5G vs 4G - Is it time to switch?

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Finally, Malaysia’s 5G networks are coming into play as more and more telcos are now offering 5G plans. While 4G users are still the majority here, the question remains, is 5G actually better than 4G? Is it time to switch your 4G smartphone in for a 5G smartphone? We take a look at all these below in our 5G vs 4G article, so do read on.

 

What are 5G and 4G?

If you don’t know already, 5G stands for 5th Generation cellular network while 4G stands for 4th Generation cellular network. As the next iteration, 5G stands to deliver up to 1.5 Gbps (the theoretical limit is 10Gbps) in Mobile Internet speeds compared to 4G which only manages up to 300Mbps (or 0.3 Gbps if you need to compare directly). 

Other advantages of 5G over 4G include:

  • 5G has lower latency, resulting in more stable connections
  • More stable connections mean better lag-free mobile Gaming
  • 5G has a wider range
  • 5G is more energy efficient, so a 5G smartphone or smartwatch should last longer than a 4G smartphone or smartwatch

 

What do you need to use 5G?

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All you need to use 5G is a compatible 5G smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G and a 5G SIM card

All you need to use 5G are a 5G smartphone and SIM that are compatible with Malaysia’s 5G networks. In some cases, certain 4G SIM cards are already 5G compatible so you don’t need to get a new SIM card. However, if your smartphone or device is only 4G capable, you may have to get a new 5G smartphone. Just like 4G, you also need to be in the supported 5G coverage area to get a connection.

 

Is 5G actually better than 4G - Some Simple benchmark tests

Looking to answer the question of whether 5G is actually better than 4G or not, we picked up a Samsung Galaxy A13 5G, a compatible 5G SIM card and proceeded to run the Ookla Speedtest. As mentioned earlier, we made sure to run our tests within the 5G SIM card’s supported 5G coverage area.

To show the current progress of our Malaysian 5G networks we chose to run the tests in Bangi, which is located between KL and Putrajaya which were the first few 5G locations in Malaysia. We also ran the Ookla Speedtests indoors, switching between 5G and 4G Internet using the same Samsung Galaxy A13 5G smartphone. You can check out the results below:

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The 5G Ookla Speedtest results with the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G

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The 4G Ookla Speedtest results with the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G

5G speeds were from 355 Mbps and above with our highest speed reaching 404 Mbps. 4G speeds went from 4.34 Mbps to 14.5 Mbps. As you can clearly see from just this one simple Internet speed test, 5G Internet is actually hundreds of times faster than current 4G Internet in Malaysia, even if they don’t manage to reach 5G's full projected speeds of 1.5 Gbps.

Testing it out with gaming and streaming, Mobile Legends Bang Bang gaming went smoothly with no need to use the Network Speed up feature. Video streaming with YouTube was also just as good and lag free even with 4K resolutions but since the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G only has a 720 x 1600 pixel screen this may not have appeared as such in the video. However, it clearly shows that with the right 5G device and SIM card, it’s a pretty good time to switch to 5G.

 

So… how much would it cost to get a 5G smartphone?

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The Samsung Galaxy A series has a 5G smartphone for all your needs

Thankfully, 5G smartphones and devices are fairly affordable these days. Our own test device, the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G is only priced at RM1099 and features a large 6.5-inch display, 5000 mAh battery and 50MP triple rear camera.

If your budget and needs are a bit higher, there’s also the Galaxy A33 5G at RM1349, the Galaxy A53 5G at RM1699 and the Galaxy A73 5G at RM2099. Each device fulfills a different use case, so if you need an 8GB RAM gaming device, the A73 5G is the one to go for! 

In addition, you can also add on another virtual 8GB RAM with Samsung's RAM Plus for the Galaxy A33 5G, Galaxy A53 5G and Galaxy A73 5G. You can also trade-in your old device for a rebate of up to RM150 with the ongoing Overtrade promotion. Just go to their site for more details. 

Check out all the details of the Samsung Galaxy A 5G series at Samsung’s website. Which Samsung Galaxy A 5G smartphone are you interested in? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com.

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