PC giant Lenovo and mobile network EE have combined to announce the UK availability of a new 5G-equipped laptop, the Lenovo Yoga 5G.
Having been unveiled at CES 2020 in early January, the Lenovo Yoga 5G is just about ready to be released. And here in the UK, this will come exclusively via EE.
Why would a laptop be offered through a mobile network, you might ask? It’s all down to that 5G part of the name, as the Lenovo Yoga 5G comes packing next generation network connectivity. In fact, it’s being billed by Lenovo as the world’s first 5G PC.
By utilising the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G compute platform, the Lenovo Yoga 5G can access super-fast download speeds and low-latency video conferencing calls, even when there’s no decent Wi-Fi connection within range. The integrated X55 modem is the same component you’ll find in 5G phones like the OnePlus 8 Pro, and it allows for portable download speeds of up to 4 gigabits per second - or 10 times faster than 4G.
“Lenovo introduced the world’s first 5G laptop to equip the mobile generation with smarter technology for always-on connectivity and computing. The hardware is just the first step,” says Johnson Jia, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Consumer Business Segment in Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group. “With our strategic partnerships with 5G network carriers such as EE, consumers will now be able to access easier, faster and more secure connectivity seamlessly. As 5G computing holds the power to transform user experiences, we believe it can ultimately disrupt the PC industry for the better.”
The Lenovo Yoga 5G is a convertible (aka 2-in–1) Windows 10 laptop, which essentially means that it provides the best of both worlds.
On the one hand it can provide a premium laptop experience, with a solid 1.3kg aluminium body, a full physical keyboard, a 14-inch display, a pair of front-facing Dolby Atmos speakers, and access to all of the applications that are available through Microsoft’s ecosystem. Windows Hello and the Yoga 5G’s IR camera combine for easy and secure access via facial recognition, and you can also use an in-built fingerprint sensor for authentication.
But the Yoga 5G’s touch-sensitive screen can also be flipped around 360 degrees to produce a classic tablet experience, which makes it perfect for laid back web browsing and other less intensive (but data-dependent) applications.
The Lenovo Yoga 5G laptop is expected to be made available later this year on a range of EE pay monthly price plans.
Jon has nine years experience of writing and editing copy for leading publications, as well as attending technology shows and events and conducting interviews. Currently working with 5G.co.uk, TechRadar, Trusted Reviews, T3, Digital Spy, What Mobile, Pocket Gamer, and The Gadget Show.
Ofcom has laid out its plans for the auctioning of 26GHz and 40GHz mmWave 5G spectrum.
