Recent test results shared by Ookla shows how the iPhone 16e with C1 stacks up against iPhone 16 with Qualcomm modem.
In Real-World Situations, the Apple C1 Modems Fares Better than Qualcomm
At this point, you’ve already read the report by Ookla, the company behind the Speedtest.net service.
While I’m not going deep into the report, I am going to cherry-pick something that matters the most when using a smartphone.
However, I will say this: if you’re only looking for blazing-fast speeds over 5G, you’ll get those with the iPhone 16 since the Qualcomm modem supports mmWave.
The report points out that in real-world tests, the iPhone 16e and C1 modem outperforms Qualcomm when you’re in a bad coverage area. And that’s exactly where a modem should win.
According to data gathered, the iPhone 16e managed a top speed of 57Mbps, while the iPhone 16 saw itself around 27Mbps. Again, that’s from a coverage area where cellular coverage was weak.
But things suddenly get interesting when you remove mmWave from the equation. While it’s a great feature to have, when you stay within the sub-6GHz range, the C1 modem outperforms Qualcomm in most scenarios.
While many people prioritize speed above all else, for me the most important thing is plain and simple: whenever I pull my iPhone out of my pocket, it should work, even in a bad coverage area.
Apple’s aim with the C1 was to be efficient, and tests show it delivers on that front. What more do you want?
