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Signals Ahead 5G NR Benchmark Study Vol 28: 5G mmWave Smartphone and Chipset Benchmark Study

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    Report

  • 51 Pages
  • October 2022
  • Region: Global
  • Signals Research Group, LLC
  • ID: 5680500

The publisher just completed its 28th 5G benchmark study. For this endeavour they collaborated with Accuver Americas and Spirent Communications to conduct an independent benchmark study of several 5G mmWave smartphones with chipsets from MediaTek, Qualcomm, and Samsung.

Highlights of the Report include the following:

Acknowledgements

This study was conducted in collaboration with Accuver Americas (XCAL-M, XCAL-Solo and XCAP) and Spirent Communications (Umetrix Data). The publisher is responsible for the data collection and all analysis and commentary provided in this report.

Methodology

Testing took place on the Verizon Wireless network in downtown Minneapolis. The network is comprised of 400 MHz in the downlink and 200 MHz in the uplink. The publisher conducted walk testing with individual phones and two phones in tandem, using the Galaxy S22 Ultra as the comparative model. They also looked at current efficiency or the amount of current required to deliver the achieved throughput. These tests occurred while stationary. They also included current efficiency tests using LTE, Wi-Fi and mid-band 5G for comparison purposes.

The Scope

The publisher used the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Ultra, Google PIxel and Motorola edge (2022) smartphones, as well as the Galaxy S20 UW as a legacy smartphone for comparison purposes. These smartphones represent 5G chipsets from MediaTek, Qualcomm and Samsung. GIven some limitations in logging detailed chipset data, the publisher included a mix of physical layer and application layer results in our analysis

Significant Gains since 2019

The publisher documented a 180% gain in current efficiency relative to testing we did back in 2019 using the Galaxy S10 smartphone. The gains were due to a mix of higher throughput and lower current drain. Further, today's mmWave networks now support up to 800 MHz in the downlink and 200 MHz in the uplink (the latter supported by all phones we tested), while previously the uplink data went over LTE.

Price Does Not Equal Performance

More expensive smartphones do not necessarily deliver better performance with the entry-level/mid-tier Motorola edge (2022) more than holding its own against the Galaxy S22 Ultra. However, the Google Pixel 6a lagged its peers in all categories.

Current Efficiency is Nuanced

Although Wi-Fi can and should achieve better current efficiency than 5G mmWave, this outcome didn’t always occur. Much depends on the ISP/service plan associated with the Wi-Fi AP. Not everyone has access to a 1 Gbps connection, especially at public venues.

Table of Contents


1.0 Executive Summary2.0 Key Observations
3.0 mmWave RF Performance-Related Results
3.1 Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S20 UW
3.2 Pixel 6a
3.3 Motorola edge (2022)

4.0 mmWave Current Efficiency-Related Results
4.1 mmWave Results by Smartphone
4.2 Results by Technology
4.3 S22 Results with more Details
4.4 Results by Smartphone II

