5G Laptops: Revolutionising Connectivity & Performance

As more people choose to work from home, the top 5G laptops make sure you can stay connected to high-speed internet even when there’s no Wi-Fi around.

Glenn Burgess

You only have to see a few ads from mobile phone companies to know that 5G is a big deal in wireless internet. It offers super-fast speeds that can be as fast as home broadband in places where Wi-Fi can’t reach. Even though it’s faster, 5G can use less power and resources compared to older wireless networks, which is pretty cool.

Nowadays, there’s a demand for laptops that have 5G because more companies and schools are letting people work or study from home. These 5G laptops come in different price ranges, from £500 to over £2,500. They make sure you can stay connected at super-fast speeds, even when you’re not near a Wi-Fi network.

Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G

If you’re looking for an affordable Windows laptop with 5G, the Galaxy Book Go is a great choice. You can get it for under £600, and it comes in versions that work with AT&T or Verizon. It’s able to keep its price low because it uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 chip.

While it might not be the most powerful laptop, it makes up for it with a 5G modem and impressive battery life (according to Samsung, it can last up to 18 hours on a single charge).

In terms of specs, it has modest features like 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but the 14-inch display offers a sharp full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. It’s also very portable, weighing just 3 pounds, & it’s built to be durable with a shockproof chassis. So, it’s a good option if you need 5G connectivity without breaking the bank.

Acer Spin 7

The Acer Spin 7 takes the idea of the Galaxy Book Go to a whole new level, but it comes at a higher price, roughly three times more, at around £1,600. It still uses the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G Compute Platform for processing and 5G connectivity, but it offers a bunch of extra features for that higher price.

First off, the Spin 7 is a 2-in-1 laptop, meaning you can use it as a traditional laptop or flip it into tablet mode thanks to its touchscreen functionality and included digital stylus. It’s got double the RAM compared to the Galaxy Book Go and a lot more storage at 512GB.

What’s even more impressive is that it boasts a significantly larger built-in battery, claiming a whopping 29 hours of battery life between charges. Despite these enhancements, it only adds a bit more weight and thickness to the Spin 7, compared to the Galaxy Book Go. So, if you’re willing to invest more, you get a laptop with more versatility and performance.

Dell Latitude 9420 2-in-1

Unlike the Acer Spin 7, the Latitude 9420 2-in-1 takes a different approach. It’s designed for business users who need solid performance, and it achieves this by using the familiar and powerful Intel Core i5 processor.

However, if you want to add 5G connectivity, it can get quite expensive. To make this happen, you’ll need to upgrade to a touchscreen LCD and include a Qualcomm 5G modem.

This setup pushes the price tag beyond £2,500, and you’ll still have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which may seem limited for the price. On the bright side, you’ll get a lightweight aluminum laptop with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a high-resolution QHD+ display (2560 x 1600), and a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is great for productivity.

Plus, you’ll have the assurance of buying from Dell’s reputable Latitude series, known for its reliability and performance in the business world.

HP Elite Dragonfly Max

The Elite Dragonfly Max is a strong competitor to the Latitude 9420 in the realm of 5G-equipped business 2-in-1 laptops. It does come at a higher price point, around
£100 more than the Dell, but you definitely get your money’s worth with this investment. Here’s why:

The HP Elite Dragonfly Max boasts a more powerful Core i7 processor, providing superior performance. It also offers double the RAM and a larger 512GB drive, which is a significant upgrade compared to the Latitude’s more modest specs.

While the Dragonfly Max has a smaller 13.3-inch full HD display compared to the 14-inch screen of the Latitude with higher resolution, it makes up for it with an incredibly bright display, reaching up to 1,000 nits of brightness.

One small critique is that HP could probably include its digital stylus with the laptop considering the price, but aside from that, the Elite Dragonfly Max packs all the other features you need for a top-notch business laptop.

Lenovo Flex 5G

Verizon was the first to offer Lenovo’s Flex 5G, the pioneer laptop with 5G connectivity, while AT&T had to wait for the ThinkPad X13 5G. However, there are some trade-offs to consider.

The Flex 5G is available at a price similar to AT&T’s ThinkPad, but it’s worth noting that you’re getting a laptop that’s a year older in terms of technology. Instead of featuring the latest 11th-generation Intel Core processor, the Flex 5G relies on the original Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx processor, which is a generation behind the chips used in newer models like the Galaxy Book Go and the Spin 7.

While you can expect impressive battery life, the performance may not match up to the expectations, especially for a notebook priced at $1,400.

Which 5G laptop is right for you?

When it comes to 5G laptops, you essentially have two choices: ones powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and those equipped with an Intel processor. Each option has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Snapdragon-powered laptops tend to offer better battery life and are often more budget-friendly. However, they may not perform as well as laptops running on an Intel Core CPU.

If you’re a frequent traveler and mainly use your laptop for basic tasks like web browsing and light computing, a Snapdragon-based laptop could be a good fit for you, thanks to its longer battery life and cost-effectiveness.

However, if you rely heavily on productivity software and demand top-notch performance, especially for business purposes, then an Intel-based 5G laptop may be the better choice. It all depends on your specific needs and priorities.

How did we choose these 5G laptops?

The selection of 5G-capable laptops is currently limited, which makes it relatively straightforward to assess the best options available. While there are a few Chromebooks and Microsoft Surface devices that offer 4G connectivity, the same cannot be said for 5G at the moment.

Interestingly, a couple of notebooks on the 4G list, such as the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9, also come with configurations featuring 5G cellular modems.

It’s important to note that as 5G in laptops is still an emerging technology, it may not be fully optimised yet. However, you can anticipate that more laptops, including those with more affordable price tags, will start to offer 5G support in the coming years as carriers continue to expand their 5G networks.

This will likely provide users with a wider range of choices for 5G laptops in the near future.

What are the advantages of using 5G laptops?

5G laptops indeed offer faster speeds and lower latency, which leads to quicker data transmission rates. Additionally, they are designed to be more future-proof as manufacturers develop devices to take advantage of the capabilities of 5G networks.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that the coverage areas for 5G can vary significantly. Whether you can benefit from 5G depends on your location and the availability of 5G infrastructure in your area.

To find out if you are in a 5G coverage zone, you can check with your cellular provider, as they can provide information about the availability of 5G in your specific area.