iPhone X Models With Qualcomm Modem Still Have Faster LTE Speeds Than Those With Intel Modems

[Pipper99]

View attachment 739634 Interesting. When selecting Verizon as my carrier, I get presented with this. I didn't see this option before on Apple.com.

Has this option always been there? If not, then this is the SIM free version, available now. Seems like you don't need a Verizon account. Can anyone confirm?

This is how I purchased my Verizon model iPhone X although my carrier is AT&T. It's unlocked, but it's not sim free: there's a Verizon sim in the phone. I restored it from backup over wifi and then popped in my AT&T sim, and it works without issue.

 

[Pupi]

“In many other countries, and in the U.S. soon enough, Apple sells an unlocked SIM-free A1865 model.”

Bullcrap. As often the case, Macrumors don’t know or care about countries other than the US. In MOST countries, only the A1901 is available.

Fix the article.

 

[haruhiko]

My experience with the Intel iPhone 7 and Qualcomm iPhone X confirms that unfortunately.
My Intel iPhone 7 is a piece of garbage inside the subway train but my X constantly can get online now.
If Apple is going to give up on Qualcomm modems, I'm worried about the connectivity of future iPhones.

 

[DaveN]

I'm not concerned. I'm perfectly happy with the 70 Mbps I get on my cable modem. Even the slowest speeds here are several times faster than the cable modem speed so I doubt it will make much practical difference.

 

[apolloa]

Qualcomm clearly has better LTE performance. I want the best phone available. That is why I have an iPhone X. I really don't care about Qualcomm's and Apple's dispute. They both overcharge. If Apple decides to use inferior chips then I will consider another phone.

This, no doubt people on here will defend Apple and slate Qualcomm as the devil, yet this is a 1000 dollars or pounds decide, you should never have to accept poor performance for one version over another for that price.
But people have accepted it. So why should Apple change?

 

[jdillings]

Intel's modems are complete and utter garbage. Not just their phone modems but also cable modems that rely on their Puma chipset. If Timmy wasn't such a tightwad and actually cared about quality, he'd go with the best modems on the market (Qualcomm).

 

[zorinlynx]

I find it absurd that Apple is hobbling their own products just to give a partial finger to Qualcomm.

Damnit, Apple, pay your freaking royalties, use the best chipset you can get (Qualcomm in this case) and stop screwing over your most profitable product to make a point.

 

[KPOM]

The exception is if you order it online and enter your carriers account info at the time of purchase. If you buy it at the store then just put your AT&T sim card before you start the phone for the first time.

All Verizon phones are unlocked.

 

[M.PaulCezanne]

If you purchase from Best Buy you’ll get the A1865 model no matter what carrier you use. They stock the most universal model and lock it to to the carrier upon activation. Just FYI. They’ve been doing this since the 6S.

Keep in mind though that Best Buy no longer sells unlocked iPhones. You must buy on a specific carrier’s extended payment plan. Moreover, they don’t offer T-Mobile.

 

[joueboy]

Despite how fast it is nobody really is taking advantage of that technology by the time we reach that speed iPhone X is already obsolete. And some areas still got GPRS until now ask T-Mobile and crappy speed with LTE indicator ask Sprint.

 

[michael31986]

LOL. It’s like pointing at the sun at saying it’s dark.

The data clearly shows there’s a significant difference at the spectrum when the signal is weak with 1-2 bars. Under those circumstances, the difference is up to 50%.

Again there are so many factors. Congested networks. Signal in buildings. It’s not that serious of a difference.

 

[5105973]

/ So do any other people have the ‘dreaded’ Intel model and not care much?

Last year when we got a 7 Plus for my husband and our teen (and me, eventually) we paid in full at the Apple store and got a sim free Qualcomm modem. Sound quality on calls sucked anyway. Everyone was always complaining that we sound like we are at the bottom of a barrel and talking with marbles in our mouths when we call from our iPhones. So we ended up using our Android phones for voice calls. We are AT&T customers.

This time for our X’s we had no choice but to get the AT&T Intel phones. Though I suppose my husband could have gotten me the Verizon model and put my AT&T sim into it. But he didn’t bother. We still sound like crap compared to how we sound on our Samsung phones. But we sound like less crappy crap. We are marginally more clear in terms of being heard and in terms of hearing our callers. So as far as I’m concerned right now, Intel is fine. Get back to me in a couple of months when I’m on the road trying to hold onto a weak signal and then maybe I’ll be salty.

 

[macfacts]

Are the carriers allowing the max speed or capping it.
Does it really matter to the masses?

I know you only read the headline.

The summary says if you are in an area with perfect 5/5 bars of signal, the speeds are similar.

If you are in an area with say 2/5 bars if signal strength (like in an elevator, a basement, underground parking), the Intel one is going to perform much slower (and thus use more battery) than the Qualcomm one.

 

[deanthedev]

So after reading the article I wonder about their testing methodologies.