5.0 Test Methodology6.0 Final Thoughts
Index of Figures & Tables
Table 1. Smartphones Under Test
Figure 1. 5G mmWave Current Efficiency Comparative Analysis
Figure 2. Galaxy S20 UW and Galaxy S22 Ultra Walk Test - Serving Cell PCI Values
Figure 3. Average Galaxy S20 UW and Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G mmWave PDSCH Throughput - by component carrier
Figure 4. Galaxy S20 UW and Galaxy S22 Ultra Walk Test - PDSCH Throughput18
Figure 5. Average Galaxy S20 UW and Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G mmWave PUSCH Throughput - by component carrier
Figure 6. Galaxy S20 UM and Galaxy S22 Ultra Walk Test - PUSCH Throughput19
Figure 7. Galaxy S22 Ultra LTE and 5G mmWave PDSCH Throughput Distribution
Figure 8. Galaxy S22 Ultra LTE and 5G mmWave PUSCH Throughput Distribution
Figure 9. Galaxy S20 UW LTE and 5G mmWave PDSCH Throughput Distribution
Figure 10. Galaxy S20 UW LTE and 5G mmWave PUSCH Throughput Distribution
Figure 11. Downlink MCS Allocations Versus Reported CQI Value for P Cell and S1 Cell -
Galaxy S20 UW and Galaxy S22 Ultra
Figure 12. Downlink MCS Allocations Versus P Cell RSRP - S22 Ultra and S20 UW
Figure 13. Distribution of Application Layer Downlink Throughput - Galaxy S20 UW
Figure 14. Distribution of Application Layer Uplink Throughput - Galaxy S20 UW
Figure 15. Uplink MCS Allocations Versus P Cell RSRP - S22 Ultra and S20 UW
Figure 16. Uplink RB Allocations Versus P Cell RSRP - S22 Ultra and S20 UW
Figure 17. Average Downlink and Uplink Application Layer Throughput - Pixel 6a
Figure 18. Distribution of Downlink Application Layer Throughput - Pixel 6a
Figure 19. Distribution of Uplink Application Layer Throughput - Pixel 6a
Figure 20. Average and Distribution of Downlink Application Layer Throughput - Pixel 6a versus Galaxy S22 Ultra
Figure 21. 5G mmWave Total PDSCH RB Allocations Time Series Plot - Galaxy S22 Ultra
Figure 22. Downlink Application Layer Throughput Time Series Plot - Pixel 6a versus Galaxy S22 Ultra
Figure 23. Average and Cumulative Distribution of Application Layer Downlink Throughput - Motorola edge (2022)
Figure 24. Average and Cumulative Distribution of Application Layer Uplink Throughput - Motorola edge (2022)  27Figure 25. Average and Cumulative Distribution of Downlink Application Layer Throughput - Motorola edge (2022) versus Galaxy S22 Ultra
Figure 26. 5G PDSCH Throughput Time Series - Galaxy S22 Ultra operating alongside the Motorola edge (2022)
Figure 27. 5G PDSCH RB Allocation Time Series - Galaxy S22 Ultra operating alongside the Motorola edge (2022)
Figure 28. Average 5G PDSCH RB Allocations - Galaxy S22 Ultra operating alongside the Motorola edge (2022)
Figure 29. LTE PDSCH Throughput Time Series - Galaxy S22 Ultra operating alongside the Motorola edge (2022)
Figure 30. LTE PDSCH RB Allocation Time Series - Galaxy S22 Ultra operating alongside the Motorola edge (2022)32
Figure 31. Total Downlink Application Layer Throughput - by smartphone
Figure 32. Battery Current Drain during Downlink Data Transfer - by smartphone
Figure 33. Average Battery Current Drain during Downlink Data Transfer, Airplane Mode, and Net Current Drain - by smartphone
Figure 34. Total Uplink Application Layer Throughput - by smartphone
Figure 35. Uplink Application Layer Throughput Time Series - by smartphone
Figure 36. Battery Current Drain during Uplink Data Transfer - by smartphone
Figure 37. Average Battery Current Drain during Uplink Data Transfer, Airplane Mode, and Net Current Drain - by smartphone
Figure 38. Average mmWave Current Efficiency During Downlink and Uplink Data Transfers - by smartphone
Figure 39. Average Downlink Throughput During Downlink Data Transfers with LTE, Wi-Fi, and mid-band 5G - by smartphone
Figure 40. Average Battery Current Drain During Downlink Data Transfers with LTE, Wi-Fi, and mid-band 5G - by smartphone
Figure 41. Average Uplink Throughput During Uplink Data Transfers with LTE, Wi-Fi, and mid-band 5G - by smartphone
Figure 42. Average Battery Current Drain During Uplink Data Transfers with LTE, Wi-Fi, and mid-band 5G - by smartphone
Figure 43. Average Net Battery Current Drain During Downlink Data Transfers with LTE, Wi-Fi and mid-band 5G - by smartphone
Figure 44. Average Battery Current Efficiency During Downlink Data Transfers with LTE, Wi-Fi and mid-band 5G - by smartphone
Figure 45. Average Net Battery Current Drain During Uplink Data Transfers with LTE, Wi-Fi and mid-band 5G - by smartphone
Figure 46. Average Battery Current Efficiency During Uplink Data Transfers with LTE, Wi-Fi and mid-band 5G - by smartphone
Figure 47. LTE and 5G PDSCH and PUSCH Throughput with mid-band 5G Time Series
Figure 48. LTE PDSCH and PUSCH Throughput with mid-band 5G Time Series
Figure 49. Galaxy S22 Current Efficiency - by technology
Figure 50. Access Point and Cell Site Distances
Figure 51. Application Layer Downlink Throughput Time Series - by smartphone
Figure 52. Average Application Layer Downlink Throughput- by smartphone
Figure 53. Average Battery Current Drain during Downlink Data Transfer, Airplane Mode, and Net Current Drain - by smartphone
Figure 54. Average mmWave Current Efficiency During Downlink Data Transfers - by smartphone
Figure 55. XCAL-Solo
Figure 56. Umetrix Data Architecture

Companies Mentioned

  • Samsung
  • Google
  • Motorola
  • Verizon
  • Accuver Americas 
  • Spirent Communications
  • MediaTek
  • Qualcomm