Apple iPhone Air vs iQOO 12
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone Air and iQOO 12 sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The iQOO 12 is the cheaper of the two at $529 versus $1,199, a difference of about $670. The Apple iPhone Air is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone Air stands out for thinnest iphone ever at 5.6mm, while iQOO 12 is praised for snapdragon 8 gen 3 delivers top-tier gaming and productivity performance. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone Air if…
- →Thinnest iPhone ever at 5.6mm
- →Only 165g with titanium frame
- →A19 Pro chip in ultra-slim design
Buy the iQOO 12 if…
- →Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 delivers top-tier gaming and productivity performance
- →144Hz LTPO AMOLED with 3000-nit brightness is a display powerhouse
- →120W fast charging fills the 5000 mAh battery in around 25 minutes
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone Air
Pros
- Thinnest iPhone ever at 5.6mm
- Only 165g with titanium frame
- A19 Pro chip in ultra-slim design
- 3x more scratch-resistant Ceramic Shield 2
Cons
- Smaller 3149 mAh battery limits endurance
- Only 2x telephoto (no periscope)
- No ultrawide camera
- $1199 for fewer cameras than Pro
iQOO 12
Pros
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 delivers top-tier gaming and productivity performance
- 144Hz LTPO AMOLED with 3000-nit brightness is a display powerhouse
- 120W fast charging fills the 5000 mAh battery in around 25 minutes
- 64 MP 3x telephoto periscope zoom is excellent for the price
- Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 for future-proof connectivity
Cons
- No IP rating for water or dust resistance
- No wireless charging despite flagship-level pricing
- Limited global availability and after-sales network
- 13 MP ultrawide is a weak point in the camera system
- OriginOS/Funtouch is heavily skinned
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone Air | iQOO 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 19 | Android 14 (Funtouch OS 14 / OriginOS 4) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 165 g | 202 g |
| Material | Titanium frame, Ceramic Shield 2 | Aluminum frame, glass back |
| IP rating | IP68 | None |
| Dimensions | 155 x 73 x 5.6 mm | 162.7 x 75.8 x 8.1 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.88, OIS, Sony IMX920 |
| Front camera | 24 MP, f/1.9, Center Stage | 16 MP, f/2.45 |
| Video | 4K@60fps, Dual Capture | 8K@24fps, 4K@120fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.8, 2x optical zoom | 64 MP, f/2.57, 3x optical zoom, OIS |
| Ultrawide | — | 13 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 12 GB / 16 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3149 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 120W FlashCharge |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | No |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.5 inches | 6.78 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1290 x 2796 | 2800 x 1260 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 144Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 3000 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | 6-core | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz + 3x3.2 GHz + 2x3.0 GHz + 2x2.3 GHz) |
| GPU | 6-core GPU | Adreno 750 |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.3 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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