MediaTek’s T700 5G modem has been discovered, which will provide Intel laptops with 5G capabilities. Following Apple’s acquisition of Intel’s modem business, Intel announced plans to work with MediaTek to develop 5G modems for laptops as early as November 2019.
MediaTek’s T700 5G modem has made 5G standalone (SA) calls in real-world test scenarios. Meanwhile, Intel says it has made progress in “system integration, verification, and development platform optimization” and is ready to provide joint technical support to OEM partners.
MediaTek claims that its modems are “energy-efficient”. In addition, the modem supports 5G network architectures in the sub-6GHz range of the NSA and SA. According to DigiTimes, the company’s mmWave products will be available in the second half of 2021.
While we’ve already seen laptops equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X55 5G modem, such as the Dell Latitude 9510 and HP Elite Dragonfly G2, it’s interesting to see how the combination of Intel CPUs and MediaTek modems affects 5G performance and battery life.
“The partnership with Intel is a natural extension of our growing 5G mobile business and represents an incredible market opportunity for MediaTek to enter the PC market,” said Joe Chen, president of MediaTek. “With Intel’s deep PC expertise and groundbreaking 5G modem technology, we are ready to redefine the laptop experience and provide consumers with the best possible 5G experience”.
Chris Walker, Intel’s vice president, and general manager for mobile client platforms said the company will begin offering customer samples by the end of this quarter. We can expect OEMs to launch the first laptops with MediaTek’s T700 5G modem in early 2021.