iPhone 16e C1 modem: performance is lacking… results so far.

[CrysisDeu]

in home internet yes , you need faster speed for gaming, watching, multiple streams at once. on mobile internet (lte or 5g) why we need gigabit speeds?

coming to apple / qualcomn, for them its a marketing trick to sell things

Better and faster connectivity opens you to new possibilities.
At this moment, you can have faster download speed for AAA games. You can play cloud games better with a lower compression rate. You can probably use a Remote Desktop better.

Not to mention you usually won’t get the full speed of mobile networks in congested areas. There are places where the qualcomm modems cannot load 1080p youtube videos.

LTE speed was plenty for a lot of people, but 5g lowered the download time of larger games by a couple folds. I would argue it is one of the reasons mobile games are as popular today because you can download big titles wherever you want.

The higher the headroom, the more things you can do, and the fewer the problems you will encounter.

Cars can go to 150miles not necessarily because you need to. But the cars with the higher top speeds also accelerates faster in normal driving.

And Apple was not known to build for the minimal needs. It pushes the boundaries.
Remember back in the day, they will include a 3g modem and unlock it with software later. They put wifi chips with 3x3 and newer generations of wifi chips that haven’t been standardized yet. A few years down the line, you will appreciate it because you device lasts longer

 

[waquzy]

Just wanted to address something on here: going from iPhone 16e to the 14 Pro is actually an upgrade. It has a much improved CPU and GPU for starters together with more ram.

Just because it has less features like only supporting 60hz display and it has less cameras and no mag safe people here think it’s a downgrade. Those features mean nothing to me.

I’m only interested in pure performance. And when it comes to CPU and GPU, iPhone 16e is an upgrade over the 14 Pro. But unfortunately despite the positive reviews I read about the C1 modem beforehand, in my real life tests it does not match the speed of the 14 Pro. Nowhere close in fact. 3-4 times slower.

Hence the reason for returning the device.

 

[CrysisDeu]

I’m only interested in pure performance. And when it comes to CPU and GPU, iPhone 16e is an upgrade over the 14 Pro.

Applying the same logic from the comments:
“Why do you need the cpu and gpu performance on a phone?”

 

[waquzy]

Applying the same logic from the comments:
“Why do you need the cpu and gpu performance on a phone?”

I ain’t hell bent on the numbers. I was just getting sick of reading the comments like 16e is an economy phone etc. When in fact it is not. It has more processing power than the 14 Pro.

People just like to berate it because of the notch, single camera, 60hz etc.

 

[williamofockham]

face it, ' you choose poorly'

 

[waquzy]

face it, ' you choose poorly'

I didn’t. What let me down was the insufficient data that was available regarding the performance of the C1 modem. Hence why I created this thread. To warn others. No big loss. Will take the phone back to the Apple Store.

 

[myhaksown]

Upgraded from iPhone 14 Pro to iPhone 16e and I’m really disappointed with the down/upload speeds. Connected to the same network, speeds are as follows:

iPhone 14 Pro
Down - 550mbps
Up - 45mbps

iPhone 16e
Down - 200mbps
Up - 3mbps (yes three)

Could the phone be still indexing in the background or?

As I use my phone to hotspot all through the house, the performance is extremely important. At the minute it’s lacklustre. Any ideas?

So you used a flagship model and replaced it with a budget model and you’re surprised it doesn’t have better performance? I can’t be the only one here who sees how ridiculous this post is.

 

[ab22]

I didn’t. What let me down was the insufficient data that was available regarding the performance of the C1 modem. Hence why I created this thread. To warn others. No big loss. Will take the phone back to the Apple Store.

I wonder if the carrier somehow regards the 16e as being ineligible for as high a speed data / hotspot usage ?.

Some years back I used Three in a similar unlimited data hotspot way (much cheaper than even a landline with BT - never mind internet) with an SE, & seem to recall needing to get them to change something to allow full speed, whereas using a standalone wifi device worked right off.

