Wednesday, February 10, 2021
The best 5G laptop is one that brings long battery life, powerful performance hardware, premium design, and the ability to connect to the fastest wireless network possible. If you're looking to the future and want to ensure you can get in on 5G connectivity, we've put together this collection of the best 5G laptops available today.
Best Overall: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga
Perhaps the most impressive piece of hardware to come out of CES 2021 this year is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga. It sits at the top of our best of CES 2021 roundup, and indeed it sits at the top of the best 5G laptops. While Lenovo's standard X1 Yoga is about to enter its sixth generation, the Titanium version is entirely new.
This is a 13.5-inch laptop built from — you guessed it — titanium, as well as magnesium and carbon. It weighs in at 2.54 pounds (1.15kg) and is just 0.45 inches (11.5mm) thin. The convertible chassis is built extremely well with the ThinkPad durability you expect, plus the 360-degree hinges allow you to use the device as a tablet, notebook, or something in between.
An active pen is included for the touch display, adding some versatility to this 5G laptop. The display itself has a new boxy 3:2 aspect ratio and sharp 2256x1504 (2K) resolution, complete with Dolby Vision and plenty of brightness.
Typing on the ThinkPad keyboard is excellent; there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and an IR camera, fingerprint reader, and webcam shutter add security. As for performance, 11th Gen Intel Core vPro processors (CPU), up to 16GB of RAM, Intel Iris Xe graphics, and up to a 1TB M.2 PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) should do the trick. The laptop is certified with Intel Evo.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 modem adds 5G connectivity (it will use 4G LTE if no 5G is available), and you also get Wi-Fi 6 for the best possible wireless connections.
Pros:
- Beautiful titanium chassis
- 2K touch display with 3:2 aspect ratio
- ThinkPad typing
- Intel Evo certification
- IR camera, fingerprint reader, webcam shutter
Cons:
- Very expensive
Best Overall
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga
Flawless
Lenovo took everything we love about the standard X1 Yoga, made the features better, then put them into a titanium chassis. How cool is that? If you want your 5G laptop to stand out, this is the way to go.
Best Battery: Dell Latitude 9510 2-in-1
Buying a laptop with 5G connectivity generally means you're going to be on the move, so you want a battery that can keep up with your mobility. Dell's new Latitude 9510 2-in-1, announced at CES 2021, claims to get somewhere around 30 hours of life from a single charge from the 88Wh battery. Manufacturer claims are always inflated, but that's still impressive even if you knock off a third of the claim.
The convertible 9510 has a durable aluminum build (made for the professional world) with a silver finish, weighing in at 3.3 pounds (1.5kg). It's slim, yet it retains a solid selection of ports, including HDMI, USB-A, Thunderbolt 3, and a microSD card reader. The keyboard and touchpad have been redesigned, and there are now top-firing speakers flanking the keys for clear, unmuffled audio.
The 15-inch touch display that comes with the 5G configuration has a 1920x1080 (FHD) resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio, plus there's an IR camera for added security. You can also add a fingerprint reader. Wi-Fi 6 and 5G connectivity keep you connected everywhere, and you'll get a strong performance from the 10th Gen Intel Core U-series CPUs.
Pros:
- Great port selection
- Long battery life
- Top-firing speakers
- Premium aluminum build
Cons:
- Expensive
Best Battery
Dell Latitude 9510 2-in-1
Go all day
The Latitude 9510 from Dell is a 5G-enabled convertible laptop with stellar battery life that will keep up with your mobile life.
Best For Collaboration: HP Elite Dragonfly G2
HP's Elite Dragonfly G2, also announced at CES 2021, is an evolution of the first Dragonfly (check out our HP Elite Dragonfly review for full details). Whereas the first version came equipped with 4G, the G2 has stepped up to 5G thanks to a Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 modem.
Physically, the Dragonfly G2 hasn't changed much. You still get a CNC-machined aluminum chassis with gorgeous "Dragonfly Blue" color, and you still get a thin and light build that's easy to take with you. Performance gets a big boost thanks to 11th Gen Intel Core CPUs (standard and vPro) and Intel Iris Xe graphics, plus up to 32GB of RAM.
There are a few touch displays to choose from, including two FHD options and one 4K option. The first FHD is low power with 400 nits brightness, while the other is 1,000 nits and has Sure View for added privacy. Finally, the 4K option has 550 nits brightness and HDR. All are compatible with an active pen you can add for an extra charge.
The Dragonfly G2 has several new smart features, including on-lap detection, intrusion detection, dynamic audio, noise reduction, and sound calibration, making it easy to collaborate without outside interference.
Pros:
- 11th Gen Intel Core CPUs
- Three display options
- New smart features
- Premium build quality
Cons:
- Very expensive
Best For Collaboration
HP Elite Dragonfly G2
A worthwhile refresh
The Dragonfly G2 adds modern Intel hardware for better performance and extra smart features that makes it easier than ever to collaborate.
Best Convertible: Samsung Galaxy Book Flex2 5G
Our Samsung Galaxy Book Flex review pegs it as one of our favorite convertible PCs around. Now, with the Flex2 5G, Samsung has stepped things up with 11th Gen Intel Core CPUs and Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics for better performance. It also comes with Intel Evo certification, ensuring it has excellent battery life and snappy performance.
Front- and rear-facing cameras (13MP for the rear camera!) make it easy to capture your surroundings, and the included active pen is always close thanks to the built-in garage. Ports are plentiful and varied, and include Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, and USB-A. Dual 5W speakers pump out robust audio, and a fingerprint reader adds some welcome security.
The 13.3-inch FHD touch display is brilliant thanks to a QLED panel and accurate color reproduction, as well as up to 600 nits brightness. You should have no problem using this laptop wherever you go, especially with the 5G connectivity.
Pros:
- Gorgeous QLED display
- 11th Gen Intel hardware
- Garaged S Pen for inking
- Good port selection
- Overall quality build
Cons:
- Not yet widely available
Best Convertible
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex2 5G
QLED display is awesome
The original Galaxy Book Flex is a favorite of ours, and it's only better with the Flex2 5G. It's currently only available in the UK, with more availability expected in the future.
Bottom line
If you're looking at picking up a laptop with 5G connectivity, the best right now is undoubtedly the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga. It's a mouthful to say, and it's going to take a sizable chunk out of your wallet, but the latter issue seems to be common with these futuristic devices.
The X1 Titanium Yoga does a lot right, starting with the titanium, magnesium, and carbon chassis that's thin and light. It's packed with the latest 11th Gen Intel Core CPUs, it has the revered ThinkPad keyboard for comfy typing, and dual top-firing speakers pump out clear audio.
Lenovo has moved to a 13.5-inch touch display with inking capabilities. It has a 2256x1504 (2K) resolution, 450 nits brightness, 100% sRGB color reproduction, and Dolby Vision. Perhaps the best part, though, is the 3:2 aspect ratio that allows for more screen real estate without making the laptop any larger. If you want to get your hands on the best, definitely consider the Lenovo ThinkPad Titanium Yoga before the others.
If none of these laptops are really what you're looking for, our collection of the best Windows laptop options has way more variety.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Cale Hunt is a staff writer at Windows Central. He focuses mainly on PC, laptop, and accessory coverage, as well as the emerging world of VR. He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user and spends most of his time either tinkering with or writing about tech.
Daniel Rubino is the executive editor of Windows Central. He has been covering Microsoft since 2009, back when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Surface, HoloLens, Xbox, and future computing visions. Follow him on Twitter: @daniel_rubino.
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