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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 17 Air
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 17 Air: which is the right fit? We cover performance, value, and use cases to make the call easier.
Ratings: 4.7★ vs 4.9★
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ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
★4.7
(63)•Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:2 major OS updates and 4 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (SM8650)
Graphics:Adreno 750
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Apple iPhone 17 Air
★4.9
(13)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
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Comparison: ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 17 Air
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
★4.7(63)Best Buy
Apple iPhone 17 Air
★4.9(13)Best Buy
| Criterion | ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro | Apple iPhone 17 Air |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.7(63)Best Buy | ★4.9(13)Best Buy |
Operating System | Android | iOS |
Software Support | 2 major OS updates and 4 years of security updates | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (SM8650) | Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) |
Graphics | Adreno 750 | Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro) |
RAM | 16GB LPDDR5X (Pro Edition: 24GB) | 12 GB (LPDDR5X) |
Storage | 512GB UFS 4.0 (Pro Edition: 1TB) | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe) |
Display Size | 6.78" | 6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | Samsung E6 Flexible AMOLED, LTPO, 1,600 nits (HBM) | Super Retina XDR OLED |
Resolution | 2400 x 1080 (FHD+) | 2736 x 1260 pixels (460 ppi) |
Refresh Rate | 1Hz–120Hz (Adaptive); 165Hz (Gaming mode) | Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display |
Peak Brightness | 2,500 nits | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum |
Main Camera | 50MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 6-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0 | 48MP Fusion (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP) |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 13MP, f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, Free-form lens | No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software) |
Telephoto Camera | 32MP, f/2.4, OIS, 3x Optical Zoom (Not periscope) | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP Fusion sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS |
Optical Zoom | 3x Optical | 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (2x optical zoom range) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 30x (Hyper Clarity AI up to 10x) | Up to 10x |
Video Recording | 8K UHD @ 24fps; 4K UHD @ 30/60fps; HDR10+ | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps |
Front Camera | 32MP RGBW, f/2.5, 90-degree FOV (Bins to 8MP) | 24MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps |
Battery | 5,500mAh (Dual-cell) | 3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed) |
Wired Charging | 65W HyperCharge (Adapter included) | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher |
Wireless Charging | 15W Qi 1.3 Wireless Charging | MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W |
Connectivity | 5G (Sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 5.4, NFC | 5G (sub-6 GHz only, no mmWave) using Apple-designed modem; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode |
USB | Side: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DisplayPort 1.4); Bottom: USB-C 2.0 | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output |
Durability | IP68 (Dust/Water Resistant); Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (Front) | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Grade 5 Titanium alloy frame (internal aluminum structure); Ceramic Shield back |
Dimensions | 6.45 x 3.02 x 0.35 in (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm) | 6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm) |
Weight | 7.94 oz (225 g) | 5.82 oz (165 g) |
Biometrics | Optical under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock | Face ID |
Extras | AniMe Vision (341 Mini-LEDs on back), AirTrigger buttons, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Dual USB-C ports | Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite |
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ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
Rating:★4.7(63)Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:2 major OS updates and 4 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (SM8650)
Graphics:Adreno 750
RAM:16GB LPDDR5X (Pro Edition: 24GB)
Storage:512GB UFS 4.0 (Pro Edition: 1TB)
Display Size:6.78"
Screen Type:Samsung E6 Flexible AMOLED, LTPO, 1,600 nits (HBM)
Resolution:2400 x 1080 (FHD+)
Refresh Rate:1Hz–120Hz (Adaptive); 165Hz (Gaming mode)
Peak Brightness:2,500 nits
Main Camera:50MP Sony IMX890, f/1.9, 6-axis Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer 3.0
Ultra-Wide Camera:13MP, f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, Free-form lens
Telephoto Camera:32MP, f/2.4, OIS, 3x Optical Zoom (Not periscope)
Optical Zoom:3x Optical
Digital Zoom:Up to 30x (Hyper Clarity AI up to 10x)
Video Recording:8K UHD @ 24fps; 4K UHD @ 30/60fps; HDR10+
Front Camera:32MP RGBW, f/2.5, 90-degree FOV (Bins to 8MP)
Battery:5,500mAh (Dual-cell)
Wired Charging:65W HyperCharge (Adapter included)
Wireless Charging:15W Qi 1.3 Wireless Charging
Connectivity:5G (Sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Bluetooth 5.4, NFC
USB:Side: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DisplayPort 1.4); Bottom: USB-C 2.0
Durability:IP68 (Dust/Water Resistant); Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (Front)
Dimensions:6.45 x 3.02 x 0.35 in (163.8 x 76.8 x 8.9 mm)
Weight:7.94 oz (225 g)
Biometrics:Optical under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock
Extras:AniMe Vision (341 Mini-LEDs on back), AirTrigger buttons, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Dual USB-C ports
✓ Pros:
- • First ROG phone with IP68 water/dust resistance and telephoto lens
- • Incredible performance with advanced thermal management features
- • Brightest-in-class 165Hz LTPO AMOLED display (2,500 nits peak)
- • Includes 65W charger, case, and braided cable in the box
- • Retains enthusiast features: 3.5mm jack, notification LEDs, and AirTriggers
✗ Cons:
- • Software support (2 OS updates) lags behind Samsung/Google flagships
- • Battery capacity reduced (5,500mAh) compared to previous generation (6,000mAh)
- • Cameras, while improved, still trail top-tier photography flagships
- • Thermal throttling can occur earlier than previous bulky models without the cooler
- • No dedicated macro mode (uses Ultrawide) unlike previous iterations
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Apple iPhone 17 Air
Rating:★4.9(13)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
RAM:12 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2736 x 1260 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum
Main Camera:48MP Fusion (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Ultra-Wide Camera:No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software)
Telephoto Camera:No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP Fusion sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS
Optical Zoom:1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (2x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 10x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps
Front Camera:24MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz only, no mmWave) using Apple-designed modem; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Grade 5 Titanium alloy frame (internal aluminum structure); Ceramic Shield back
Dimensions:6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm)
Weight:5.82 oz (165 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
✓ Pros:
- • Thinnest iPhone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium Titanium chassis
- • 120Hz ProMotion display finally arrives on non-Pro tier
- • Powered by the A19 Pro chip with 12GB RAM for full Apple Intelligence support
- • Upgraded 24MP front camera for superior selfies and video calls
- • Excellent main camera performance with 2x lossless crop
✗ Cons:
- • High price for a single-camera system (no Ultra Wide or Telephoto lenses)
- • Battery life is shorter than the 'Plus' model it replaces due to thinness
- • USB-C port is limited to USB 2.0 speeds (480 Mb/s)
- • No mmWave 5G support (Sub-6 GHz only due to Apple modem restrictions)
- • No physical SIM tray (eSIM only in US)
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Which one is better?
Overall, Apple iPhone 17 Air delivers better satisfaction. ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro is still a quality option with specific strengths worth considering.
Who should buy each?
For performance and polish: ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro (First ROG phone with IP68 water/dust resistance and telephoto lens, Incredible performance with advanced thermal management features)
For value or versatility: Apple iPhone 17 Air (Thinnest iPhone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium Titanium chassis, 120Hz ProMotion display finally arrives on non-Pro tier)
Conclusion
With the key differences outlined, the decision should be clearer. Both options deliver quality—choose the one that fits your priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro excels if you value first rog phone with ip68 water/dust resistance and telephoto lens. Apple iPhone 17 Air is better if you prioritize thinnest iphone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium titanium chassis. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
Affiliate disclosure
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