Nowadays, most of us expect to be connected to the internet wherever we go. Our phones are the easiest way to access just about anything online wherever we are, but they don't quite allow us to be as productive as we are on a laptop. Thankfully, laptops have caught on with the addition of cellular network support. We already have a list of the best laptops with LTE, but for this one, we're focusing on 5G.
If you're wondering whether 5G or LTE is better for you, it's mostly about future-proofing. 5G is simply more modern, and if you plan to use your laptop for many years, it'll likely become better over time compared to LTE, even if that difference isn't huge right now. On the other hand, adding 5G to a laptop is significantly more expensive than LTE, so that's something to keep in mind.
5G has been around for a few years at this point, and the number of 5G laptops has grown significantly over time. Most premium business laptops now include the option for 5G, and while consumer devices are a bit harder to find, there are still some options. Let's get into them.
The best laptops with 5G connectivity in 2023
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
A classic business laptop with great connectivity
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 builds on its predecessor with newer and more powerful 13th-gen Intel processors. It keeps the iconic ThinkPad design and features you know and love, including optional 5G connectivity and a wide selection of ports.
- Fast 13th-gen Intel Core processors
- Solid connectivity, including 5G and a lot of ports
- Lightweight design with the iconic ThinkPad look
- That classic design may not be for everyone
Lenovo's ThinkPads are some of the most popular business laptops in the world, and none has a better reputation than the X1 Carbon. That's for good reason, and that's why the X1 Carbon Gen 11 is once again at the top of this list.
The only major change with this year's model is the performance, which is now driven by 13th-generation Intel Core processors, up to a Core i7-1365U or Core i7-1370P, both with vPro Enterprise support. The U-series models will have slightly lower performance with 10 cores and 12 threads, while the P-series models have up to 14 cores and 20 threads for better performance at the expense of battery life. On top of that, the laptop can be configured with up to a whopping 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD.
Display options haven't changed signifincantly with this model, and we're looking at a 14-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio here. The base model comes in Full HD+ resolution, which you can upgrade by adding touch support or a privacy screen. You can also opt for a sharper 2.2K panel or go for the 2.8K OLED display, which looks absolutely stunning with vibrant colors and true blacks that are only possible with OLED. Above the display is a 1080p webcam, and you can add Windows Hello support and Computer Vision, if you want.
Connectivity is obviously a big deal here, and you can configure the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 with 5G support enabled by a Fibocom FM350-GL modem. There's also an LTE option if you want to save some money, and you get a nano-SIM slot either way. The laptop is also fairly light, at 2.48 pounds, so working on the go shouldn't be a problem. There are a lot of ports, too, including two Thunderbolt 4 and two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack.
Overall, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is easily one of the best options if you want a business laptop, and specifically one with 5G support.
Dell Latitude 9440
A modern and versatile laptop with 5G
The Dell Latitude 9440 is a premium 2-in-1 laptop with a modern and sleek design, high-end Intel processors, and sharp Quad HD+ display. It's also the world's first laptop with Zoom shortcuts built into the trackpad, making it great for remote work.
- Fast and efficient 13th-gen Intel Core processors
- Sharp Quad HD+ display included by default
- Modern and sleek design looks great anywhere
- Expensive
- Limited supply of ports
If you're looking for something more versatile and premium-feeling, the Dell Latitude 9440 may just be the laptop for you, featuring a sleek convertible design.
Similar to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, it's powered by 13th-gen Intel Core processors, up to a Core i7-1365U with 10 cores and 12 threads, as well as vPro Enterprise support. There's no P-series model here, but this configuration is ideal for due to the less power-hungry design. The laptop can also be configured with up to 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD, all you need for a top-tier experience.
Dell doesn't offer any configuration options for this display, but it doesn't need to. Theis 14-inch panel has a 16:10 aspect ratio and it comes in Quad HD+ resolution by default, so you'rre getting a very good experience already. What's more, since it's a convertible, touch and pen support is enabled by default. You also get a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello facial recognition, which is always great to see.
In terms of connectivity, the Dell Latitude 9440 is available with optional 5G support thanks to the Intel 5000 5G Solution, though there's no LTE option with this one. At 3.38 pounds, the laptop is a bit heavier, but it makes total sense for an aluminum chassis of this size. This is also the first laptop in the world to include Zoom meeting controls built into the touchpad, making it ideal for remote work. There aren't a ton of ports here, though, with just three USB Type-C ports (two with Thunderbolt support) and a headphone jack. You may need a docking station when using this at the office.
