Intel’s Bringing 5G to Windows 10 PCs Next Year, Here’s Why It Matters

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Intel is announcing today, along with Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Microsoft, that they will be bringing 5G connectivity to Windows 10 PCs next year. The company is making this announcement ahead of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but seeing as we already have 4G laptops, why does this matter?

While 5G is yet another jump in wireless connectivity, it will bring with it the capability to do mass data-intensive workloads while outside the office. Yes, LTE offers excellent speeds but limitations in bandwidth are quickly causing congestion issues whereas 5G will help alleviate many of these problems.

The ability to download a several hundred megabyte file in seconds while sitting in the back of a car or being truly untethered with a wireless headset that is streaming video content is not currently possible. Starting later this year, many companies like Verizon and AT&T will begin rolling out upgrades to their network to bring 5G to life in the United States.

But the real benefit is the increased upload and download speeds these new laptops will provide as we have all been in the scenario where we “wait to get back to the office” to download something as you know it will go faster…5G looks to bring the ‘office’ speed, everywhere.

The future of wireless connectivity looks fantastic and the first iterations of this technology will arrive sooner, rather than later. Of course, the big unknown here is how will the cellular networks use this new technology to increase their bottom-line.

If data caps do not adapt to these workloads, the increased bandwidth will be artificially limited by carriers and innovation will be stifled in the name of revenue.

Even though carriers may be a limiting factor in the 5G future, it’s important not to overlook what Windows 10+5G will enable for corporate workers. Imagine being out in a field office, where you will have the ability to connect to a high-speed network wirelessly or being able to use 5G instead of having to run copper/fiber to a remote office; truly wireless offices may become a reality with this new technology.

The next generation of wireless connectivity looks promising and bundled with Windows 10, this will be how Microsoft, Intel, and their partners look to convince users to upgrade their hardware.