CTL showed off the first affordable 5G RedCap Chromebook at MWC 2024

Just last week at Mobile World Congress, CTL made waves in both the 5G and Chromebooks worlds by showcasing the world’s first Chromebook equipped with the fast and affordable 5G RedCap technology. This innovation has major implications for the future of education, enterprise and even consumer Chromebook connectivity on the go.

What is 5G RedCap?

5G RedCap, also known as NR-Light, is a streamlined version of 5G designed for devices that don’t require the absolute highest speeds. It still offers the advantages of 5G like low latency (quick response times) and improved security, while being less demanding on battery life and keeping costs down. Think of it as the perfect balance for connected laptops and a perfect fit for Chromebooks across the board.

With peak download speeds of 220Mbps and 110Mbps on upload, 5G RedCap will provide plenty of headroom for Chromebook users who find themselves in a spot where Wi-Fi connectivity is not an option. And achieving these speeds with less battery consumption and less cost means we could begin seeing this tech in many Chromebooks down the road without costs ballooning out of control.

Why it’s important for Chromebooks

Chromebooks have traditionally relied on 4G LTE for cellular connectivity, offering decent speeds but with some limitations. There is a current 5G option out there in the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, but as you can imagine, the cost is wildly prohibitive.

5G RedCap is the perfect solution in this space, bringing faster speeds, lower latency for better responsiveness, and the ability to handle more devices on a network without slowdown. As 5G networks continue to roll out, RedCap-enabled Chromebooks will ensure students, employees and general consumers never feel limited by their internet connection.

Additionally, with the rise of private 5G networks in schools and workplaces, RedCap Chromebooks become a seamless part of that infrastructure, providing dependable connectivity anywhere within the network’s coverage – in classrooms, libraries, across campuses, or throughout office buildings.

CTL’s entry into the next generation of 5G Chromebooks

CTL’s 5G RedCap Chromebook – part of the NL73 Series – was showcased at Mobile World Congress. Though built with on-the-go and student computing in mind, these rugged Chromebooks will also be available at very solid prices for consumers as well, and at the core they feature:

• Intel® Processor N100/N200
• 11.6” HD touchscreen
• 4GB/8GB DDR-5/5X RAM
• 64GB/128GB UFS storage
• Intel AX211Wi-Fi 6E
• Qualcomm Snapdragon X35 Modem-RF System (5G RedCap)

CTL is committed to developing and introducing affordable solutions for the education and enterprise markets. We believe there is a big opportunity to address the digital divide by providing more advanced and affordable private network solutions to extend internet access to every user regardless of location. We are thrilled to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies in demonstrating 5G next-gen possibilities at this year’s Mobile World Congress.

Erik Stromquist – CEO, CTL

CTL’s demonstration is a huge step forward and we expect to see 5G RedCap make its way into more Chromebooks down the road. As a smaller, more-nimble Chromebook manufacturer, CTL is able to take advantage of newer, emerging tech in ways that larger OEMs simply cannot right away. Introducing the first lower-cost 5G solution is a very, very big deal not just for education, but for the Chromebook market in general. We’re looking forward to more 5G RedCap-equipped Chromebooks later this year, hopefully.

Congratulations to CTL on the groundbreaking achievement of demonstrating their Chromebook that supports 5G RedCap and our Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF System. This milestone showcases our commitment to bridging the digital divide with fast speeds, low latency, and reliable connectivity, which users expect from 5G. We are proud to collaborate with CTL in driving innovation and bringing the benefits of 5G RedCap to Chromebook users worldwide.

Gautam Sheoran – VP/GM, Wireless Broadband & Communications, Qualcomm