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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 7, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerApple iPhone 17 Air vs Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
The Apple iPhone 17 Air crushes the Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro in terms of performance, with its A19 Pro chip and 12GB RAM. In 2026, it’s worth considering what features matter most to you. Key specs: Battery: 3150 mAh vs 4050 mAh and Weight: 5.82 oz vs 8.29 oz.
🔋 Battery: 3150 mAh vs 4050 mAh⚖️ Weight: 5.82 oz vs 8.29 oz📷 Camera: 48 MP vs 50 MP
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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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Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
★3.9
(215)•Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:4 years of OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates (Enterprise Edition standard)
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (6nm)
Graphics:Adreno 642L
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Key spec differences
Only the specs that differ are shown here. Winners are highlighted when the data is clear.
Winner= clear advantage
Spec
Apple iPhone 17 Air
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
Display2 specs
Display SizeKey
Apple iPhone 17 Air
6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
6.6"
Refresh Rate
Apple iPhone 17 Air
Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
120Hz
Performance3 specs
ProcessorKey
Apple iPhone 17 Air
Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (6nm)
RAMKey
Apple iPhone 17 Air
12 GB (LPDDR5X)Winner
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
6GB
Storage
Apple iPhone 17 Air
256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe)Winner
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
128GB (Expandable via microSDXC up to 1TB)
Camera2 specs
Main CameraKey
Apple iPhone 17 Air
48MP Fusion (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
50MP, f/1.8, PDAF, Dual-LED FlashWinner
Ultra-Wide Camera
Apple iPhone 17 Air
No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software)
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
8MP, f/2.2, 123-degree FOV
Battery2 specs
Battery CapacityKey
Apple iPhone 17 Air
3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed)
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
4,050mAh (User-Removable)Winner
Wireless Charging
Apple iPhone 17 Air
MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
No (Standard Qi not supported; POGO charging cradles used instead)
Design2 specs
Weight
Apple iPhone 17 Air
5.82 oz (165 g)Winner
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
8.29 oz (235 g)
Dimensions
Apple iPhone 17 Air
6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm)
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
6.65 x 3.15 x 0.39 in (168.8 x 79.9 x 9.9 mm)
Software1 specs
Operating System
Apple iPhone 17 Air
iOS
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
Android
Connectivity1 specs
Connectivity
Apple iPhone 17 Air
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
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
5G (Sub-6), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, PTT (Push-to-Talk)
+Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Expand
Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Comparison: Apple iPhone 17 Air vs Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
Apple iPhone 17 Air
★4.9(13)Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
★3.9(215)Amazon
| Criterion | Apple iPhone 17 Air | Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.9(13)Best Buy | ★3.9(215)Amazon |
Operating System | iOS | Android |
Software Support | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades | 4 years of OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates (Enterprise Edition standard) |
Processor | Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (6nm) |
Graphics | Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro) | Adreno 642L |
RAM | 12 GB (LPDDR5X) | 6GB |
Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe) | 128GB (Expandable via microSDXC up to 1TB) |
Display Size | 6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) | 6.6" |
Screen Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | PLS LCD, 120Hz, Wet Touch & Glove Mode |
Resolution | 2736 x 1260 pixels (460 ppi) | 2408 x 1080 (FHD+) |
Refresh Rate | Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display | 120Hz |
Peak Brightness | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum | 480 nits (Typical) / 500 nits (Peak) — optimized for indoor/industrial use |
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) | 50MP, f/1.8, PDAF, Dual-LED Flash |
Ultra-Wide Camera | No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software) | 8MP, f/2.2, 123-degree FOV |
Telephoto Camera | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP Fusion sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS | No (Not supported) |
