120 PCWorld JANUARY 2020HERE’S HOW WHEN TO UPGRADE TO A 5G PHONE
shape in a real way, and if you’re interested in
getting on board, you’ll want to make sure
you upgrade to the right handset at the right
time. Here’s what to look for, so don’t pull
the trigger too early:THE RIGHT MODEM
X55 5G modem
Most people don’t give much thought to
modems when they buy a phone, but you’ll
want to check the spec sheet before buying
your first 5G phone. Since Intel dropped out
of the race and U.S. companies are forbidden
from doing business with Huawei, Qualcomm
is the only game in town when it comes to
modems, and the first-generation X50
modem that’s in the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
and other phones is truly a freshman effort.
But fret not! The first phones equipped
with Qualcomm’s second-generation X55
5G modem will start hitting shelves in 2020,
and it’s a massive improvement over the
X50 modem that powers first-generation
5G phones.
Here’s how Qualcomm explains it:
“Snapdragon X55 is a 7-nanometer single-
chip integrated 5G to 2G multimode
modem that supports 5G NR mmWave and
sub-6 GHz spectrum bands with up to 7
gigabits per second (Gbps) download
speeds and 3 Gbps upload speeds over 5G,
and Category 22 LTE with up to 2.5 Gbps
LTE download speeds.”
So let’s break all that down. Because it’san integrated chip, it’s smaller, faster, and
more efficient than its predecessor. The X50
modem was strictly a 5G modem, so it
needed to be paired with a second 4G LTE
modem alongside the Snapdragon 855
processor. But now that the X55 is a fully
integrated solution, it will be much more
versatile, and the next crop of 5G phones
will likely be thinner and lighter than the
current crop. And since the X55 is a
standalone part, it will be able to be
integrated into midrange processors too, so
you won’t have to break the bank to get 5G.
And it’s faster too. While both chips
support the mmWave and the sub-6GHz
spectrum bands that comprise the two
common forms of 5G, the X50 topped off
at 5Gbps, while the X55 is capable of
reaching speeds of 7Gbps. Granted, no
network is even close to achieving those
speeds and probably won’t be for many,
many years, but a higher ceiling should
make things speedier throughout.
Even more importantly, the X55 has an
integrated LTE modem on board, so
switching between the two networks (5G
and 4G) should be faster and more
seamless. That’s important because 5G
networks are still being built out, and
phones will need to jump between the
networks regularly. So whether you’re
buying an Android phone or an iPhone with
5G, you’ll want Qualcomm’s latest X55
modem inside.