GadgetClash decision platform
Smartphones
Apple iPhone Air 5G vs Apple iPhone 16 Plus
See the meaningful differences, category strengths and community preference using the product data currently available.
Quick verdict
Apple iPhone Air 5G leads on more comparable scored specifications.
Apple iPhone Air 5G wins because it has stronger battery life (3149 mAh), more memory for multitasking (12GB), a larger display (6.50 in), and a lighter design (165 g).
Why it wins
Why Apple iPhone Air 5G wins
- stronger battery life (3149 mAh)
- more memory for multitasking (12GB)
- a larger display (6.50 in)
- a lighter design (165 g)
- an advantage in smartphone weight (165 g)
Buy Apple iPhone Air 5G if
- You already use Apple devices or prefer iOS.
- You care about battery life for long days.
- You want the stronger pick for gaming and heavy apps.
- You want the better screen for media, reading, or gaming.
Buy Apple iPhone 16 Plus if
- You already use Apple devices or prefer iOS.
- Its price makes sense for what you get.
Personal fit
Which one should you buy?
Best fit if your photos, messages, watch, laptop, and apps already live in Apple services.
Neither product is clearly Android-first, so choose based on the overall verdict.
Camera data is close, so check the detailed camera rows before deciding.
Stronger performance, screen, or battery traits for games.
Better endurance for heavy daily use.
Value is close, so compare live prices and storage tiers.
Category score
Where each product wins
Performance
Apple iPhone Air 5G
1
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
1
Display
Apple iPhone Air 5G
1
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
0
Camera
Apple iPhone Air 5G
0
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
0
Battery
Apple iPhone Air 5G
1
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
0
Design
Apple iPhone Air 5G
2
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
0
Software
Apple iPhone Air 5G
0
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
0
Connectivity
Apple iPhone Air 5G
0
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
0
Value
Apple iPhone Air 5G
0
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
0
Evidence
Detailed comparison
| Spec | Apple iPhone Air 5G | Apple iPhone 16 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Product Details | ||
| Release Date Verified release date for this exact product variant. | 20250919 | 2024 |
| Design | ||
| Weight The product's weight, measured in g. |
165 g
|
199 g
|
| Dimensions The product's listed dimensions specification or capability. | 156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm | 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8 mm |
| Smartphone Weight The product's smartphone weight, measured in g. |
165 g
|
199 g
|
| Display | ||
| Display The product's listed display specification or capability. | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 1600 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak) | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Screen Size The product's screen size, measured in in. |
6.50 in
|
6.70 in
|
| Resolution The product's listed resolution specification or capability. | 1260 x 2736, 19.5:9 ratio | 1290 x 2796 |
| Refresh Rate The product's refresh rate, measured in Hz. | 120 Hz | — |
| Brightness The product's listed brightness specification or capability. | 3000 nits | 1000 nits |
| Smartphone Display Size The product's smartphone display size, measured in in. | 6.50 in | 6.70 in |
| Smartphone Refresh Rate The product's smartphone refresh rate, measured in Hz. | 120 Hz | — |
| Smartphone Resolution Width The product's smartphone resolution width, measured in px. | — | 1,290 px |
| Smartphone Resolution Height The product's smartphone resolution height, measured in px. | — | 2,796 px |
| Performance | ||
| Processor The product's listed processor specification or capability. | Apple A19 Pro (3 nm) | Apple A18 (3 nm) |
| Architecture The product's listed architecture specification or capability. | Hexa-core (2x4.26 GHz + 4xX.X GHz) | Hexa-core (2x4.04 GHz + 4x2.20 GHz) |
| Gpu The product's listed gpu specification or capability. | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| RAM The product's listed ram specification or capability. |
12GB
|
8GB
|
| Storage The product's listed storage specification or capability. |
256GB
|
128GB
|
| Os The product's listed os specification or capability. | iOS 26 | iOS 18 |
| AnTuTu Score The product's listed antutu score specification or capability. | — | 1727276 |
| Smartphone Processor The product's listed smartphone processor specification or capability. | Apple A19 Pro (3 nm) | Apple A18 (3 nm) |
| Smartphone GPU The product's listed smartphone gpu specification or capability. | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| Smartphone Operating System The product's listed smartphone operating system specification or capability. | iOS 26 | iOS 18 |
| Camera | ||
| Main Camera The product's listed main camera specification or capability. |
48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS
|
48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF
|
| Front Camera The product's listed front camera specification or capability. | 18 MP multi-aspect, f/1.9, 20mm (ultrawide), PDAFSL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAFSL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video The product's listed video specification or capability. | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. |
| Camera & Imaging | ||
| Aperture The product's listed aperture specification or capability. | — | f/1.6 |
| Power | ||
| Battery The product's listed battery specification or capability. |
3149 mAh
|
4674 mAh
|
| Charging Wired The product's listed charging wired specification or capability. | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min | 25W |
| Wireless Charging The product's listed wireless charging specification or capability. | 20W MagSafe | 25W wireless (MagSafe) |
| Network | ||
| Network The product's listed network specification or capability. | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wifi The product's listed wifi specification or capability. | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, tri-band, hotspot |
| Bluetooth Version The product's listed bluetooth version specification or capability. | Bluetooth 6.0 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Nfc Whether the product supports or includes nfc. | Yes | Yes |
| Ports The product's listed ports specification or capability. | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 2.0, DisplayPort |
| Gps The product's listed gps specification or capability. | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, QZSS, BDS, NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Pricing | ||
| Price The product's listed price specification or capability. | — | $538.95 |
| Current Price The product's listed current price specification or capability. | — | $538.95 |
| Currency The product's listed currency specification or capability. | USD | USD |
| Sources | ||
| Last Verified The product's listed last verified specification or capability. | 2026-07-31 | 2026-07-31 |
Release Date 
Weight 
Dimensions 
Display 
Refresh Rate 
Processor 
RAM 
Os 
Main Camera 
Video 
Battery 
Network 
Wifi Community decision
Who wins this showdown?
0 matchup votes. Choose one winner.
Apple iPhone Air 5G
50% · 0 votes
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
50% · 0 votes
Upgrade logic
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User opinions
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Prices and availability