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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerMotorola Moto G Play (2024) vs Apple iPhone 17 Air
Motorola Moto G Play (2024) vs Apple iPhone 17 Air: which is the right fit? We cover performance, value, and use cases to make the call easier.
Ratings: 4.5★ vs 4.9★
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Motorola Moto G Play (2024)
★4.5
(848)•Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:1 Android OS upgrade (to Android 14) and 3 years of security updates (until Jan 2027)
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (6nm)
Graphics:Adreno 610
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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: Motorola Moto G Play (2024) vs Apple iPhone 17 Air
Motorola Moto G Play (2024)
★4.5(848)Best Buy
Apple iPhone 17 Air
★4.9(13)Best Buy
| Criterion | Motorola Moto G Play (2024) | Apple iPhone 17 Air |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.5(848)Best Buy | ★4.9(13)Best Buy |
Operating System | Android | iOS |
Software Support | 1 Android OS upgrade (to Android 14) and 3 years of security updates (until Jan 2027) | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (6nm) | Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) |
Graphics | Adreno 610 | Apple 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro) |
RAM | 4GB (Plus up to 2GB Virtual RAM Boost) | 12 GB (LPDDR5X) |
Storage | 64GB UFS 2.2 (Expandable via microSDXC up to 1TB) | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (NVMe) |
Display Size | 6.5" | 6.6" (6.55" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | IPS LCD, 90Hz, 500 nits (Peak) | Super Retina XDR OLED |
Resolution | 1600 x 720 (HD+) | 2736 x 1260 pixels (460 ppi) |
Refresh Rate | 90Hz (Auto/60Hz/90Hz) | Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz); Always-On display |
Peak Brightness | 500 nits (High Brightness Mode) | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum |
Main Camera | 50MP, f/1.8, PDAF, Quad Pixel Technology | 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 (Not supported) | No dedicated Ultra Wide camera (functionality limited to panoramic stitching via software) |
Telephoto Camera | No (Not supported) | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP Fusion sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS |
Optical Zoom | No (Not supported) | 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (2x optical zoom range) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 8x | Up to 10x |
Video Recording | 1080p @ 30fps | 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 | 8MP, f/2.0, 1.12µm | 24MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps |
Battery | 5,000mAh (Typical) | 3150 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 26 hours video playback (20 hours streamed) |
Wired Charging | 15W TurboPower (Charger NOT included in box) | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher |
Wireless Charging | No (Not supported) | MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W |
Connectivity | 4G LTE (No 5G), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS | 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 Type-C 2.0 | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output |
Durability | IP52 (Water-repellent design); Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (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 2.95 x 0.33 in (163.8 x 75.0 x 8.3 mm) | 6.15" x 2.94" x 0.22" (156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm) |
Weight | 6.53 oz (185 g) | 5.82 oz (165 g) |
Biometrics | Side-mounted fingerprint reader, Face Unlock | Face ID |
Extras | Stereo speakers (Dolby Atmos), 3.5mm Headphone Jack, microSD slot | 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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Motorola Moto G Play (2024)
Rating:★4.5(848)Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:1 Android OS upgrade (to Android 14) and 3 years of security updates (until Jan 2027)
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G (6nm)
Graphics:Adreno 610
RAM:4GB (Plus up to 2GB Virtual RAM Boost)
Storage:64GB UFS 2.2 (Expandable via microSDXC up to 1TB)
Display Size:6.5"
Screen Type:IPS LCD, 90Hz, 500 nits (Peak)
Resolution:1600 x 720 (HD+)
Refresh Rate:90Hz (Auto/60Hz/90Hz)
Peak Brightness:500 nits (High Brightness Mode)
Main Camera:50MP, f/1.8, PDAF, Quad Pixel Technology
Ultra-Wide Camera:No (Not supported)
Telephoto Camera:No (Not supported)
Optical Zoom:No (Not supported)
Digital Zoom:Up to 8x
Video Recording:1080p @ 30fps
Front Camera:8MP, f/2.0, 1.12µm
Battery:5,000mAh (Typical)
Wired Charging:15W TurboPower (Charger NOT included in box)
Wireless Charging:No (Not supported)
Connectivity:4G LTE (No 5G), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS
USB:USB Type-C 2.0
Durability:IP52 (Water-repellent design); Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (Front)
Dimensions:6.45 x 2.95 x 0.33 in (163.8 x 75.0 x 8.3 mm)
Weight:6.53 oz (185 g)
Biometrics:Side-mounted fingerprint reader, Face Unlock
Extras:Stereo speakers (Dolby Atmos), 3.5mm Headphone Jack, microSD slot
✓ Pros:
- • Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos are excellent for this price tier
- • Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 provides reliable basic performance (better than Helio G37)
- • Clean, bloat-free My UX software experience
- • Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the front display
- • Excellent battery life with 5,000mAh capacity
✗ Cons:
- • Resolution is limited to 720p (HD+) while competitors offer 1080p
- • No 5G connectivity (4G LTE only)
- • No NFC for mobile payments (Google Pay)
- • Charging is slow (15W max) and no charger is included in the box
- • Single usable rear camera (no ultrawide or macro lens)
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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)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Which one is better?
Looking at user satisfaction (Apple iPhone 17 Air: 4.5★ vs Motorola Moto G Play (2024): 4.9★), Apple iPhone 17 Air pulls ahead. The gap is small—choose based on the priorities below.
Who should buy each?
Expert take:
- Motorola Moto G Play (2024) suits buyers who need Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos are excellent for this price tier, Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 provides reliable basic performance (better than Helio G37)
- Apple iPhone 17 Air suits buyers who want Thinnest iPhone ever (5.6mm) featuring a premium Titanium chassis, 120Hz ProMotion display finally arrives on non-Pro tier
Conclusion
Motorola Moto G Play (2024) and Apple iPhone 17 Air are both solid choices. Match the strengths above to your budget and workflow to make the best call.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Motorola Moto G Play (2024) excels if you value stereo speakers with dolby atmos are excellent for this price tier. 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.
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