Broadcast: Broadcom-equivalent performance for Apple's latest N1 chip falls short of 320 MHz mark.
The much-anticipated iPhone 17 series is set to hit stores starting from Friday. While the new devices promise faster performance for system services like AirDrop and personal hotspot, there are some important details about their Wi-Fi capabilities that you should be aware of.
The iPhone 17 series will utilise a 160 MHz channel width, limiting its speeds to 5,760 Mbit/s. This is lower than the theoretical maximum speed of Wi-Fi 7, which can reach up to 11,530 Mbit/s with four MIMO streams and a channel width of 320 MHz. Apple has chosen to limit the N1 chip, the combination chip specifically tailored to the device, to a maximum channel width of 160 MHz.
This decision is due to a few reasons. Firstly, the N1 chip in the iPhone 17 series is more integrated with the system compared to components from suppliers, enabling faster updates. Secondly, the exact extent of the performance increase for system services in the iPhone 17 series due to the N1 chip is still unclear.
It's important to note that the maximum possible channel width of 320 MHz in the 6-GHz band, which Wi-Fi 7 allows, remains unchanged compared to older models' Broadcom chips. However, the full speed of Wi-Fi 7 can only be achieved when both the base station and client can handle it.
Currently, Wi-Fi 7 devices are only slowly spreading, and not all support 320 MHz channel width. For instance, the TP-Link Archer BE900 Wi-Fi 7 router supports a channel bandwidth of 320 MHz, enabling full Wi-Fi 7 speeds up to 3.83 Gbit/s. This router uses multiple bands simultaneously through Multi-Link Operation (MLO) and includes a fiber modem but lacks integrated telephony or smart home functions.
However, it's worth mentioning that no specific internet service providers are mentioned as offering 320 MHz bandwidth directly. This means that the iPhone 17 series' Wi-Fi 7 capabilities will primarily be beneficial for transfers within the home network.
Moreover, Apple can update the internal firmware of the N1 chip in the iPhone 17 series faster, without waiting for Broadcom, through iOS updates. This deeper integration into the system also improves energy-saving possibilities in the iPhone 17 series.
In conclusion, while the iPhone 17 series does not reach the theoretical maximum speed of Wi-Fi 7, it does offer faster performance for system services and improved energy efficiency, thanks to its specifically designed N1 chip. As Wi-Fi 7 devices become more common, users can expect to see even faster speeds in future iPhone models.
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