5G ready smartphones: Here are some pointers you need to keep in mind while buying a 5G-ready smartphone now.
You must have seen 5G imprinted on your phone’s box since years now but India is finally getting ready to welcome the next generation network. 5G promises faster internet connectivity along with better connection reliability and a much wider bandwidth to accommodate more people. Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea are expected to rollout their 5G service later this year and when that happens, you have to be ready. 5G will be a game-changer for those who solely rely on mobile data for their daily dose of internet.
But wait! Do you think having a 5G smartphone is enough to get the next-gen experience? Think again! There are different flavours of 5G and your phone may not be able to support all of it. It depends on the chosen hardware and various other factors. Hence, if you want to get ready for 5G networks and are looking to invest in a 5G ready smartphone, these are the points you need to keep in mind.
Getting 5G ready: What you need to look for in your next phone
1. 5G supporting chipset
This is not an issue with expensive phones but if your budget is limited to less than Rs. 25,000, you need to check whether your phone’s chipset supports 5G modem. Avoid phones that have chipsets like the Snapdragon 680, Snapdragon 732G, Snapdragon 860, MediaTek Helio G96 and the likes. For iPhones, avoid models such as the iPhone 11, iPhone SE 2nd Gen, iPhone 11 Pro, and older models. Always cross check with the company website as to whether your phone supports 5G. If there’s 5G, your phone box will boldly mention it.
2. 5G bands support
Having a 5G chip isn’t enough. Your phone needs to have as many 5G bands as possible. This should help with better network performance.
3. Avoid buying older 5G models
Smartphone models launched over a year ago should be avoided. They may technically support 5G but there will be limited support for bands and could be slower by today’s standards. Additionally, you need to have a power efficient chipset to better manage the resources. This brings us to our next point.
4. Big battery
5G will require more battery power to support those higher internet speeds and hence, your phone needs to have a larger capacity battery. For Android phones, ensure your phone has at least 5000mAh battery to make it through an entire day. Also check for smarter features such as auto switching to 4G LTE when you don’t need such high speeds – this will save battery life. In iPhones, make sure you stick to devices such as the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Avoid models with smaller batteries such as the iPhone SE 3rd Gen, iPhone 13 Mini and iPhone 12 Mini.
5. Keep your older 5G phones updated
If you already own a 5G smartphone, keep an eye for the latest updates from your manufacturer. They may release tweaks to boost the performance, optimise the battery life and more such improvements.
6. Prefer buying expensive 5G models
This is absolutely crucial if you want those highest 5G speeds. The budget 5G phones usually use weaker modems and that means you get the slower flavours of 5G. Phones in the premium space often use the more powerful 5G modems that support full 5G speeds. Hence, as the 5G networks continue to improve, you will have a better chance at catching faster 5G speeds.
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