The latest test results from Cellular Insights, a research firm in the U.S., show that the iPhone X model LTE network equipped with Qualcomm baseband chips is always superior to Intel baseband chips in the most commonly used LTE band in the U.S. market.
Last year, Apple decided to use both Qualcomm and Intel baseband chips in its handsets starting with the iPhone 7, resulting in a very different LTE performance for both models of the iPhone 7. Since then, Apple has been Intel's largest smartphone customer this year Apple further overweight this strategy.
There are currently three iPhone X models on the market worldwide, and with lab equipment, Cellular Insights has tested two of these models:
- A1865 with Qualcomm chips: sold through Sprint, Verizon and U.S. Cellular, as well as Australia, China and India.
- A1901 with Intel chips: sold through other carriers such as AT & T and T-Mobile.
- The third model A1902, sold only in Japan.In addition, the United States, Apple's direct sales of bundled packages iPhone X models are A1865, the entire Netcom.
In this test, Cellular Insights studied the performance of the LTE Band 4 band (1710-1785MHz uplink, 2110-2155MHz downlink) except for Sprint, which is used by all major U.S. carriers as well as parts of Canada and Latin America Band.
iPhone X networking speed
Cellular Insights Attenuates LTE Signal Strength From -85dBm to Modem No longer works. Initially, both baseband chips achieved 195Mbps downstream throughput on a 20MHz carrier. Soon after the signal was decayed to -87dBm, Intel The downstream throughput of the baseband chip drops to 169Mbps, while the throughput of the Qualcomm baseband chip is weakened to this level after the signal strength is further attenuated by 6dB (3dB is doubled and 6dB is signal strength 1/4).
The user can notice a significant difference when the signal is very weak (eg, only one cell signal), at which point the signal strength per dBm is very important.
- At very weak signal strengths, ie -120dBm, high-pass modems average 67% faster than Intel modems.
Intel baseband chip to stop working signal strength of -129dbm.
- Qualcomm baseband chip to stop working signal strength -130dbm.
iPhone X-weak signal case
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus carry the same baseband chip, but Cellular Insights did not specifically test these phones.
The test, conducted independently by Cellular Insights, uses test instrumentation from Rohde & Schwarz, a world leader in test and measurement equipment, and provided the leading CMWFlexx solution for this test.
Rohde & Schwarz's equipment
The two versions of iPhone X running on the system were iOS 11.1.2.
Last year, Cellular Insights also tested, and compared to last year's test, although the Intel baseband chip has not yet catch up with Qualcomm, but significantly narrowed the gap between the two.In the iPhone 7 Plus, when the signal strength decay to -105 to -110dBm , The downlink throughput has dropped significantly significantly.This year's situation is much better.This year's Intel baseband chip can also provide some performance at -129dBm signal strength, rather than last year's -125dBm.
iPhone 7 speed chart
Another point worth noting is whether Apple has specifically adjusted cell phone performance because of the different test results for Qualcomm baseband chips in 2017 and 2016. Although the peak and weak signal performance of Qualcomm baseband chips is better than last year, On the signal strength of -97 to -117dBm performance worse, and this year's Intel baseband chip closer.Microsoft may be working hard to ensure that all models of iPhone performance is basically the same.
Functional castration?
Both the Qualcomm and Intel baseband chips on the iPhone X are the latest available in September 2017. Qualcomm baseband chips are the X16 and are also used on the Samsung Galaxy S8, LG V30, Google Pixel 2, Essential PH1 and other flagship handsets Intel 's chip model is the XMM7480.
The Qualcomm X16 baseband chipset on the iPhone X supports 4x4 MIMO, quad-carrier aggregation, and LAA, and these technologies can be combined to form a 'gigabit LTE' network.At present, all four U.S. carriers have indicated that they are using 4x4 MIMO and Triple carrier aggregation to provide Gigabit LTE connectivity.
However, these chip features are disabled in the new iPhone, probably because Intel baseband chips do not support 4x4 MIMO or LAA and Apple wants a fair competitive environment, resulting in '600Mbps' for both iPhone X models One exception: In Australia, Qualcomm baseband chips can deliver carrier speeds up to 800 Mbps by using an 80 MHz carrier for quadruple carrier aggregation over Bands 1 + 3 + 7 + 7. Canadian carriers Supports similar four-way carrier aggregation, band Band 2 + 4 + 7 + 7, which provides 75MHz carrier, but the new iPhone does not support this carrier configuration.
The iPhone 8 / X baseband chip provides up to 200 Mbps of throughput per 20 MHz carrier, compared to 150 Mbps for the iPhone 7. This is because the iPhone 8 / X baseband chip supports 256 QAM encoding. The iPhone 7's Qualcomm X12 baseband chip also supports 256 QAM , But it was disabled by Apple, probably because Intel XMM7360 baseband chip did not support 256QAM, but Intel XMM7480 should already have support, so Apple also enabled Qualcomm X16 256QAM support.
Qualcomm's end?
However, the iPhone X may be the last large-scale cooperation with Apple's Qualcomm and Apple are involved in a series of patent litigation, Apple is reluctant to pay the patent licensing fees Qualcomm wants.
So far, Apple has been limited by Qualcomm baseband chips, which Qualcomm is the only provider of high-end baseband chips on Sprint and Verizon's CDMA networks, and Intel's XMM7560 baseband chip is expected to be available next year and will support CDMA Apple will no longer be too dependent on Qualcomm.
In addition, Apple may also abandon Intel, the company recently hired executives from Qualcomm, there are rumors that Apple is developing its own baseband chip, may launch in 2019 or 2020 related products.
Now, if you want the best LTE performance, you should buy an iPhone for the Qualcomm baseband chip. Note that the model number is A1865.