By Mohammed Al Khairy, Staff Manager, Product Marketing, Qualcomm
5G is fast. To be exact: When it runs on frequencies under 6 GHz (sub-6), 5G is 5x faster than 4G, and 5G running on millimeter wave frequencies is 4x faster than sub-6 — or about 20x faster than LTE. That was one of the key highlights I shared in a recent post, the first in a series discussing the results of an analysis by Ookla® Speedtest®. While exciting, we know that not all smartphones are created equal — there can be major differences in wireless capabilities and performance, among others. Consumers deserve a superior mobile experience, which is why Qualcomm Technologies is in a unique position to achieve unrivaled performance through the world’s first modem-to-antenna system for commercial 5G devices.
In this blog post, we’ll continue exploring a recent analysis by Ookla, based on consumer-initiated tests that measured the real-world connectivity performance of a variety of devices in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Here’s a look at the results…
The fastest in the US and UK.
Today, 5G smartphones in the US run on Snapdragon. Our 5G leadership began with the world’s first commercially available 5G modem-to-antenna system, and since then, we’ve continually led our competitors in 5G chipset generations and getting into the world’s leading 5G devices. Nonetheless, according to analysis from Ookla, the fastest chipsets in the US are the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 855+ 5G mobile platforms. For example, devices powered by Snapdragon 855+ are delivering on average 67 per cent faster download speeds than those powered by the next fastest competitor — when comparing across all technologies, 2G to 5G.
However, in the U.K., analysis of Q1-Q2 2020 download speeds among different 5G devices powered by Snapdragon and other competing 5G chipsets showed that the fastest 5G device in the UK is the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G. Notably the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF System, which is engineered to achieve superior peak and sustained downlink speeds.
Superior performance over competitors
When it comes to 5G, the Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF System offers superior performance, powering the fastest 5G device in U.K. In fact, almost every major OEM offering 5G commercial devices in the UK chose Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems.
Our leadership with Snapdragon is not limited to 5G. With 4G LTE, the Ookla analysis revealed double-digit gains in download speeds for smartphones powered by Snapdragon versus MediaTek-based ones. What’s more, MediaTek isn’t currently commercially available on any 5G device in the UK Specifically, the analysis found that in the UK, 4G LTE devices powered by Snapdragon averaged download speeds that are 44 percent faster than devices with MediaTek modems. This is a significant difference. Users of Snapdragon-powered devices can enjoy better video streaming, faster web surfing content downloads, and lag-free mobile games and movies.
In addition, faster connectivity translates to more efficient use of network resources. When a device monopolizes the airwaves due to inferior cellular performance, it can slow down the network for everyone else. As shown above, devices equipped with the Snapdragon Modem-RF System deliver faster speeds, improving overall network performance and providing a better experience not only to smartphones powered by Snapdragon, but to all users on the network.
Technology backed by real-world performance
Consumers seeking faster everyday connectivity can buy smartphones powered by Snapdragon Modem-RF Systems, knowing that real-world data supports Qualcomm Technologies’ claims of superior wireless performance.
Qualcomm Technologies is at the forefront of 5G adoption and expansion, and one of our goals is to help our customers deliver on its promise. That means powering the next-gen mobile experience users deserve. According to the Ookla analysis results, it’s clear that Snapdragon is leading the way in 5G.
