Intel working with Microsoft, HP, Dell, and Lenovo to ship 5G laptops in 2019

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
published

Intel's partnership with PC makers is expected to result in speedy 5G-connected laptops by the end of 2019.

Microsoft and its hardware partners' efforts with Always Connected PCs are just beginning to show fruit, but Intel is offering a peek at what things might look like by the end of next year. The chipmaker announced today that it is partnering with Microsoft, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to bring 5G connectivity to mobile PCs in the second half of 2019.

While 5G coverage and devices may still be some time away, Intel already has some ideas in mind of how PCs will be able to leverage the next generation of wireless connectivity. From Intel:

Not only will it bring a substantial amount of data needing processing but also new experiences for PC owners. Imagine immersing in untethered VR from anywhere in the world, or downloading a 250 megabyte file in seconds from a parking lot. Or imagine being able to continue participating in a multiplayer game as you ride in an autonomous vehicle on the way to class. Radically different. This is just a sampling of the experiences 5G will reimagine for the mobile PC. As this transformation of data continues, it's critical for PCs to be ready with 5G.

The announcement comes just as Mobile World Congress 2018 is getting ready to kick off in Barcelona, and Intel says it will have a demo on hand at the event using a detachable 2-in-1 PC powered by a 5G modem and Intel's eighth-generation Core i5 processor. The concept device will be used to show off live streaming video over a 5G networks, Intel says. That's quite a bit less impressive than the future use cases Intel envisions for 5G on PCs, but the company views it as "one of many stepping stones for moving the industry forward in what's possible for 5G-enabled PCs."

While the second half of 2019 is Intel's current target for bringing 5G to PCs, it's always a possibility that could be pushed back. It also remains to be seen how widespread actual 5G coverage from carriers will be by that point. Still, the idea of tapping into a super speedy connection from your laptop while in a cab or on a train is tantalizing.

Why Microsoft may gain an upper hand with carriers thanks to 'Always Connected' PCs

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. 

11 Comments
  • Good news for Windows 10 🐱‍💻
  • I do wonder if Intel will be going back into the Mobile market, maybe via Andromeda. It'll be cool to have a Core M Windows 10 Foldable that can have EGPU support.
  • I think that's a high possibility.
    I also think that's an exciting possibility.
  • That would be great but didn't Intel cancel its mobile efforts some time ago?
  • They did, however it's inevitable that Intel will have to compete. Microsoft is using Qualcomm for their Andromeda foldable device. 
  • They are using Qualcomm because Intel is unable to compete with x86...in fact no-one can compete when all you have is x86 with all its legacy deadwight. All Intel could do was wrapping each Atom SoC in dollar notes in order to just get a few customers.
  • Which is why I think Andromeda is a great opportunity for PC OEMs and Intel/AMD to get into the Mobile Market. 
  • Why do you think an OS can help Intel or AMD to get into the mobile market, which is dominated by ARM? You need mobile SoCs in the first place in order to compete.
  • because the market is converging. The smartphone and PC industry are consolidating together. through foldable devices. Right now I think Microsoft has the advantage in the higher end of the market, but they'll need AMD and Intel.
  • Competition is a wonderful thing. Nothing like ARM and AMD to light a fire under Intel. Glad Microsoft has been pushing them with the fear of ARM on Windows 10.
  • ^^ This