Still, a 5G laptop is mostly focused on portability, and on that front, the Dell Latitude 9440 definitely delivers. It's a super sleek and modern laptop with a great display and high-end performance. It's very expensive, but if you can afford it, it's easy to recommend.
HP Dragonfly Folio G3
A premium convertible that's even more versatile.
The HP Dragonfly Folio is a unique convertible laptop with a dual-hinge design that makes it easier to switch between tablet and laptop modes. It also has a great display, including an OLED option, and a premium finish covered in faux leather.
- Dual-hinge design lets you easily switch between different modes
- 8MP webcam is one of the best on any laptop
- Tall 3:2 display with OLED configuration option
- Expensive
- Not a lot of ports
- It no longer has the newest processors available
HP's Dragonfly series is a relatively recent addition to the company's lineup, but it's already one of its best business laptops out there. And with the Dragonfly Folio, it really hit its stride in terms of versatility and design.
Because it has yet to be refreshed for 2023, the HP Dragonfly Folio is still packing 12th-generation Intel processors, but you're not missing out on much ion terms of performance. It goes up to a Core i7-1265U with 10 cores and 12 threads, and it also supports vPro Enterprise. The laptop can be configured with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, so performance is great overall.
The HP Dragonfly Folio comes with a 13.5-inch display in a 3:2 aspect ratio, and since it's a convertible, it supports touch and pen input by default. The convertible design is unique in that, instead of rotating 360 degrees, the screen can be pulled forward and lay over the keyboard to use as a tablet, which makes the transition between modes a lot easier. The base model comes with a Full HD+ panel, which can be equipped with a privacy screen, or you can opt for the 3K2K OLED panel for the absolute best viewing experience possible. Atop that display is one of the best webcams on any laptop, being an 8MP sensor with Windows Hello support.
On top of the unique form factor, the design of the HP Dragonfly Folio looks and feels extremely premium, too, thanks to the faux leather cover around the base and the lid. The laptop is fairly thin and light, too, starting at 3.09 pounds. Add in optioonal 5G connectivity (LTE is also available) with the Intel 5000 5G Solution, and you have a great machine for working from anywhere. It does come with the downside of only having two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a headphone jack, so a docking station may be required.
The HP Dragonfly Folio is a fantastic laptop, but it does come at a very high cost, especially if you want 5G connectivity. However, if you can afford it, it's definitely one of my personal recommendations.
HP EliteBook 860 G10
A larger canvas to work on
The HP EliteBook 860 G10 is one of HP's higher-end business laptops, featuring 13th-gen Intel Core processors and a large 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It also has a great webcam and a realtively lightweight design considering its size.
- 13th-generation Intel Core U- or P-series processors
- Large 16-inch display with 16:10 aspect ratio
- 5MP webcam
- Display is limited to Full HD+ resolution
Small lightweight laptops may work for some people, but some of us enjoy having a bigger screen. If that's the case for you, then the HP EliteBook 860 G10 may be a great choice.
Like many others on this list, this laptop is powered by 13th-generation Intel processors, up to either a Core i7-1365U or Core i7-1370P, both of which have vPro Enterprise support. As mentioned above, the U series is better for battery life, while the P series can offer more performance. The laptop can also be configured with up to 64GB of RAM (which is upgradeable) and a 1TB SSD.
The display is basically the same as its predecessor, meaning you get a 16-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and Full HD+ resolution. You can't really go beyond that, though there are upgrade options to add touch support, a privacy screen, or a brighter backlight. A sharper display would be a nice option to have, though, especially at this size. The webcam is a 5MP sensor with Windows Hello support, common across HP's more premium laptops.
In terms of connectivity, you have the option for 5G support powered by an Intel 5000 5G Solution, though you can also opt for LTE support if you want to save some money. Otherwise, it has a few ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 and two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack. In terms of looks, it's as basic as you'd expect, with a typical silver colorway that's subdued and elegant, at the risk of being a little boring.
