iPhone 17 Air Positioned Closer To Pro Models With 12GB RAM Upgrade

A fresh leak has revealed that three models of the iPhone 17 series will be getting a major RAM upgrade, with 12GB of RAM, while the base iPhone 17 will remain at 8GB.

This significant upgrade could change the way users experience performance across different models, especially in the realm of artificial intelligence.

According to a leak from a trusted source on Weibo, the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all feature 12GB of RAM, while the regular iPhone 17 will stick with just 8GB. This marks a notable departure from previous models, where the RAM configurations were largely the same across the non-Pro variants.

We previously reported that all iPhone 17 models will run on Apple’s A19 series of chips, including the newly introduced iPhone 17 Air, which replaces the ‘Plus’ model in Apple’s lineup. The new RAM configuration has some intriguing implications, especially as the company seeks to differentiate its models further.

The decision to equip the iPhone 17 Air with 12GB of RAM places it closer to the Pro models in terms of performance, despite its thinner design. This shift begs the question: Will the iPhone 17 Air be priced similarly to the smaller iPhone 17 Pro, offering customers a choice between sleek design and performance? While the iPhone 17 Air and base model will share the A19 chip, the Pro models will receive the A19 Pro, a chip designed to offer enhanced performance, particularly for AI features. However, the average user may not notice a huge difference between the two chips, as the increased RAM will likely be the main differentiator when it comes to managing AI tasks.

The breakdown of RAM configurations across the iPhone 17 models is as follows:

• iPhone 17 – 8GB RAM
• iPhone 17 Air – 12GB RAM
• iPhone 17 Pro – 12GB RAM
• iPhone 17 Pro Max – 12GB RAM

In conclusion, while the iPhone 17 Air may be positioned closer to the Pro models, it remains to be seen whether it will carry a higher price tag. However, with the RAM boost and the shift from the ‘Plus’ variant, the iPhone 17 Air could offer an attractive middle ground for users looking for performance and design.