Optical Zoom | 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (2x optical zoom range) | No (Not supported) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 10x | 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 | 4K UHD @ 30fps; 1080p @ 60fps |
Front Camera | 24MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps | 13MP, f/2.2 |
Battery | 3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed) | 4,050mAh (User-Removable) |
Wired Charging | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher | 15W Fast Charging (Support up to 25W with specific adapters); POGO Pin Charging |
Wireless Charging | MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W | No (Standard Qi not supported; POGO charging cradles used instead) |
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 | 5G (Sub-6), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, PTT (Push-to-Talk) |
USB | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 (Supports DeX) |
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 | IP68 (Water/Dust Resistant); MIL-STD-810H Certified; Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
Dimensions | 6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm) | 6.65 x 3.15 x 0.39 in (168.8 x 79.9 x 9.9 mm) |
Weight | 5.82 oz (165 g) | 8.29 oz (235 g) |
Biometrics | Face ID | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face Recognition |
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 | Two Programmable Keys (XCover Key, Top Key), Samsung DeX, Dual Microphones, Barometer |
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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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Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
Rating:★3.9(215)Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:4 years of OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates (Enterprise Edition standard)
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (6nm)
Graphics:Adreno 642L
RAM:6GB
Storage:128GB (Expandable via microSDXC up to 1TB)
Display Size:6.6"
Screen Type:PLS LCD, 120Hz, Wet Touch & Glove Mode
Resolution:2408 x 1080 (FHD+)
Refresh Rate:120Hz
Peak Brightness:480 nits (Typical) / 500 nits (Peak) — optimized for indoor/industrial use
Main Camera:50MP, f/1.8, PDAF, Dual-LED Flash
Ultra-Wide Camera:8MP, f/2.2, 123-degree FOV
Telephoto Camera:No (Not supported)
Optical Zoom:No (Not supported)
Digital Zoom:Up to 10x
Video Recording:4K UHD @ 30fps; 1080p @ 60fps
Front Camera:13MP, f/2.2
Battery:4,050mAh (User-Removable)
Wired Charging:15W Fast Charging (Support up to 25W with specific adapters); POGO Pin Charging
Wireless Charging:No (Standard Qi not supported; POGO charging cradles used instead)
Connectivity:5G (Sub-6), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, PTT (Push-to-Talk)
USB:USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 (Supports DeX)
Durability:IP68 (Water/Dust Resistant); MIL-STD-810H Certified; Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Dimensions:6.65 x 3.15 x 0.39 in (168.8 x 79.9 x 9.9 mm)
Weight:8.29 oz (235 g)
Biometrics:Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face Recognition
Extras:Two Programmable Keys (XCover Key, Top Key), Samsung DeX, Dual Microphones, Barometer
✓ Pros:
- • User-removable battery is a rare and critical feature for field work
- • Rugged build (IP68/MIL-STD-810H) survives drops without a case
- • Physical programmable keys are excellent for Push-to-Talk or app launching
- • Supports Wi-Fi 6E and Samsung DeX for desktop-like productivity
- • Touchscreen works with gloves and in wet conditions
✗ Cons:
- • Display brightness (~500 nits) is low for outdoor use compared to S-series
- • No standard Qi wireless charging (requires proprietary POGO docks)
- • Charging speed is modest (15W included, 25W capable)
- • Cameras are functional but lack optical stabilization (OIS)
- • Price is high relative to raw performance specs (paying for ruggedness)
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Which one is better?
The Apple iPhone 17 Air is the better buy for most people - its A19 Pro chip and 12GB RAM crush the XCover6 Pro’s performance.
Who should buy each?
Choose the Apple iPhone 17 Air if: you want a top-tier camera with 48MP detail, need a super responsive 120Hz display for gaming, or appreciate a premium design with a lightweight feel.
Choose the Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro if: you require a user-removable battery for long workdays, need a rugged phone that can withstand drops, or prefer to save money on a mid-range device with decent performance. (4050 mAh battery, 8.29 oz weight)
Conclusion
There is no wrong answer here. Focus on the features you will use daily and pick the model that aligns with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Apple iPhone 17 Air excels if you value thinnest iphone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium titanium chassis. Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro is better if you prioritize user-removable battery is a rare and critical feature for field work. 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.
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