It’s rare these days to be without some sort of connection to the internet, as most of us have a smartphone with cellular data plans. It’s an always-ready gateway to online information or tools, but it’s not the most productive way to get work done. To get the same level of connectivity on the go, some laptop models have internal cellular modems to give 4G LTE or 5G cellular support.
While most smartphones come with 5G nowadays, the list of laptops with the faster cellular option is still fairly small. 5G didn’t quite bring the promised leap in productivity when it launched, but it’s still the only cellular version you should be looking for in a laptop. Why? Because it’s more modern and will give you a longer working lifespan for your device. It is more expensive to add to a laptop than 4G, but it’s worth it if you absolutely need internet wherever you are. Here are our favorite 5G-equipped laptop options from all of the choices on the market today.
The best laptops with 5G connectivity in 2023
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
Best overall
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 significantly 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
Best convertible
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 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. This 14-inch panel has a 16:10 aspect ratio, and it comes in Quad HD+ resolution by default, so you’re 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 G4
Best business laptop
A premium notebook with smart security
The HP Dragonfly G4 is a premium business ultrabook, with added style. It also has a great 3:2 ratio display, with an OLED option, and a 5MP webcam to make you look your best in meetings.
- Lightweight and portable
- OLED option
- 3:2 ratio great for reading documents
HP’s Dragonfly series is one of the company’s newest lines, bringing 3:2 aspect ratios to the business class. It’s also the most premium business line that HP produces, with stylish designs and premium materials. The HP Dragonfly G4 is the latest iteration, with 13th-gen Intel Core processors and simplified branding, and it’s a total delight.
Last year, HP redesigned the laptop from the ground up, going to a clamshell design instead of the convertible from the generation before. Not much has changed design-wise on the latest model, but the internals have been upgraded to the latest available. That means you can get up to a 13th-gen Intel Core i7-1365U (10 cores, 12 threads) with up to 32GB of RAM and a 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, giving you great overall performance.
The display is a 3:2 aspect ratio, 13.5-inch panel, with an optional touchscreen. This is an FHD+ (1920×1280) resolution with 400 nits of brightness, or there’s a privacy screen option that increases the brightness to 1000 nits. The star of the show is a 3K2K (3000×2000) OLED with 400 nits of brightness. Every screen option has a 5MP, 88-degree field of view webcam, which has Windows Hello support.
The premium magnesium alloy shell helps keep the weight down, with the laptop starting at 2.2 pounds. It also has optional 5G connectivity with Intel’s 5G Solution 5000 (or LTE if preferred), letting you work from anywhere with cellular coverage. The only drawback to the slimline machine is that you’re limited to two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 2.1, and an audio jack. You might want to pick up a dock for home use so that you have enough ports for accessories.
The HP Elite Dragonfly is a great, premium laptop with 5G connectivity if you need it and can afford the high price.
HP ZBook Fury 16-inch G10
Best mobile workstation
A larger canvas to work on
The HP ZBook Fury G10 is a mobile workstation with tons of power to chew through any task at hand. It has Intel Core HX-series processors for maximum performance, and up to an Nvidia RTX A5000 graphics card.
- Powerful 13th-gen Intel HX-series CPUs
- Nvidia RTX A-series graphics chips
- Huge customizability
- Expensive
- Base model is only FHD
While most laptops with 5G are of the slim and portable kind, sometimes you need a little more screen to get things done. The HP ZBook Fury 16-inch G10 is a portable workstation with the power to run engineering simulations or other resource-intensive tasks, and it has optional 5G connectivity. That way, even the beach can be your workplace as long as you have a cellular signal (and a battery pack for a beefy laptop like this).
Many other laptops on this list have 13th-gen Intel processors, but they all use relatively low-power models. The HP ZBook Fury G10 uses the HX-series, for maximum computing power, all the way up to the flagship i9-13950HX, which has 24 cores, 32 threads, and a max turbo frequency of 5.5GHz. That’s enough power for running multiple workloads at once, so the processor won’t slow you down.
