Laptops are portable by nature, allowing you to tuck PC performance under an arm while you're on the go, but investing in one of the best Windows laptops with LTE or 5G connectivity can take mobility to the next level. Something with LTE connectivity, like Microsoft's Surface Pro 8, keeps you in the know no matter where you go. If it's not quite what you're looking for, more of the best Windows LTE and 5G laptops are gathered here.
The Surface Pro 8 represents a significant change from the Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus. The Pro 8 has a more rounded chassis made of aluminum, the display bezel is much thinner, and the screen itself is larger and has a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen is now sized at 13 inches and works optimally with the Surface Slim 2 for inking with haptic feedback in select apps. Dolby Vision is included.
There's a privacy shutter for the front-facing camera, and an IR sensor works with Windows Hello. A fingerprint reader lives within the keyboard. You can even add a privacy screen to the FHD+ option to keep unwanted eyes from spying over your shoulder. This premium convertible laptop — that can rotate around for tent, stand, and tablet modes — is our pick for best Windows LTE laptop.
Surface Pro 8 models with LTE are so far only available on the "Business" side of the Microsoft Store, but anyone can shop there. LTE models are available with 11th Gen Intel Core i5 or Core i7 CPUs, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of M.2 PCIe SSD storage. For more information, check out our comparison of the Surface Pro 8 vs. Surface Pro 7.
Lenovo's ThinkPad X13s was the first laptop announced to be powered by a Qualcomm 8cx Gen 3 processor, and it just so happens to include 5G connectivity. It also has up to 32GB of LPDDR4x RAM, up to 1TB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 storage, and integrated Qualcomm Adreno graphics. Lenovo claims the battery can last up to 28 hours, and even knocking 10 hours off of that estimate keeps it at an impressive level. Wi-Fi 6E is on board, joined by 5G with mmWave and sub6.
It's a ThinkPad through and through despite the performance platform change, with plenty of security features (including human presence detection and a Microsoft Pluton chip), comfortable keyboard, TrackPoint system, and great durability. The 5MP FHD camera also offers auto framing, with microphones offering intelligent noise suppression.
The 13.3-inch display has a 16:10 aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution. There are a few different options to choose from, with the top display coming at you with anti-glare finish, low power draw, 400 nits brightness, and 100% sRGB color reproduction.
Executive Editor Daniel Rubino went hands-on with the HP Elite Dragonfly G3 at CES 2022, ultimately noting that it feels "radically different from the G2 model, but in a good way." It has a taller display with 3:2 aspect ratio, it's no longer a convertible design, it has a 5MP FHD camera, up to a 68Wh battery, and an optional OLED display.
Its 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs provide plenty of power and the system hits the Intel Evo required specs, quad amplified speakers pump out quality audio, and, of course, you can get 4G LTE or 5G connectivity. These all add up to one fine business laptop for anyone who wants to live the premium work life.
There are a ton of configurable specs available at HP's official website. Get up to an Intel Core i7-1265U CPU, 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM, up to 2TB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 storage, and discrete Intel Iris Xe graphics. Five displays are offered, ranging from a 1920x1280 (FHD+) resolution with or without HP's Sure View privacy layer, up to an OLED display with 3000x2000 (3K2K) resolution and touch capability.
These laptops are not cheap, but they're certainly near the top of what you'll find when it comes to enterprise-focused PCs.
Lenovo has added LTE connectivity to most of its X1 lineup at this point — including the X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga — but none of these really gets us as excited as the ThinkPad X1 Nano (Gen 2). It's a 13-inch Ultrabook with a 2K display (2160x1350) with Dolby Vision and 450 nits brightness. Grab it in touch or non-touch, the latter using an anti-reflective finish.
Battery life and performance are excellent thanks to 12th Gen Intel Core hardware and Intel's Evo platform certification, and you're also getting two Thunderbolt 4 ports. This is a ThinkPad, so the keyboard is as good as it gets, and the laptop has plenty of security features, including an IR camera, fingerprint reader, and camera shutter. Sitting open, it can also detect when you're nearby to log you in as quickly as possible.