They did a single static test (out of a complete regimen their equipment is capable of) on a single band and can somehow conclude which is better?

For the record, I have no doubt the Qualcomm modem is better than Intel. I just don’t buy their very limited (cherry picked?) test.

 

[Xenomorph]

We knew the modem differences back in September...

 

[haunebu]

Who would want to spend $1300 on an iPhone with anything less than the best LTE modem?

A great modem that is fully capable of gigabit speeds, but that Apple artificially handicaps to 600mbps so weak ass Intel chips aren't embarrassed... and the Intel chips still can't keep up under poor network coverage areas. Tsk, tsk...

And you people keep making excuses for Apple.

 

[sirozha]

If you want to get an iPhone X with the Qualcomm modem, you are not limited to a Verizon iPhone X. You can get a Sprint iPhone X, which is exactly the same phone as the Verizon iPhone X but has a Sprint SIM installed instead of a Verizon SIM.

If you buy you iPhone at the Apple store for full price, both Verizon and Sprint iPhone X come completely unlocked. I bought a Sprint iPhone X for full price in an Apple store on launch day, and it’s working fine with T-Mobile.

 

[tangfish]

Yep. Exactly what I did. I purchased (Verizon) iPhone at my local Apple store and activated it on my AT&T account. Works like a charm.

Didn’t you have to use an active Verizon phone number at time of order to do that?

 

[Sappharad]

I finally managed to snag an iPhone X from the Apple store 2 weeks ago when I saw they had stock. I'm on AT&T, but I waited for stock at Apple specifically to get the Verizon model because of the Qualcomm modem. I didn't do it for better speeds, I was already satisfied with the speeds the iPhone 7 was capable of, but instead I did it because of the better power efficiency of the modem in low signal areas and overall reports of the previous models (7 and 8) handling poor signals better on the Qualcomm modem.

I work in a building that is basically a dead zone for AT&T, where my cell signal goes between 1 bar and no service throughout the day. When I had the iPhone 6, I could get away with charging my phone every other day but with the 7 I had to charge every day and over 30% of my battery drain was due to "No Cell Coverage" according to the battery monitor in settings. I know the iPhone X has a bigger battery than the 7 and this could be contributing to the improvement, but now I'm only seeing roughly 20% of my battery drain due to bad coverage in a day and I only have to charge the phone every other day.

Overall I'm happy that I waited to snag a Qualcomm one instead of pre-ordering and being forced into the AT&T model.


I know my co-workers with Verizon get good reception at work, but the only reason I haven't switched is because I'm grandfathered into an old AT&T unlimited plan which is still cheaper than Verizon's current unlimited plan. And I'd prefer to switch to T-Mobile instead because of their better prices, but they don't get reception where I live despite their coverage map saying otherwise. (I have an iPad with their free data plan that I use to check coverage occasionally, and most of my friends have T-Mobile and they don't get service when they come here)

 

[Wags]

So most of the world is getting ripped on their GSM-only model?

Thats kinda the implication,

And should I be bummed about my A1901? Screen quality more important to me

No. I have 1901 and has been best iPhone that I ever had. Friend had Verizon on Att and returned for 1901. I think Apple did good job working with Intel. Last year maybe big deal this year think not. Next year probably no Qualcomm anyway.
[doublepost=1512172669][/doublepost]

The test simulated environmental conditions with low dBm.

No matter how you want to spin it, it’s clear the Qualcomm modem is better under marginal signal conditions.

It’s like saying weather makes a bigger difference in driver control rather than the quality of the tires. Of course. But under similar conditions, the better tires simply perform better.

Maybe with everything equal and when is everything equal. Especially real world.

 

[JPack]

Further, I highly doubt the differences between Intel and Qualcomm are so great as to be noticeable in the real world. That wouldn't be like Apple at all.

Tell that to the MacBook customers who were playing NAND controller lottery a few years ago.

Samsung? SanDisk? Toshiba? Better not pick wrong if you’re doing something I/O intensive.

 

[TroyBoy30]

I’ll live with my free att model

 

[lazard]

So after reading the article I wonder about their testing methodologies.

They did a single static test (out of a complete regimen their equipment is capable of) on a single band and can somehow conclude which is better?

For the record, I have no doubt the Qualcomm modem is better than Intel. I just don’t buy their very limited (cherry picked?) test.

They conducted the test on Band 4 which all the carriers use. It's not like they chose a random band.

 

[thadoggfather]

No. I have 1901 and has been best iPhone that I ever had. Friend had Verizon on Att and returned for 1901. I think Apple did good job working with Intel. Last year maybe big deal this year think not. Next year probably no Qualcomm anyway.
[doublepost=1512172669][/doublepost]
Maybe with everything equal and when is everything equal. Especially real world.

Just curious why your friend went to 1901 from Verizon

 

[jermwhl]

German unlocked version here = Intel
Good! Boycott Qualcomm...

It appears both versions are available there.