Every phone needs to make calls and connect to the internet. To do this, it needs a cellular or smartphone modem for connection to a network. These smartphone modems are usually embedded in the SoC. LTE and 5G modems on smartphones are a very common sight today.

Some SoC manufacturers manufacture their own LTE and 5G modems for smartphones while others use generic modems or buy from those who make them. The following companies make their modems. They are:

Qualcomm
Mediatek
Samsung
Kirin
For this post, we will only be discussing only 4G LTE and 5G modems for smartphones.

Qualcomm Snapdragon
Phones that come with Snapdragon phones use Qualcomm’s X-series modem. The X-series modems are embedded onto the SoC. All Qualcomm’s X-series are fully 2G and 3G backwards compatible with pre-existing networks.

LTE modems
Qualcomm has a good number of 4G modems.
The X5 is a cat. 4 modem used for SD616, SD415, SD412 and SD212.

The X6 is also cat. 4 modem found in SD430, SD429 and SD439.

Next up, we have the X8. This is a cat. 6 modem used on older midrange SoCs like SD617, SD650 and SD652.

X9 is a cat. 12 modem that provides connectivity for SD625, SD626, SD435, SD427, SD450 and SD653.

X10 is a cat. 9 modem used for old SoCs like SD810 and SD808.

X12 is a cat. 13 modem used for current midrangers like SD660, SD630, SD636, SD670, SD665 and SD675 and old SoCs like SD820/821.

X15 is a cat. 15 modem used for the 700 series 4G SoCs like SD710, SD720G, SD730, SD730G etc.

X16 is a cat. 16 modem used for the SD835.

X20 is a cat. 18 modem used for the SD845.

X24 is a cat. 20 modem used for last year’s flagship SD855 and SD855+.

5G modems
All Qualcomm’s 5G modems are fully Sub-6GHz and mmWave compatible although mmWave could be disabled in certain SoCs for marketing purposes. Qualcomms 5G SoCs are X50, X51 (SD690), X52 (SD765, SD765G and SD768), X55 (SD865), X60, X65 and X70

Mediatek
5000Mediatek claims to have the world’s fastest 5G SoC for smartphones. This modem is called the Helio M70. Besides this 5G modem, Mediatek doesn’t have any other modem and uses generic modems for their 4G LTE compatible SoCs.

Exynos
Samsung is the owner of the Exynos brands and has the following line-up.

LTE modems
Exynos 303: this is a LTE cat. 6 modem that is found on the Exynos 5430 and Exynos 5433 which are used on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Samsung Galaxy Note Edge and Samsung Galaxy Alpha.

Exynos 333: is a Cat. 10 modem used on the Exynos 7420 used on the Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy A8 (2016).

5G modems
Exynos 5100: Sub-6Ghz, mmWave used on the Exynos 9820 and Exynos 9825

Exynos 5123: Sub-6Ghz mmWave used in the Exynos 990.

Kirin
The following are Kirin SoCs
Balong 700
Balong 710: Cat. 4
Balong 720: Cat. 6
Balong 750: Cat 12 and 13
Balong 765: Cat. 19
Balong 5G01: Sub-6 Ghz and mmWave
Balong 5000: Sub-6 Ghz and mmWave 2, 3, 4G

https://inquisitiveuniverse.com/2020/10/24/lte-and-5g-modems-on-smartphones/

If you are interested in discussing about phones, hit me up on Telegram @InquisitiveUniverse.

atheistandproud

You are doing a very good job of educating Nairalanders.
I enjoyed your articles even when I was a guest

theFilmtricsay

If you don't understand what I mean by categories, this post should further explain things...

https://www.nairaland.com/6188073/why-some-phones-better-network

theFilmtric:
theFilmtricsay

What did the filmtricsay?

atheistandproud:


What did the filmtricsay?

You are doing a very good job of educating Nairalanders.
I enjoyed your articles even when I was a guest!

That's what theFilmtric say!

theFilmtricsay

theFilmtric:
You are doing a very good job of educating Nairalanders. I enjoyed your articles even when I was a guest!
That's what theFilmtric say!
theFilmtricsay

Ok
Thanks

atheistandproud:


Ok

Thanks

How powerful are the Kirins??

Zimri:


How powerful are the Kirins??

Depends on if it's an entry level or a Flagship SoC you're interested in.

Kirin has very decent performance in the lower tiers but their Flagships aren't as good as say Snapdragon or Apple.

atheistandproud:


Depends on if it's an entry level or a Flagship SoC you're interested in.

Kirin has very decent performance in the lower tiers but their Flagships aren't as good as say Snapdragon or Apple.

Hmm I see. Thanks

Zimri:


Hmm I see. Thanks

Sure thing boss

I'll be discussing Kirin SoCs on my Telegram channel this evening. You're highly welcome to visit.

@inquisitiveuniverse

Zimri:

Hmm I see. Thanks

Just finished the broadcast.

Zimri:

Hmm I see. Thanks

Just finished the broadcast.

Zimri:

Hmm I see. Thanks

Just finished the broadcast.

Ha! Thanks. I saw the mate 40 review by mkbhd and techcap. The downside outweigh upside. The Google services is messing things up seriously.

Heard Huawei will discontinue the Kirin train. No more Kirin SoCs because Trump has cut out the supply chain.

I hope the broken ties between Google and Huawei will be fixed if Trump is eventually voted out. I love Huawei phones so much. But I'm not a techy guy so I can't really cope with side loading of Google apps

It's not Google.
it's the US government.
They instigated the trade war.

atheistandproud:
It's not Google.

it's the US government.

They instigated the trade war.

We are saying the same thing.

Zimri:

We are saying the same thing.

My bad then. Sorry.

atheistandproud:

My bad then. Sorry.

No problems Bro!

@OP I wanted to ask this question yesterday but I was ban by anti spam bot, I don't know why though.

The question is:
—What measure do one needs to reduce latency?
—Is decibel inversely proportional to latency, or are there other factors that affect it?
—If their is, what can be done to reduce latency?

atheistandproud:
It's not Google.
it's the US government.
They instigated the trade war.

UniSOC no follow?

sagieramos:
@OP I wanted to ask this question yesterday but I was ban by anti spam bot, I don't know why though.

The question is:
—What measure do one needs to reduce latency?
—Is decibel inversely proportional to latency, or are there other factors that affect it?
—If their is, what can be done to reduce latency?

These spambots are going to make me leave Nairaland for good. Sometimes, some mods dey use spambot dey ban people. I have solid evidence of this. Anyway....


Latency is created by the constant need to add extra processing to the signal in order to compensate for the instability. Latency per se is not created by obstructions; the Radio signal travels in the speed of light no matter what.  Latency is a matter of timing that depends more on the Hardware, and the processing that is performed on the signal by both the hardware and software.

No decibel/asu is just signal strength depending on your distance from a network mast.

Sometimes latency is beyond your power as there are many factors including the servers of the service you're trying to connect to, your network provider, faulty transmission wires, weather factors, poor network tower signal transmission etc.

What you can do is move to an area with good signal connection and buy a phone/device with strong modems that has good uplink/downlink speeds.

Youngpo413:
UniSOC no follow?

Lol, if them say make animals with horns show face, wetin snail wan go do for there?