This laptop weighs in at just 2.14 pounds (970g) and is just 0.57 inches (14.47mm) thin, making it an excellent choice for life on the go. 4G LTE and 5G models are now widely available. Have a look at our ThinkPad X1 Nano review for a closer look at the first-gen version of this PC.
The Surface Go 3 was a fairly minor refresh over the Surface Go 2, but a refresh nonetheless. This ultraportable 2-in-1 is essentially a smaller version of the Surface Pro lineup, complete with rear stand and attachable keyboard and touchpad. It's best for those who don't need a ton of performance but still need a premium device that travels easy.
Surface Go 3 models with LTE connectivity have a 10th Gen Intel Core i3-10100Y CPU, 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM, and a 128GB SSD. You'll be able to cut through lightweight productivity work, especially with a keyboard attached.
The 10.5-inch touch display has a 1920x1280 resolution and a 3:2 aspect ratio, ideal for use as a tablet. The screen supports inking with Surface Pens. Ports include USB-C, 3.5mm audio, a microSD card reader, and a Nano SIM slot for LTE models. For added security there's a front-facing IR camera.
In Executive Editor Daniel Rubino's Galaxy Book Go review, he mentioned that it was almost perfect other than the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 processor. Well, that day is here. AT&T now sells the Galaxy Book Go with faster 8cx Snapdragon CPU and 5G, with a price tag that really can't be beat.
This new model also comes with twice as much RAM (8GB) and twice as much storage (256GB). It still has a beautiful, thin design that doesn't require a fan inside for cooling, and the keyboard and touchpad are still excellent. The 14-inch FHD display and 7 hours of battery life aren't exceptional, but at this price it's easy to let it go.
If you're a student or active person who needs an always-connected device, this is a great way to go. It doesn't cost a lot, there are no major blind spots, and it's certainly affordable.
It's unclear whether LTE will still be functional when some sort of apocalyptic event happens. If it is, this is the laptop you'll want as you're rolling down the street in your armor-plated SUV.
The new display options with 16:10 aspect ratio are incredible. Accurate color, up to a UHD+ resolution, anti-reflective finish, Dolby Vision, and HDR 400 will leave you pleased every time you open the lid. There's also a siloed active pen inking. Check out our ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 6) review for more information.
Performance hardware includes up to an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185G7 CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of SSD storage, enough to handle any necessary productivity work. The touch display is set at either an HD or FHD resolution, with anti-reflective or anti-glare finish. It hits up to 1,000 nits brightness for working outdoors. And, of course, it includes 4G LTE connectivity so that you can keep in touch with any other survivors out there.
Need the power of a mobile workstation and want to stay connected everywhere you go? HP's ZBook Fury 16 G9 is likely going to be a great fit. It's rather expensive, but that's expected from a laptop with this level of hardware. Intel's new 12th Gen HX-series CPUs are included here, and WWAN models are available with up to a Core i9-12900HX or i9-12950HX chip for desktop-class power.
Backing up the CPU is up to a NVIDIA RTX A5500 discrete GPU with 16GB of VRAM, 128GB of DDR5-4800MHz ECC RAM, and 6TB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 storage. There are plenty of lesser configurations available, and you should be able to get exactly what you need even with WWAN included (HP doesn't limit a whole lot of hardware when the extra modem is included).
The workstation is packed with ports, you can add an IR camera for extra security, and a fingerprint reader is ready for quick logins. There are a bunch of 16-inch display options, ranging from low-end FHD+ to high-end UHD+ with precision color tuning for design and development work. If you don't want to be tied to a desk with your workstation, this is the way to go.
Bottom line
Why you can trust Windows Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The best Windows LTE and 5G laptops are becoming more and more the same as the best overall Windows laptops thanks to the increasing popularity of mobile connectivity.
Microsoft's 2-in-1 Surface Pro 8, Lenovo's Qualcomm-powered ThinkPad X13s, and HP's high-end Elite Dragonfly G3 are all top picks that can provide you with connectivity wherever you roam, even outside of Wi-Fi range. They're all readily available now and they all have plenty of configuration options to help you get exactly what you want other than mobile connectivity.