Overall, the HP EliteBook 860 G10 is a very capable laptop with a large display that's great for getting work done. We've reviewed the previous generation of this laptop with AMD processors, which was very similar otherwise.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5
Powerful performance for demanding workloads
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 is a powerful business laptop with Intel H-series processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics to handle more demanding workloads. It also comes with 5G support, although only some models give you the option.
- Powerful H-series processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics
- 16-inch display with up to 4K resolution
- Plenty of ports and a relatively light design
- 5G connectivity only available with lower-end graphics
- Newer processors are starting to become available
Usually, the focus of 5G is having an ultra-mobile PC, but if performance is more important to you, then the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 is likely the laptop you're looking for.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is by far the most powerful laptop on this list, just as the name suggests. It comes with 12th-generation Intel Core processors, which are a bit older, but these are H-series processors, which means they're much more powerful. If you want 5G support, you can go up to an Intel Core i7-12800H processor, with 14 cores and 20 threads, and that's paired with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, which is already plenty of power for content creation. Otherwise, the laptop comes with up to 64GB of RAM and a massive 8TB of storage, if you're willing to pay for it.
To go along with powerful specs, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 also has high-end display options. The 16-inch panel has a 16:10 aspect ratio, and while the base model comes in Full HD+ resolution, you can upgrade to a Quad HD+ panel with a 165Hz refresh rate, or get an Ultra HD+ display that covers 100% of Adobe RGB, perfect for creative professionals. The ThinkPad X1 Extreme also has a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello support by default.
For how powerful the ThinkPad X1 Extreme is, it's decently portable, starting at just 4.14 pounds, which is very reasonable for such a large laptop with powerful specs. It also has the classic ThinkPad design language. In terms of connectivity, you get the option for 5G support but not LTE, and there are plenty of ports, too. Those include two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card reader.
This really isn't a laptop for everyone, but if you want a powerful machine that can handle more demanding creative workloads and still has 5G, this is the one for you.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13s
Always-on connectivity in a sleek package
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13s is simply one of the best Arm-powered laptops on the market, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 chipset and featuring other high-end specs. It also has a 5MP webcam, one of the best in a ThinkPad.
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 delivers solid performance and great battery life
- 5MP webcam
- Very thin and light
- Display is limited to Full HD+
- Not a lot of ports
Arm-based Windows devices are still not as common as we'd like them to be, but some companies are making strides in making them more popular. And with the ThinkPad X13s, Lenovo has taken a pretty big step in that direction.
The chipset inside the ThinkPad X13s is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, an octa-core Arm processor with four Cortex-X1 cores and four Cortex-A710 cores for efficiency. This delivers a massive 85% CPU performance uplift compared to the previous generation, and up to 60% more GPU performance with the new Adreno GPU, too. You can also get up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for storage, which is the best you'll find on any Arm-based Windows laptop right now.
The display is perhaps the least impressive part of this laptop, though it's still solid. This is a 13.3-inch panel and it comes in a 16:10 aspect ratio with Full HD+ resolution. You can't upgrade beyond that, but this is still solid for this size. The ThinkPad X13s also has one of the best webcams on a ThinkPad, being a 5MP sensor with optional Windows Hello and Computer Vision support.
Of course, 5G connectivity is a mainstay of Arm-based processors, and it's available here, though it's still optional. Otherwise, connectivity isn't overly impressive, with two USB-C ports and a headphone jack. Thunderbolt and USB4 aren't supported by this processor, so that's not available here. That limited number of ports makes a bit more sense when you consider how thin and light the device is, coming in at just 13.4mm of thickness and 2.35 pounds of weight.
While it's far from a perfect laptop, the ThinkPad X13s represents the most effort a company (other than Microsoft) has put into an Arm-based Windows laptop. It's got top-notch performance, a great webcam, a solid display, and a lightweight design.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 with 5G
A great screen in a very portable design
The Surface Pro 9 with 5G is one of the best Arm-based Windows PCs on the market, with a beautiful 13-inch display, great cameras, and solid performance thanks to the Microsoft SQ3 processor. It's also very portable since it's a tablet.
- Super-sharp 13-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Two great cameras for video calls and meetings
- Microsoft SQ3 processor is fast and very efficient
- Not as thin as it could be
- No color options available, unlike the Wi-Fi model
- Limited ports
Microsoft took some time to make its first 5G-enabled Surface PC, but the Surface Pro 9 with 5G delivers on just about every front.
