iPhone 17 Air Said to Use Inferior RAM Type Than iPhone 16 Series

Apple's upcoming base iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will feature LPDDR5 RAM, a slower and less efficient memory type than the LPDDR5X RAM found in every model of the iPhone 16 series, according to the latest report by Jeff Pu of equity research firm GF Securities.

The base iPhone 17 is expected to feature 8GB of RAM, while the iPhone 17 Air's 12GB RAM capacity is a step up from the iPhone 16 series' across-the-board 8GB. However, the downgrade in memory type is a curious decision in terms of performance and energy efficiency, especially in a device rumored to ship with a smaller 2800mAh battery.

LPDDR5X is expected to feature in the iPhone 17 Pro models in 12GB capacities. LPDDR5X offers higher bandwidth and improved power efficiency compared to LPDDR5. That should translate to faster app launches, smoother multitasking, and better battery life in bandwidth-intensive scenarios. In opting for LPDDR5 in the iPhone 17 Air, Apple may be willing to compromise on some of those advantages, despite increasing the overall RAM capacity.

The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be an ultra-thin, lower-cost alternative to the Pro models, and using LPDDR5 may help reduce costs or be better twinned with a lower-powered SoC variant. It could also potentially keep the device cool and efficient under moderate workloads – though ironically, LPDDR5X would likely offer better efficiency under sustained load.

At the end of the day, average users of Apple's upcoming ultra-slim device are unlikely to notice a significant difference in day-to-day usage, while anyone who might view the slower RAM as a limiting factor are more likely to purchase an iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max. The iPhone 17 lineup is expected to launch in September.