Intel, MediaTek collaborate to make 5G accessible on PCs

Dell and HP are expected to be among the first OEMs to deliver 5G-enabled laptops in early 2021, Intel said in a press release.

Tech giant Intel Corp has announced its collaboration with Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek to make 5G, the next-generation cellular technology accessible on PCs. Dell and HP are expected to be among the first OEMs to deliver 5G-enabled laptops in early 2021, Intel said in a press release.

Under the partnership, Intel will define a 5G solution specification and MediaTek will develop and deliver the 5G modem-based in part on its Helio M70 5G modem introduced earlier this year for the first wave of 5G flagship smartphones. Intel will also develop and validate platform-level hardware and software integration, including OS host drivers.

Our 5G modem for PCs, developed in partnership with Intel, is integral to making 5G accessible and available across home and mobile platforms. With this partnership, consumers will be able to browse, stream and game faster on their PCs, but we also expect them to innovate with 5G in ways we have not yet imagined.

Joe Chen, MediaTek President

Intel and MediaTek have also collaborated with Fibocom on the development of 5G M.2 modules optimized for integration with Intel client platforms. Earlier this year, Intel also introduced Project Athena, it's ambitious innovation program to redesign the laptop experience by learning how people use and are challenged by their devices.

Intel's partnership with MediaTek brings together industry leaders with deep engineering, system integration and connectivity expertise to deliver 5G experiences on the next generation of the world's best PCs.

Gregory Bryant, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group