These are the 5G-enabled devices you can get right now
The year of our Lord 2019 marked the first time wireless 5G service became commercially available in the United States, but there are some major caveats to that statement. After all, the number of places where you can actually get 5G service is still pretty small.
The number of devices that even support it is even smaller. For now.
You see, things like phones, tablets, and hotspots need special hardware to make use of 5G networks. Rollout for such devices in the U.S. has been pretty slow so far. This will invariably change as the march of time continues, but for now, the list of 5G devices you can buy in this country is fairly small.
Still, if you're truly committed to being a 5G early adopter, you do have options. Here are the 5G-enabled devices you can get that work with major carriers in the U.S.
Phones
Obviously, the thing everyone wants (or is going to want in the next couple of years) is a smartphone that connects to blazing fast 5G networks. Phones, more than anything else, are what we use the most and take with us everywhere. A 5G smartphone could have a bigger impact on your daily life than any other 5G-compatible device, assuming the tech actually works.
The bad news is there just aren't a lot of 5G phones available in the U.S. right now. Samsung is the biggest brand with 5G phones available right now, with the Galaxy S10 5G and the Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G. The former appears to be the only 5G smartphone with support from Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon right now. The Note 10 Plus 5G, on the other hand, is limited to T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T at the moment.
OnePlus and LG are the other two brands selling real 5G phones in the U.S. The OnePlus situation is a little weird, with two different versions of the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G on sale. One goes through Sprint, while the McLaren model goes through T-Mobile. That could be affected by the proposed merger between those two carriers.
On the LG side of things, it's more simple. They have one 5G phone in the LG V50 ThinQ 5G, and you can get it through Sprint and Verizon.
You may have noticed one big name that's missing from this list. Apple has yet to make a 5G iPhone or even talk about making one publicly. Rumor has it we'll get 5G-ready iPhones in 2020.
Hotspots and other devices
On the non-phone side of things, you're pretty much limited to a couple of mobile hotspots. These devices can pick up a 5G signal in an eligible area and convert it to a fast wi-fi signal for other devices to use. The biggest problems? They tend to be expensive and require a 5G service plan to use.
AT&T launched a limited version of its 5G network at the end of 2018, accompanied by the Netgear Nighthawk 5G. It costs $500 with an additional $70 per month for 5G service. Yeah, we know.
Alternatives from other major carriers aren't much better. Sprint offers a 5G Hub from HTC for $600, while Verizon's 5G hotspot is $650. Those are pretty big prices for devices that have limited use right now, but again, these are for people who want to hop on the bandwagon early and are willing to pay for it.
Aside from hotspots and phones, the Motorola 5G Moto Mod sits in a category of its own. If you have a Moto z3 or z4, you can buy this add-on to give your existing phone 5G capability. It's available through Verizon and has a retail price of $349.99, so again, think about how valuable 5G is to your life in 2019.
It doesn't matter if you don't get service
At the end of the day, you shouldn't get any of these devices if you can't use them. You should consult our guide for 5G coverage in the U.S. to get a basic idea of whether or not you can even access the ultra-fast wireless networks that are available.
It's very possible that 2020 is the year when all of this really starts to matter for the average consumer. So, while you can absolutely get a 5G device today and run laps around those without them, it might be better to wait a little while.
Alex Perry is a tech reporter at Mashable who primarily covers video games and consumer tech. Alex has spent most of the last decade reviewing games, smartphones, headphones, and laptops, and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. He is also a Pisces, a cat lover, and a Kansas City sports fan. Alex can be found on Bluesky at yelix.bsky.social.
