Every flagship phone in America has 5G now, so it’s worth asking: Should you upgrade?
Apple, OnePlus, Samsung, and others are all promoting their 5G phones, but only about 16% of Americans will be packing a 5G device at the end of 2021 (according to the GSMA). That’s primarily because most people hang on to phones for about three years, and 5G phones are just coming into their own. The real question is whether it’s worth upgrading early or keeping your reliable 4G phone for as long as it works.
5G devices improve every year, so it might seem like you should hold off as long as you can before picking up a 5G phone. Depending on your carrier, though, now (for T-Mobile) and next year (for AT&T and Verizon) will be major turning points in the race to 5G. If you intend to keep your next phone for another three years, getting a 5G device would be smart. You just need to get the right one for your carrier and your needs.
There’s no downside to getting a phone that happens to have 5G if it’s the phone you want for other reasons. In the US, you can’t buy a flagship phone without 5G! So if a high-end phone’s powerful camera or amazing screen attracts you, that’s a great reason to buy it, and 5G connectivity is the cherry on top.
5G: The HOV Lane of Mobile
There are no killer new 5G applications yet; it primarily makes existing applications faster. But I’d still suggest getting a 5G phone, because it’s the HOV lane of the mobile network. Right now, certain airwaves are designated only for 5G, and there aren’t a lot of 5G phones out there. In crowded conditions, when 4G networks choke up, your 5G connection may still be clear. That can give you much more of a speed boost than you’d expect.
T-Mobile: The Time for 5G Is Now
T-Mobile has spent the past year blanketing the country with 5G. As we get on the road with our Fastest Mobile Networks tests later this summer, we’ll see just how much of a difference those upgrades have made. But from what I’ve seen with my own tests in New York, 5G matters on T-Mobile, and it’s worth upgrading to a 5G phone now.
Unlike on AT&T and Verizon, 5G on T-Mobile can improve coverage as well as speed. Part of T-Mobile’s 5G network uses a low-frequency band, n71, that covers small towns and rural areas. A small amount of that is set aside for 4G, but much of it is used for 5G. So performance in those rural areas will probably improve with a 5G phone.
All of T-Mobile’s 5G phones, from the low-cost OnePlus Nord N10 5G to the premium iPhone 12 Pro Max, have the 5G technologies T-Mobile intends to use between now and 2023. If you’re on an older Sprint or T-Mobile 4G phone, moving up to 5G will give you noticeably better performance on the new T-Mobile network, right now.
AT&T and Verizon: Future-Proof With C-Band
AT&T and Verizon also claim to have a lot of “nationwide” 5G coverage. But they don’t devote wide channels to 5G, so their nationwide 5G performance has been very similar to 4G. That’s not bad; AT&T has been winning some third-party awards for network speed based almost entirely on its 4G network performance. (The company calls its best 4G “5G E,” but it isn’t 5G.) That means you’ll be just fine for now on these carriers with a recent 4G phone such as the Samsung Galaxy S10 series or the iPhone 11 series.
If you have a much older phone—say, a Galaxy S8, an iPhone 8, or earlier—you’ll get significant improvements in speed and coverage on AT&T by upgrading, but that will come mostly from how the newer models handle 4G better, not from 5G.
There’s an exciting change coming next year to most of the largest metro areas in the US: C-band. Starting early next year, Verizon and AT&T will turn on C-band 5G, which will likely double or triple their 5G speed across many cities and suburbs. That system will then go nationwide in 2024. So if you want a phone that will have top performance well into the future, you need to find one with C-band 5G.
A growing array of top smartphones support C-band, including the Galaxy S21 lineup, the Google Pixel 5, the iPhone 12 models, and the OnePlus 9 series. We mention C-band in all of our phone reviews now.
Verizon also promotes its fast “UWB” millimeter-wave 5G, which is available outdoors in some US cities and resort towns. Millimeter wave is the fastest 5G in the world, with speeds sometimes over 3Gbps. But coverage is extremely limited even in the cities it serves, making it hard to recommend that you get a phone primarily because of mmWave 5G. You can check coverage on Verizon’s map.
Other Brands: Follow the Network
Other wireless carrier brands will behave here the way their network provider does. So if you are on Boost, Metro, Mint Mobile, or another T-Mobile–based brand, 5G will help you. If you are on Spectrum, Xfinity, or another Verizon-based brand, or Consumer Cellular, H2O, or another AT&T-based brand, you want to look for C-band.
One note for Boost users: You need to trade in your 3G phone ASAP. T-Mobile and Dish are bickering over when the old Sprint 3G network will be turned off, but the end date is coming. Get a 4G phone, get a 5G phone, or get a landline—just get off of 3G.
Do You Want a 5G iPhone?
The iPhone 12 series all support 5G. The iPhone 11, SE, and older models don’t. You will probably pick your iPhone based on other things: promotions, for instance, or the quality of the camera. 5G connectivity is nice little additional reason to buy an iPhone 12 series. These unlocked phones have both C-band and T-Mobile’s 5G bands, so they’ll work well on all three carriers’ upcoming 5G networks, giving you maximum flexibility.
If you’ve decided the time is right to jump on the bandwagon, check out our picks for the best 5G phones.
