Recent testing has revealed that Apple's new C1 in-house 5G modem chip, featured in the iPhone 16e, is outperforming the Qualcomm Snapdragon X71 modem found in the iPhone 16 Pro Max. A video by YouTuber Dave2D demonstrated that the iPhone 16e achieved an impressive downlink speed of 213.84Mbps on Speedtest.net, significantly surpassing the Pro Max's 152.77Mbps. Despite the C1 not supporting the fastest mmWave 5G networks, it still managed to deliver 40% faster speeds than its Qualcomm counterpart.
Apple's strategy centered on integrating the C1 modem primarily in lower-priced models like the iPhone 16e and the upcoming iPhone 17 Air. The expectation was to further enhance the modem's performance by the time the iPhone 18 series is launched in 2027, allowing it to outperform Qualcomm's offerings in the premium segment. However, the results from the recent test suggest that Apple may not need to wait that long.
Interestingly, while the C1 modem excels in certain testing conditions, it does lack support for mmWave networks, which are essential for achieving the fastest available 5G speeds. This omission was a conscious cost-saving measure, as most U.S. wireless users are not within the coverage areas of mmWave signals, which are limited in range compared to mid-band and low-band frequencies.
In the test conducted in Toronto, Canada, both devices operated on sub-6GHz 5G networks, but the abundance of cellular towers in the area likely contributed to the C1 modem's enhanced performance. Factors such as network congestion and the distance between cell towers can also significantly impact data speeds, making it essential to consider these variables when evaluating modem performance. Nevertheless, the results indicate that Apple's in-house modem in the iPhone 16e presents a strong capability in real-world applications.
