4G vs 5G: Which Should You Choose?
A practical comparison for UK mobile broadband dongle users. No hype – just what actually matters for your use case.
Speed comparison
| Metric | 4G (LTE-A) | 5G (Sub-6GHz) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical download | 25-50 Mbps | 100-400 Mbps |
| Peak download | 150 Mbps | 1 Gbps+ |
| Typical upload | 10-20 Mbps | 30-100 Mbps |
| Latency | 30-50ms | 10-20ms |
Coverage comparison
4G covers 99%+ of UK premises outdoors. 5G coverage in 2026 is strong in cities and major towns but patchy in suburbs and minimal in rural areas. If you regularly use mobile broadband outside cities, 4G offers more reliable connectivity.
Cost comparison
5G dongles cost more than equivalent 4G hardware, though the gap is narrowing. Data plans for 5G are not always more expensive – some operators offer the same plan on 4G and 5G at the same price, with 5G delivering faster speeds where available. Check the hardware cost and the plan separately.
What the speed difference means in practice
For a single user: 4G at 25 Mbps is perfectly adequate for HD video calls, streaming, and general web use. 5G becomes noticeably better when you are doing large file transfers, 4K streaming, or multiple simultaneous heavy tasks. For shared use across multiple devices, 5G headroom is more valuable.
The verdict for dongle buyers
In 2026, the price difference between a 4G and 5G dongle is small enough that the default recommendation is: buy 5G. A 5G dongle automatically uses 4G where 5G is not available, giving you full flexibility. The only reason to buy 4G-only is if you have a hard budget constraint and confirmed 5G coverage is not in your areas of use.