For starters, the Surface Pro 9 with 5G is powered by a Microsoft SQ3 chipset, based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 which has eight cores and pretty good performance. You can expect this processor to handle basic day-to-day tasks just fine, and the built-in Adreno GPU also has some big improvements over the previous generation. You can also configure the Surface Pro 9 with up to 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for storage.
The best part of the Surface Pro 9 with 5G is its display, which is a 13-inch panel with a very sharp 2880x1920 resolution and a smooth 120Hz resolution, making motion and animations feel much smoother. Of course, it supports touch and the Surface Slim Pen 2, including support for Tactile signals.
Above that display, there's also a 5MP camera with Windows Hello facial recognition and support for Windows Studio Effects. These effects include things like background blur and eye contact, plus noise reduction for the microphone. There's also a second camera on the back, this one being a 10MP sensor supporting 4K video.
5G support is included by default, with mmWave models in some countries (like the US) while other markets may only have sub-6GHz versions. However, the device isn't impressive in terms of ports, being limited to just two USB-C ports, and not even a heaphone jack. Design-wise, the Surface Pro 9 with 5G is similar to the Intel model, though it doesn't have the color options of that version, and it only comes in Platinum. It's a very portable device, measuring just 9.4mm in thickness and weighing 1.95 pounds. Of course, that doesn't include the keyboard and Surface Slim Pen 2, but you might not want those accessories to begin with.
There aren't a ton of tablets in the Windows space, but the Surface Pro 9 with 5G is a great one, and an easy recommendation if you want a high-end Windows tablet.
Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G
5G connectivity for a much more affordable price
The Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G is an affordable laptop with 5G support and solid performance for basic day-to-day tasks. It's starting to age, but if you want 5G connectivity for a low price, it's still your best option today.
- 5G support at a relatively low price
- Arm-based processor delivers solid performance and battery life
- Decently portable
- The processor isn't new anymore
- Display isn't great
- Not a lot of ports
5G is a premium feature for premium laptops, but thanks to the Samsung Galaxy Book Go, it's possible to get a 5G-capable laptop that isn't overly expensive. It's still decenlty capable, too.
The 5G version of the Samsung Galaxy Book Go comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, a major upgrade over the Wi-Fi model, even if it's not the newest option around anymore. Additionally, this model of the laptop comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eUFS storage, making for a pretty solid experience overall.
One of the drawbacks is the display, which is a 14-inch panel in the typical 16:9 aspect ratio, with Full HD resolution. That's not too bad by itself, but we've found that colors don't look great when you look at it from an angle, making for a subpar experience. The laptop also comes with a 720p webcam, and there's no Windows Hello support of any kind, both notable sacrifices.
That's what it takes to bring 5G support to an $800 laptop, though, and that's exactly what the Galaxy Book Go is. The 5G model is still very affordable for what it offers. You also get two USB-C ports, USB Type-A, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader to round out the connectivity. It's not mind-blowing, but it's in line with a lot of budget laptops. The laptop is decently light, coming in at 3.04 pounds, and the silver look is subdued and fairly sleek, if somewhat boring.
Due to its age, the Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G may be a bit hard to come by these days, but it's still the only laptop you can call "budget friendly" that has 5G support. It has solid performance, all things considered, and it's a good choice if you don't need anything too fancy.
Best 5G laptops in 2023: Bottom line
As 5G laptops become more common, we're starting to be spoiled for choice, but having a laptop with 5G still requires you to spend quite a bit of money. We picked the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon as our best overall pick because it's simply one of the best business laptops on the market, with a great display, a classic lightweight design, and top-of-the-line performance. 5G is most common in business laptops, so it's to be expected that our top pick would be one as well.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 builds on its predecessor with newer and more powerful 13th-gen Intel processors. It keeps the iconic ThinkPad design and features you know and love, including optional 5G connectivity and a wide selection of ports.
If you don't want a business laptop and you'd rather have something more consumer-oriented, the Surface Pro 9 with 5G may be your best option, since it has a modern and fairly fast processor, paired with a great display, some of the best webcams on a laptop, and a very portable design. But if you really want to save some money, then the Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G is the one for you.
If 5G connectivity isn't your priority, then you may want to check out our list of the best laptops overall. There are some fantastic laptops there that couldn't make this list.