 

[spyguy10709]

These are the results I would expect going from a Pro to an Economy, even if they are two generations apart.

then you don't know what you're talking about - I saw better speeds on my iPhone 5C, which was economy a decade ago. There's something amiss here, this is not normal.

 

[derbyshire2013]

I wonder if the carrier somehow regards the 16e as being ineligible for as high a speed data / hotspot usage ?.

Some years back I used Three in a similar unlimited data hotspot way (much cheaper than even a landline with BT - never mind internet) with an SE, & seem to recall needing to get them to change something to allow full speed, whereas using a standalone wifi device worked right off.

Didn’t Three (at one point) have select airtime plans with Unlimited Data but they only allowed a certain amount for Personal Hotspot?

Would have be interesting to see how other speed testing apps perform in the same area using iPhone 16e - it’s nothing against Ookla but I find sometimes their results vary wildly to apps such as nPerf.

 

[waquzy]

Didn’t Three (at one point) have select airtime plans with Unlimited Data but they only allowed a certain amount for Personal Hotspot?

Would have be interesting to see how other speed testing apps perform in the same area using iPhone 16e - it’s nothing against Ookla but I find sometimes their results vary wildly to apps such as nPerf.

I did real life tests eg. downloaded a large file and 16e was 3-4 times slower than 14 Pro.

 

[waquzy]

So you used a flagship model and replaced it with a budget model and you’re surprised it doesn’t have better performance? I can’t be the only one here who sees how ridiculous this post is.

16e outperforms 14 Pro in CPU and GPU tests.

It’s best if you stick to watching TikTok videos on your phone. You have no clue what you are talking about.

 

[zinxtr]

Bro doesn't get the message that an iPhone is not intended to be used as a modem 🥲 If this is your requirement, it would be much easier to get a second sim and a whatever mobile modem, which would be way cheaper than a new phone and much more convenient.

If you insist on using hotspot for your home network, an android device would also probably be better, because it can be configured to never turn the hotspot off, which as I am aware can't be done on iOS (and that makes sense anyway, considering the intended use).

As regarding the C1 modem, antenna layout and coresponding signal strength will play the most important role in your performance, which doesn't tell you all that much about the modem itself, and frankly make sense that a budget device has lower performance anyway. You can't compare CPU speed /improvments with network performance/, as the first is subject to Moore's law, whereas the latter really isn't.

 

[waquzy]

Bro doesn't get the message that an iPhone is not intended to be used as a modem 🥲 If this is your requirement, it would be much easier to get a second sim and a whatever mobile modem, which would be way cheaper than a new phone and much more convenient.

If you insist on using hotspot for your home network, an android device would also probably be better, because it can be configured to never turn the hotspot off, which as I am aware can't be done on iOS (and that makes sense anyway, considering the intended use).

As regarding the C1 modem, antenna layout and coresponding signal strength will play the most important role in your performance, which doesn't tell you all that much about the modem itself, and frankly make sense that a budget device has lower performance anyway. You can't compare CPU speed /improvments with network performance/, as the first is subject to Moore's law, whereas the latter really isn't.

Of course it can. I have been using it for 2 years without any issues, hotspotting to multiple devices at the same time without any lag whatsoever. I don’t need to splash out to get another plan, I leave that to people like you.

 

[Bungaree.Chubbins]

Of course it can. I have been using it for 2 years without any issues, hotspotting to multiple devices at the same time without any lag whatsoever. I don’t need to splash out to get another plan, I leave that to people like you.

Maybe Americans can’t do it because of their carrier policies? Those of us in the rest of the world don’t have a problem with it.

 

[AdamHarbour]

Yes it does. But it’s lacking in performance. For most ppl it’s ok. For my user case it’s not. Simple.

What performance ! It makes and calls in all the places a phone should and it downloads data 5G same as any other phone on a mobile network . What more do you need? It’s a phone.

 

[kenz1980]

What performance ! It makes and calls in all the places a phone should and it downloads data 5G same as any other phone on a mobile network . What more do you need? It’s a phone.

