How Fast is Apple's First-Ever 5G Modem? The Results Are Surprising

iPhone 16e reviews are now out, and Apple's custom-designed C1 modem has been put to the test. The results so far are quite surprising, as the C1's speeds are not as slow compared to Qualcomm modems as originally expected.

While the C1 does not support ultra-fast mmWave 5G in the U.S., it appears to offer comparable 5G performance to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X71 modem found in the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

First, here is what some reviewers said.

The Verge's Allison Johnson did not notice much difference between the C1 and the X71:

Much of the 16E is familiar, but there is one entirely new component: Apple’s C1 modem. This is its debut appearance, and the road to Apple's first in-house modem was reportedly full of setbacks and delays. I've used it for the past week to make FaceTime calls, upload large video files in crowded places, and stream YouTube on the bus. I tested it alongside a regular iPhone 16 equipped with a Qualcomm-made modem — both on Verizon — and I didn't see any consistent difference in performance between the two.

Tom's Guide's John Velasco didn't seem to notice any major difference either:

And finally, you should know that the iPhone 16e is the first device in Apple's portfolio to feature the company's in-house C1 modem. It's a departure from the Qualcomm modem that Apple's relied on for years now, but it's difficult to say if it ultimately delivers faster 5G speeds. I ran speed tests on both the iPhone 16 and 16e at three different locations in New York City, with only one test showing faster speeds with the iPhone 16e.

What about actual numbers?

In his iPhone 16e review video, Andru Edwards said the device achieved a peak 5G download speed of 673 Mbps in his suburban New York yard, while connected to the AT&T network. In the same location, he said the iPhone 16 Pro Max achieved up to a 667 Mbps download speed, so the results seem to be roughly equal.

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