Apple iPhone Air vs Xiaomi 17 Ultra

The Apple iPhone Air (2025) runs on the Apple A19 Pro, while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; estimated prices are $999 and $999. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads — 82/100 vs 64/100 (a 18-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 17 Ultra has the bigger battery (6000 mAh vs 3149); the main camera is 48 MP vs 50 MP; the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,593,401 vs 2,550,000); per DXOMark lab testing, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra has the stronger camera (166 vs 141); the Apple iPhone Air is noticeably lighter (165g vs 226g).

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is noticeably better than the Apple iPhone Air — the overall rating gap is 18 points.
Profile comparison
Category scores
Apple iPhone Air
Performance 70
Display 100
Camera 73
Battery 9
Design 93
Value for money 41
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Performance 87
Display 100
Camera 93
Battery 72
Design 17
Value for money 41
What makes Apple iPhone Air better?
  • Better Geekbench Single: 3850 vs 3640
  • Lighter: 165g vs 226g

  • Better design/ergonomics (93/100 vs 17/100)
What makes Xiaomi 17 Ultra better?
  • Higher AnTuTu: 3593401 vs 2550000
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 11033 vs 9800
  • Bigger battery: 6000 vs 3149 mAh
  • Faster charging: 90W vs 40W
  • Better main camera: 50MP vs 48MP
  • Faster wireless charging: 50W vs 25W

  • Higher performance (87/100 vs 70/100)
  • Better camera (93/100 vs 73/100)
  • Longer battery life (72/100 vs 9/100)
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Apple iPhone Air vs the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra scores 18 points higher (82/100 vs 64/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads (87/100 vs 70/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads (93/100 vs 73/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads (72/100 vs 9/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra notably outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (87/100 vs 70/100). In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 100/100. In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra notably outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (93/100 vs 73/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (72/100 vs 9/100). In the "design" category, the Apple iPhone Air significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (93/100 vs 17/100). In the "value for money" category, both devices are on the same level — 41/100.

Apple iPhone Air: The Apple iPhone Air is a better fit for active users.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra: The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts.
Specs comparison
Specification Apple iPhone Air Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Processor Apple A19 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
AnTuTu 2550000 3593401
Geekbench Single 3850 3640
Geekbench Multi 9800 11033
Display 6.5" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED 6.8" LTPO AMOLED
Resolution 2736x1260 3200x1440
Refresh rate 120 Hz 120 Hz
Battery 3149 mAh 6000 mAh
Charging 40W 90W
Wireless charging 25W 50W
DXOMark (camera) 141 166
Main camera 48 MP 50 MP
Ultrawide 0 MP 50 MP
Telephoto 0 MP 200 MP
Front camera 12 MP 32 MP
RAM 12GB 12GB / 16GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
OS iOS 26 Android 16
Brightness (peak) 3500 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP68 IP68
Dimensions 6.0×None×None mm 162.9×77.6×8.3 mm
Weight 165 g 226 g
Price $999 $999
Camera comparison
Apple iPhone Air
  • Main: 48MP f/f/1.6
  • Front: 12MP
73
camera
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
  • Main: 50MP f/1.63
  • Ultrawide: 50MP
  • Telephoto: 200MP
  • Front: 32MP
93
camera
Display comparison
Apple iPhone Air
  • 6.5" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED
  • Resolution: 2736x1260
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
100
display
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
  • 6.8" LTPO AMOLED
  • Resolution: 3200x1440
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
100
display
Battery and charging
Apple iPhone Air
  • 3149 mAh
  • NanoReview test: web browsing 7:48 hrs, total 22:15 hrs
  • Wired: 40W
  • Wireless: 25W
9
battery
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
  • 6000 mAh
  • NanoReview test: web browsing 16:09 hrs, total 33:23 hrs
  • Wired: 90W
  • Wireless: 50W
72
battery
Overall performance score

We compared Apple iPhone Air and Xiaomi 17 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Apple iPhone Air Apple A19 Pro
64/100
2550000 AnTuTu
Xiaomi 17 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
82/100 +29.0%
3593401 AnTuTu

Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads Apple iPhone Air by 29.0% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks
Price and availability
Apple iPhone Air
$999
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
$999

Price difference: $0. Same price.

Detailed category analysis
performance

In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra notably outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (87/100 vs 70/100).

display

In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 100/100.

camera

In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra notably outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (93/100 vs 73/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (72/100 vs 9/100).

design

In the "design" category, the Apple iPhone Air significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (93/100 vs 17/100).

value for money

In the "value for money" category, both devices are on the same level — 41/100.

Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Apple iPhone Air or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is noticeably better than the Apple iPhone Air — the overall rating gap is 18 points.

What is the rating of the Apple iPhone Air and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?

The Apple iPhone Air has a MobileRank rating of 64/100, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra — 82/100.

Which has the better camera: the Apple iPhone Air or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads on camera score (93/100 vs 73/100).

Which is more powerful: the Apple iPhone Air or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads on performance (87/100 vs 70/100).

Should you choose the Apple iPhone Air over the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?

The Apple iPhone Air is a better fit for active users. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts.