Apple iPhone Air vs Motorola G86

Verdict

Apple iPhone Air and Motorola G86 tie on the OH Rank at a score of 67. Apple iPhone Air wins on Performance and Main Camera; Motorola G86 wins on Battery and Screen. Apple iPhone Air is the more recent release, from Sep 2025.

Score Breakdown

Category

Apple iPhone Air

74.7mm (2.94in) · Sep 2025 · Rank #128

Motorola G86

74.7mm (2.94in) · Jul 2025 · Rank #129
Performance /15
11
0
Battery /15
6
13
Screen /15
11
13
IP Protection /15
12
15
Main Camera /15
12
9
Selfie /5
5
3
Video /5
5
4
SD Memory /5
0
5
Software /5
5
5
Desktop Replacement /5
0
0
TOTAL
67
67
Apple iPhone Air
74.7mm (2.94in) · Sep 2025 · Rank #128
11+6+11+12+12+5+5+0+5+0 = 67

EDITORIAL: Like Samsung, Apple has introduced a slim phone this year. And just like Samsung’s, Apple’s new entry replaces the bigger non-Pro model that wasn’t selling too well. 17 Air is the only iPhone this year to keep the Titanium build and the only one to come with just 2 lenses: one on the front and just one in the back. Other then being 5.6mm thin, 17 Air offers the same screen with anti-reflection coating and the same new “Center Stage” selfie camera as this year’s Pro’s. It’s A19 Pro chip has 1 core less and a noticably slower performance when compared to 17 Pro Max. Night mode photos are painfully slow to take. The still and video imaging is very good but remember: you won’t have access to any meaningful zooming or ultrawide action. At least, Air’s battery life is better then Samsung Edge’s. We wish it more luck then iPhone Plus had.

PROs
strong titanium uni-body, good A19 Pro performance, up to 1TB of storage, sharp 460ppi LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED with Dolby Vision screen, great imaging from a single 48MP OIS PDAF main, excellent new Center Stage 18MP selfie with OIS PDAF, stable iOS with up to 6 years of updates
CONs
short sub-24hr endurance from an old-tech lithium 3150mAh battery, slow >90min 25W wired (20W wireless) charging, screen with just 1000nits brightness, only 1 camera on the back, no SDmemory slot nor desktop replacement feature, slow USB-C 2.0 without Video-Out support, expensive (updated Sep 26, 2025)
Motorola G86
74.7mm (2.94in) · Jul 2025 · Rank #129
0+13+13+15+9+3+4+5+5+0 = 67
* TOP MidrangerMidrange

EDITORIAL: The best G series phone is a “light” version of the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion. It comes with a same processor and memory, screen and battery size, selfie and probably the same main camera as well. Downgraded are just charging speed and the ultrawide. Also missing is the desktop replacement feature reserved for Motorola’s flagship Edge series.

PROs
great build and colors, a charger and bumper case included in some markets, good Mediatec 7300 with UFS 2.2 performance, 24+hour endurance from 5200mAh battery, sub90min 30W wired charging (no wireless), 1300+nits P-OLED screen with HDR10+, excellent IP69 with military standard drop protection, reliable photos and videos from 50MP OIS PDAF main + 8MP AF ultrawide, SDmemory slot, excellent OS with AI integration and video mirroring options with 4 years of OS updates
CONs
relatively low PWM screen refresh frequency may cause headaches in sensitive users, no AF on selfie, no desktop replacement software (updated Jul 17, 2025)

Both phones here were scored by me, using the same ten categories, with no ads, sponsorships, or manufacturer relationships — this comparison is as objective and honest as it gets.

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