Every year, I buy the Pro iPhone, but this year, for the first time, I found myself stuck between two choices, and I didn’t know what to do.
On the one hand, the iPhone 17 Pro brings what feels like years of refinement to Apple’s Pro smartphone design, and on the other, the iPhone Air, offers something truly different.
On launch day, I purchased a Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro and a Sky Blue iPhone Air, unsure whether to follow my head and opt for the powerhouse Pro, or follow my heart and keep the elegant Air.
I was so torn I even asked TechRadar readers to vote on what smartphone I should keep (don’t hate me, I didn’t agree with your decision).
Something different
After unboxing both phones, it was apparent that the Air offers a completely fresh experience compared to the Pro, especially for someone who’s used nearly every iPhone that’s been released over the last decade.
To be perfectly honest, as soon as I held the Air I knew that my decision on what smartphone to keep for the next year would be fully dependent on whether or not this sleek ultra-thin device could keep up with my daily needs.
If after a weekend with the Air, I felt let down by the smaller battery, the single camera, and the lone speaker, then I’d reach for the Pro, a phone that gives me everything I could want in an iPhone – apart from the spark of newness I’ve been chasing.
So I put the bright orange iPhone 17 Pro back in its box and left it on my desk; for the weekend, it was all about the Air.
The decision
Ultimately – spoiler alert – after using the iPhone Air for the weekend, I chose to keep it and return the 17 Pro, and I’m going to explain why.
The iPhone Air is the biggest redesign to an iPhone since the launch of the iPhone X nearly a decade ago, and as someone who constantly changes their smartphone, having access to a new form factor of iPhone feels genuinely magical.
While I’m not too fussed about the impressive thinness, the Air is incredibly light, and combined with its large, beautiful 6.5-inch display, holding the device feels as close to holding a slab of glass as I’ve ever experienced. Combined with iOS 26’s Liquid Glass, it really achieves something extraordinary.
The titanium frame is premium, and unlike the aluminum found on the Pro devices, won’t be as prone to dents and scratches; and the Sky Blue color is elegant and just looks the part.
In terms of performance, the 17 Air glides through my apps like a knife through hot butter, and while I do miss the telephoto camera, I’ve never been one to care too much about capturing the perfect shot with the device in my pocket.
The battery hasn’t been excellent, but I sit at a desk all day, and I’m happy to compromise by using a MagSafe charging stand and iOS’s StandBy mode. And while the speaker is no contest for other iPhones on the market with stereo sound, it does the job fine, and sometimes fine is good enough.
I know it sounds like I’m glossing over the compromises Apple has had to make in order to create the Air, but that’s on purpose; because ultimately, the only reason to opt for the iPhone Air over any other device in the 17 lineup this year is because of how it makes you feel.
Sometimes you just can’t explain how important it is for a product to feel good in the hand, and more importantly, for those bored with Apple’s smartphone design staleness, feel fresh and new.
The iPhone Air isn’t the best iPhone you can buy right now; heck, it probably offers the least value of all the iPhone 17 lineup. That said, it has something that no other iPhone currently offers, and that’s the exciting feeling of the future – and sometimes novelty is worth paying for.
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