Apple's C1 Modem Put Through New Speed Test Ahead of iPhone 17 Air

Ookla, the network intelligence company known for its Speedtest tool, today published the results of its second iPhone 16e cellular speed test.

Apple iPhone 16e C1 Feature
In short, Ookla found that the iPhone 16e with Apple's custom-designed C1 modem "performs similarly" to the standard iPhone 16 with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X71 modem in the "vast majority of markets" that it examined.

However, results sometimes varied considerably based on carrier and country.

Ookla said the median 5G download speed for the standard iPhone 16 on T-Mobile's network in the U.S. was 317 Mbps, compared to 252 Mbps on the iPhone 16e. However, on an unspecified Spanish network, it said the iPhone 16e achieved a median 5G download speed of 139 Mbps, topping the iPhone 16 at 110 Mbps.

All in all, Ookla said the iPhone 16e performs "comparatively" to the iPhone 16 for 5G connectivity, which reinforces its earlier March findings.

iPhone 16e users can rest assured that Apple's first 5G modem is no slouch, which is good news ahead of Apple's special event tomorrow, as the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air is also expected to be equipped with the C1 modem.

Head to Ookla's website for the in-depth results.

Related Roundup: iPhone 16e
Tags: C1, Ookla
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 16e (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro's Biggest Design Mystery is Finally Solved

Friday September 5, 2025 9:33 am PDT by
Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 17 series in just four days from now, and the biggest design mystery surrounding the Pro models has finally been solved. In a report outlining his expectations for Apple's event next week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the iPhone 17 Pro models will have "a new cutout area on the bottom two-thirds of the phone that doubles as the wireless charging area."...
iPhone 16 Battery Life Feature

iOS 26's New Battery Life Mode is Limited to These iPhone Models

Wednesday September 3, 2025 1:19 pm PDT by
iOS 26 introduces an Adaptive Power Mode on the iPhone, alongside the existing Low Power Mode. Apple says Adaptive Power Mode can make "performance adjustments" when necessary to extend an iPhone's battery life, including slightly lowering the display brightness, allowing some activities to "take longer," and automatically turning on Low Power Mode when the iPhone's remaining battery life...

Top Rated Comments

Cristim74 Avatar
5 hours ago at 08:31 am
Considering this is a 1st gen product it's a good achievement.
Looking forward to the C2 and C3 performance ...
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orev Avatar
4 hours ago at 08:52 am
Does it ever matter if a 5G modem is slightly faster than another? Other than marketing or bragging rights, nobody will notice in real world usage.

No doubt this is part of generating some hype around the launch tomorrow.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CalMin Avatar
4 hours ago at 08:51 am
Truth is that these benchmark type tests don't matter to most people as long as their phone "just works". With cellular there are just so many variables e.g., phone, location, provider, signal strength, network conditions (congestion etc.) that sometimes my phone is fast, sometimes it's slow and I live with that when not on wifi.

What I hear from this is that Apple's modem is 'decent enough' in most situations such that it won't be a factor in my purchasing decision. For me - I just want to get email, texts, post on Macrumors, look at some Instagram, and FaceTime with friends when out of the house.

While this doesn't hold true for many folks who need optimal connectivity or who just want the very best - I expect that most consumers will be just fine with an Apple modem.

Now if this means that Apple doesn't have to pay Qualcomm tax then we should get cheaper phones right? Right Apple? Right...???
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProbablyDylan Avatar
4 hours ago at 08:54 am
I wonder how many end users are drag racing cell modems and making their purchasing decisions based on that.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jntdroid Avatar
4 hours ago at 08:57 am
Great, so they both perform well in strong signal areas. What's more important is how well it can perform in weak signal areas. I know that's hard to test, but that's the most important factor at the end of the day.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
d5aqoëp Avatar
4 hours ago at 08:32 am
There is a reason why Apple used old X71 modems in iPhone 16 series and not the then latest SD X80. That is because they didn't want their C1 to look poor in comparison with X80.

C1 is objectively poor in most instances.

...and also they can get away with using old stuff because most Apple users won't notice.

I won't be surprised if Apple continues to use SD X71 in this year's iPhones because Apple users deserve old tech.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)