Will 5G Heat Up Your Smartphone?

As 5G continues to increase its presence across the globe, it is attracting a lot of discussions on various topics. Moreover, doubts and conspiracy theories abound such as 5G being used for population control, 5G linked to emergence of new viruses, etc. There are also talks that 5G will heat up the smartphones, thereby reducing their lifespan. To understand if 5G can heat up your smartphone, here are some important things to know.

More information to process – As compared to 4G that has top speed of around 100 mbps, 5G can deliver much higher data transfer speed of up to 20 gbps. As the microprocessor and other components have more data to process every second, it is possible that some smartphones may heat up while on 5G network.

In a test, it was found that smartphones react differently to 5G networks. Broadly classified into 3 categories, some smartphones do not heat up at all, some heat up to a certain level whereas the rest automatically switch back to 4G to reduce overheating.

Type of microprocessor – Not every processor can handle 5G. Smartphones that have 5G are equipped with the latest microprocessor that supports 5G. Leading branded phones are likely to be tested for their thermal reliability. However, since there are various types of 5G microprocessors, the possibility of heating may vary.

There could be a higher probability of heating in entry-level 5G phones, whereas premium 5G phones may not have such issues. Other factors such as quality of components, type of battery, background processes and OS software can also influence thermal reliability of 5G smartphones.

Cooling systems – 5G phones with advanced cooling systems are less likely to have heating issues. Quite a few premium phones are now equipped with liquid cooling or vapor chamber cooling systems. 5G phones with dedicated active cooling systems may be especially useful for gaming and other high resource hogging tasks.

Ambient temperature – Outside temperature is apparently another key factor that can influence heating of 5G phone. For example, working in direct sunlight can result in significant heating of the phone in comparison to the same phone being used in a shade.

As is evident from above points, there are various other factors that can cause heating of a phone. It would be wrong to put the entire blame on 5G network. If you want to use 5G to its full potential, it is recommended that you buy a premium quality phone. Entry-level 5G phones may have heating issues or they could also be slow in performance. Check the microprocessor ratings and phone’s cooling systems before buying a 5G phone.