Because different modems in phones are more performant than others? I think its obvious.

 

[AdamHarbour]

Because different modems in phones are more performant than others? I think its obvious.

And the one in the 16e does the job as well as any other phone with excellent Battery life …… it a phone not a fibre broadband connection for the whole house

 

[progx]

It’s a bummer the 16E isn’t working for your situation. For the consumer this is targeting, I think you’re on the fringe side since the majority of SE users probably don’t know they have a hotspot, but might not have it either.

 

[AdamHarbour]

It’s a bummer the 16E isn’t working for your situation. For the consumer this is targeting, I think you’re on the fringe side since the majority of SE users probably don’t know they have a hotspot, but might not have it either.

Bummer that he wants a phone to act as a fibre broadband in his home 🥱 and it not doing that …… very sad

 

[progx]

Bummer that he wants a phone to act as a fibre broadband in his home 🥱 and it not doing that …… very sad

I have a separate cable Internet connection for my home. Hotspots are nice, but the phone gets disabled in the process. Unless the poster is very frugal, I don’t see the upside in wearing out your phone as a hotspot since every couple of years you’d almost need to upgrade since you’ve killed the battery

 

[Euroamerican]

Daily "living my Mac life" user who just got a "Verizon" 16e here a couple weeks ago... That's me. NO HOTSPOT

Regarding C1 modem performance: I went on a family trip to a large metro area back east (Pennsylvania), in hilly urban terrain and I had absolutely no issues with connectivity or usability. Apple Maps worked flawlessly for navigation and finding restaurants and points of interest.

Regarding reviews of C1 modem performance: I did not find enough articles to make me happy pre-purchase, but I went ahead and rolled the dice and have no complaints so far. I will keep an eye out though for in-depth reviews as more users report back.

I still need to use the phone in the backwoods here in the West USA. I am curious how this Apple modem will do for voice and messaging, some data use, in the mountains 20 to 75 miles away from large urban areas. With the older Verizon 4S and 8 models, I was able to get data and voice in wide open plains/valleys and on top of peaks or ridges. As soon as I dropped into valley areas or behind big ridges blocking me from nearby small towns or other locations that I might expect a cell tower to be located, I had no cell service. Pretty much as I expected. I am keen to see what the 16e does on the same "test". Then... I want to see what the satellite feature does!

All in all, I am extremely pleased with the 16e so far.

 

[bruinsrme]

“Three” is an UK mobile service provider. This is my 16e:


View attachment 2510571

I had this happen to me after switching phones.
In the end Verizon had my iPhone listed as a Samsung.
Once it was changed and the device ids updated it made a significant different.
Will it for you, no idea.

But I do know that the 16e in my family isn’t experiencing any issues

 

[Juraj22]

iPhone 14 Pro
Down - 550mbps
Up - 45mbps

and later on you posted image with same speed just a bit better from iPhone16e 600/50, so I guess modems are about the same, right?

but

what is not the same is how much bandwidth is allocated per connection the tower(BTS) you connect to. There is no infinite resources and usage is shared. So even iPhone 14Pro will be slow if there are many users using the phone the way you do. This is kind of silly comparison unless you absolutely know that BTS at the moment is free to serve just you.

call *3001#12345#* to enter service menu on both and compare.

If you can, get fiber, if you can't, use what you have.
Good luck.

 

[JPack]

Not really surprising. The lackluster results were already known at launch. Just read the Chinese reviews.

U.S reviewers didn't notice a difference between X71 and C1 because mid-band speeds in the U.S. are terrible. If the speeds are already terrible, then a slow modem makes no difference.

None of the U.S. reviewers even bothered to pull up the built-in FTM Dashboard to learn signal strength numbers.

In China, mid-band speeds are excellent and it was clear C1 was sub-par.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-fast-is-apples-first-ever-5g-modem-the-results-are-surprising.2450398/post-33768071

The SNR numbers for 16e compared to iPhone 16 tell you all.