This year, 5G technology is slowly becoming more and more accessible to the public. With smartphones, like the recently announced Google Pixel, and computers starting to adopt it, SoC developer Mediatek announces that it will soon also be providing the 5G experience to next-generation PCs through its collaboration with Intel.
The MediaTek T700 5G modem has completed standalone calls in real-world test scenarios meaning that it can be used in Intel-powered PCs next year. Combining the technologies of Intel and MediaTek will allow systems to run compute-intensive applications, deliver smooth and lag-free performance, as well as act as a powerhouse for multimedia users.
“Our partnership with Intel is a natural extension of our growing 5G mobile business, and is an incredible market opportunity for MediaTek to move into the PC market,” said MediaTek President Joe Chen.“With Intel’s deep expertise in the PC space and our groundbreaking 5G modem technology, we will redefine the laptop experience and bring consumers the best 5G experiences.”
Supporting non-standalone and standalone Sub-6 5G network architectures, the MediTek T700 is designed to deliver faster speeds and reliable connectivity 5G has been known for. Users will also be able to enjoy these faster speeds, whether at home or at work, for longer times as the modem is deemed highly efficient. It’s able to extend the battery life of laptops so users won’t have to worry about charging.
Chris Walker, Intel vice president, and general manager of Mobile Client Platforms says that “5G is poised to further transform the way we connect, compute and communicate, and Intel is committed to enhancing those capabilities on the world’s best PCs building on our 4G/LTE leadership.”
The world’s first 5G laptop is actually the Lenovo Flex 5G which was introduced earlier this year and is powered by MediaTek competitor, Qualcomm. They had taken the lead in pioneering 5G technology but MediaTek isn’t trailing too far behind. The company is aiming to roll out its advanced 5G technology across a number of devices including PC, mobile, home, auto, and IoT segments.
We can expect products powered by MediaTek’s new technology to be available sometime in 2021 with Dell and HP expected to be one of the first few to release.