What you need to know
Qualcomm’s X85 5G modem is here, promising faster speeds, better battery life, and smarter AI features for everything from flagship Android phones to PCs and IoT devices.Expect 12.5 Gbps downloads and 3.7 Gbps uploads, plus 400MHz bandwidth.A built-in AI accelerator makes the X85 30% faster at AI tasks, improving signal strength, reducing lag, and saving battery life.
Today at MWC 2025, Qualcomm unveiled the X85 5G modem, promising faster data speeds, improved energy efficiency, and advanced AI features for a broad range of devices, including high-end Android smartphones to PCs and IoT devices.
Qualcomm’s modems are what make 5G work in most smartphones and tablets today, and the new X85 is a big step up from its predecessors. It brings some firsts to the table, like 400MHz bandwidth, along with peak download speeds of 12.5 Gbps and uploads hitting 3.7 Gbps.
At the core of the X85 is the Qualcomm 5G AI Processor, a built-in AI accelerator that’s part of the modem. It’s 30% faster at handling AI tasks than older versions, which means things run quicker, smarter, and with less drain on your battery, according to Qualcomm. This means you get better signal, less lag, and more efficient power use.
(Image credit: Qualcomm)
With its AI-powered 5G Advanced features, the X85 also brings additional perks to the mix. Mobile gaming gets smoother, dual-SIM setups work smarter, and location tracking becomes more precise, as per Qualcomm.
The X85 also aims to fix some real annoyances. It is designed to keep your connection steady even in packed places and helps your battery go the extra mile. And it’s not just for phones. This modem is ready to work in all sorts of devices, from home internet setups and cars to big systems like railways.
The Qualcomm X85 5G is what’s powering Qualcomm’s new Dragonwing FWA Gen 4 Elite, the company’s first 5G Advanced platform for fixed wireless internet.
(Image credit: Qualcomm)
Qualcomm has some big names in its corner for the X85, like China Telecom, Google, and Verizon.
And if the X85 seems a bit over the top for your needs, Qualcomm has also unveiled the X82 5G Modem-RF—a more down-to-earth option that still brings multi-gigabit speeds to a wider range of devices.
The X85 and X82 are already in the hands of manufacturers, so we should start seeing devices with these modems later this year.
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