The Galaxy S10 5G is pulling download speeds of more than 1Gbps in the United States, where it launched through Verizon on May 16. That remarkable performance allowed Digital Trends' Julian Chokkattu to download PUBG: Mobile, a game that weighs in at around 1.8GB, in a little less than half a minute. That same file took around two minutes to download on a Galaxy S10+ over 4G.
While that may seem fantastic, the harsh reality is that 5G doesn't spread far at all, with Chokkattu noting that most antennas have a range of a block and a half, so indoor coverage is near non-existent. That won't be a long-term issue, though — Verizon, alongside the other leading carriers in the United States, are working around the clock to expedite the expansion of their 5G networks.
This is 5G on the brand new Samsung Galaxy S10 5G in front of my hotel. It's crazy the difference a month makes. #FirstToRealTime pic.twitter.com/Syxc7HGrqn
— George L. Koroneos (@GLKCreative) May 16, 2019
As GSMArena so eloquently put it: this is only the beginning of 5G. The initial performance we're seeing is fantastic, even if it is restricted to a confined geographical area. It's important to keep in mind how long it took to roll out 4G; it started off in a metropolis and expanded to rural locations. The exact same will happen with 5G and we for one are excited for what the future holds.
The Galaxy S10 5G is scheduled to launch in the United Kingdom on June 7.