Ctrl+Alt+Del: 5G is coming to more laptops, and it could change the way we buy them

OPINION: Prepare yourself for a bit of a redundant statement; the internet is everywhere. But, given that’s the case, why is it still a faff to use your laptop anywhere? Tethering and public Wi-Fi just aren’t it. 5G laptops could become more popular in 2024, and it won’t just change connectivity.

Several years ago, 5G came to prominence on mobile phones and it was “5G this, and 5G that”, many phones even had 5G in their name. Eventually, 5G was ditched from names as it became more prominent. Now, that has happened with laptops too, except for many laptops that sported “5G” in the name, the words disappeared from their title and the device.

5G laptops, of course, still do exist. With laptops and hybrid devices from the likes of Qualcomm and MediaTek being the products that still feature the technology. But, laptops sporting chips from Intel and AMD, which don’t incorporate 5G modems into their processors by default, have largely long since abandoned the practice. 

Now, there’s little sign that is changing anytime soon on the Intel and AMD front. However, it is the laptop manufacturers with Arm-based chips that still could have the technology in its sights. I’m talking about the new laptops coming down the line featuring Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite chips, as well as Apple’s MacBooks, where rumours of 5G still swirl but seem far less immediate.

5G on laptops makes a lot of sense, right? No need to rely on unreliable, unsecured public Wi-Fi or tethering to your phone, which is an absolute battery life destroyer for your mobile device. It’s a peace of mind that you’re just always connected. So, what’s standing in its way?

Well, for PC devices that do support 5G connectivity, using it remains a hassle. You’ll typically need a second SIM card to use with your laptop, which can be awkward to obtain from your mobile phone network if you’d like to use your mobile data elsewhere or, even, this is often just not something offered by networks. There’s also very little support for eSIM in the laptop realm, making the “simplest” option taking out another mobile plan specifically for your laptop. 

Obviously, if you think always-online 5G connectivity is worth an extra data plan then you’ll seek this out. But, right now, the process is far too arduous for an average consumer to truly think about a 5G laptop as an obvious option for their next laptop. This could change if Snapdragon’s big claims for its upcoming X Elite chips ring true, and we get some new and exciting laptops sporting them.

But, what might just happen is that buying a laptop could move towards becoming more like purchasing a phone. You’ll often be able to get a subsidy on a mobile phone by buying your phone and SIM plan together on a monthly contract. With laptop prices going up over the last few years, spreading the cost admittedly becomes more viable and incorporating 5G data into this plan makes a lot of sense for all involved. One of the best deals we saw over Black Friday was a monthly plan on a MacBook Air, showing the viability of this way of selling laptops.

Mobile networks are already doing this but just take a look at what’s on offer from the likes of EE in the UK and T-Mobile in the US to notice how it hasn’t gained traction quite yet. Very limited options.

It also isn’t yet clear just how much these new Snapdragon X Elite laptops will take off. The initial signs look strong in terms of performance but there remains the hurdle of Arm compatibility with Windows. What could see 5G laptop adoption take off is if Apple gets on board. 

A 5G MacBook has long been rumoured and the move to Apple Silicon makes it easier than ever for it to sport the connectivity standard. There was even a patent hinting at such a move earlier in 2023 (via PatentlyApple). In fact, Apple is almost already doing it. For iPad models which offer an M-series chip, you can equip it with 5G right now. But, you can’t yet do that for MacBooks. What gives, Apple?

5G laptops make a ton of sense for the modern world but manufacturers and networks are yet to crack the code for how best to market the convenient solution to consumers. The simple answer: make good 5G laptops and look to the mobile phone industry.

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Ctrl+Alt+Del is our weekly computing-focused opinion column where we delve deeper into the world of computers, laptops, components, peripherals and more. Find it on Trusted Reviews every Saturday afternoon.