wh cell and may limit charge to preserve longevity.
- Real-world behavior: video playback ratings and continuous web-browsing tests align closely, offering consistent guidance across use cases.
"If battery life is a priority, the Pro Max remains the lineup leader," says the data. For readers weighing design against endurance, the decision ultimately comes down to your daily habits: prioritize portability, or prioritize all-day uptime.
We’ll continue to follow additional real-world battery tests across varied conditions and will report findings to help readers choose the best iPhone for their needs.
Source: wccftech
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