If you're looking into buying a business laptop today, one of the best options you can find is the HP EliteBook 840 Aero. Not only is this laptop available with some powerful specs and lots of customization options, it's also super light. HP makes some great laptops after all, so it's not too surprising. But a common feature among business laptops is cellular connectivity, so you may be wondering if the HP EliteBook  840 Aero also has it, specifically support for 5G?

What is 5G?

First off, let's clarify what 5G is. This is the latest generation of cellular networks, which are what allows (mobile) phones to make calls, send SMS messages, and browse the internet. Cellular networks are primarily designed for phones, but because they can carry all kinds of data, they can also be used by laptops to access the internet. Having cellular connectivity means you can use the internet even when you don't have access to Wi-Fi, so you can truly work from anywhere.

As for 5G specifically, it brings some speed increases over 4G LTE, as well as more bandwidth so more devices can be connected at higher speeds. 5G also comes in two major variants -- mmWave and sub-6GHz. mmWave uses very high-frequency waves to transmit data, which can deliver multi-gigabit speeds, but the signal can easily be blocked, even by small objects. Sub-6GHz is closer to how 4G LTE operates right now, and it has a broader range, but lesser speeds -- but it should still offer higher speeds than LTE. However, both are going to work for years to come.

Does the HP EliteBook 840 Aero have 5G? Do I need it?

The good news is yes, you can get the HP EliteBook Aero with 5G. However, you can also get it with 4G LTE. Both of these are optional upgrades, and the reason you can choose between the two is that 5G is still in its early stages. That has two big implications, the first of which is the price. Adding 4G LTE to the HP EliteBook 840 Aero G8 costs around $133 more than having no cellular connectivity. But upgrading to 5G costs an extra $200 on top of that. That's a steep increase in price for 5G support.

There's also the fact that 5G networks are still in their early stages. While some carriers started going live with the networks two years ago, they still aren't as reliable as LTE, at least not everywhere. You may sometimes see higher speeds with LTE, or even increased network stability.

However, that's not going to be true forever. As 5G networks mature, those speeds and reliability are going to get better. If you're trying to decide between 4G and 5G, you need to consider when will be the next time you'll want to upgrade your laptop. If you plan to replace it in a couple of years, then you're probably fine going with 4G LTE and saving some money for now. But if you want the HP EliteBook Aero to last longer, you're going to want 5G so you can make use of it down the line.

If you've made your choice regarding 5G, you can configure the HP EliteBook 840 Aero using the link below. In addition to cellular support, there's a lot more you can customize in this laptop, so you can make it just right for your needs. It comes with up to an Intel Core i7-1185G7 vPro processor, 64GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage, so it can be quite a beefy machine if you want it to be. It's still lightweight though, starting at just 2.5lbs for the base configuration.