The HX-series processors still have integrated graphics, but you won’t be using that much. The Fury has up to an Nvidia RTX 5000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU for tons of graphical grunt. The laptop can be configured with up to 128GB of RAM (which is upgradable), in normal or ECC variations for situations where data integrity is important. You can also get up to 12TB of NVMe Gen 4 SSD spread out over four M.2 slots.
The 16-inch display comes with a FHD (1920×1080) 16:9 panel with 250 nits of brightness. Most of the display options have an FHD+ (1920×1200) resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio, with up to 1000 nits of brightness and optional privacy coating. There’s also the WQUXGA (3840×2400) DreamColor panel with 500 nits of brightness, running at a 120Hz refresh rate, perfect for content creators. And there is an OLED option, with the same WQUXGA resolution and an optional touchscreen. We’ve had time with a DreamColor display before, and the OLED is still the one to go for if color accuracy is important to you.
Dell Latitude 7230 Rugged Extreme
The Dell Latitude 7230 Rugged Extreme lives up to its name with an incredibly durable modular design, allowing you to use it as a tablet or laptop, all while ensuring it can survive the toughest conditions. It comes with a super-bright display that works with gloves, and a wide range of customization options, plus high-end specs.
If you work in hard environments, a rugged laptop may just be for you, and the Dell latitude 7230 Rugged Extreme is exactly what you’re looking for. This is a rugged tablet that can also be used as a laptop, and every part of it is as tough as it is customizable.
Inside the Dell Latitude 7230 Rugged Extreme are 12th-gen 9W Intel processors (Intel hasn’t made 9W processors for its 13th generation), which deliver great performance for day-to-day use when you’re out and about. You also get up to 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD, which can be easily replaced if you choose the appropriate back cover.
The display on the Dell Latitude 7230 Rugged Extreme is incredibly bright, so it stays visible even under very harsh sunlight. It reaches up to 1200 nits of brightness, and it also supports input when you’re wearing gloves, so if you work in cold environments, you can still use it. The resolution is 1920×1200, which is plenty sharp for a 12-inch panel.
Customization and durability are at the core of the Latitude 7230 Rugged Extreme, and Dell says it can survive temperatures as low as -20F, or as high as 145F. It can withstand drops up to four feet, and it’s also water, dust, and dirt resistant, so it won’t be damaged if you’re in the rain and get the device dirty. That durtability extends to the optional keyboard, which is designed to the same standard as the tablet itself, so you can get a fully rugged laptop. As for customization, all the specs can be customized, and that even includes ports, with options for RJ45, Serial ports, barcode scanners, USB Type-A, and HDMI. You can also add a second battery to the device for hot-swapping so you can swap batteries in and out without shutting down the device. Of course, 5G connectivity is also an option, though you can opt for LTE if you want to save some money.
It’s definitely not for everyone, but the Dell Latitude 230 Rugged Extreme delivers the good if you need unmatched durability with modern specs and connectivity.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13s
Best Arm laptop
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
Best tablet
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 2880×1920 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 headphone 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
Best budget laptop
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 decently 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: Faster, stronger, more productive
Laptops with 5G used to be the province of business devices only, but the technology is becoming more common in the best consumer laptops as well. The catch is that 5G, like on phones, makes laptops much more expensive. In my view, if you’re spending that money, you should also buy a durable laptop, like my pick for the best overall pick, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. This might be a business-focused device, but that means it will last through a budget cycle with hard-wearing materials and construction. It also has a great display in either IPS or OLED, a classic design, and the ThinkPad signature TrackPoint controller.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
Best overall
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 your budget is a little tight for that, the Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G is an excellent choice for more budget-conscious consumers, powered by a Qualcomm processor and in a lightweight, portable clamshell. It also looks a little more modern than the very traditional approach of Lenovo’s laptop.
