14 DAY TRIAL // After giving up on its mobile chip business and selling it to Apple, Intel continues to bet big on its 5G efforts, and the company doesn’t necessarily plans to invest in this market all alone.
Today, Intel announced a partnership with MediaTek for the development, certification, and support for 5G modems for Intel-powered laptops.
The 5G modem will be developed and delivered by MediaTek, according to the terms of the deal, and Intel will take care of optimization and validation of the new tech.
First 5G laptops launching next year
The first laptops powered by the new 5G chip created in collaboration by Intel and MediaTek are projected to launch in early 2021, and Dell and HP will be the first companies to build products using the modem.
“Our 5G modem for PCs, developed in partnership with Intel, is integral to making 5G accessible and available across home and mobile platforms,” said MediaTek President Joe Chen.
“5G will usher in the next era of PC experiences, and working with Intel, an industry leader in computing, highlights MediaTek’s expertise in designing 5G technology for global markets. With this partnership, consumers will be able to browse, stream and game faster on their PCs, but we also expect them to innovate with 5G in ways we have not yet imagined.”
The 5G modem will use the MediaTek Helio M70 as the starting point. This 5G modem is designed for smartphones, but with the necessary improvements, it will adapt to PCs and allow on-the-go Internet access with no drop in terms of performance.
On the other hand, with the release date set for early 2021, there’s a change that 5G laptops powered by Qualcomm modems hit the market before that. Lenovo is likely to be one of the companies choosing Lenovo, alongside with other companies that are ready to invest in 5G laptops as soon as 2020.