Long-time users of Google’s Pixel phones may know that these phones have their fair share of issues. The modem in particular is also something people tend to complain about due to its poor efficiency and performance. And the last thing you need is a modem that saps your limited battery life and makes your calls horrible in the process.
The good news is that the Pixel 9 series has taken a step to try to fix this issue, replacing the Exynos 5300 modem with the new 5400 model. As spotted by Android Authority, the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold all feature the new modem. It’s likely that the Pixel 9 Pro will feature it as well, but the site was unable to personally verify this particular spec.
The biggest improvement to the 5400 modem is that it adds Release 17 connectivity to the Pixel 9, which will power the new satellite connectivity features. However, as Android Authority notes, Samsung has also confirmed that this model is much more efficient than older Exynos modems.
With battery life being one of the Pixel series' biggest flaws, anything that helps the phone run longer can only be a good thing. While the modem wasn't the only culprit in the past, it has been widely blamed.
The 5400 also promises faster download speeds, up to 14.79Gbps versus 10Gbps, and faster speeds that take advantage of the FR1 frequency band. In other words, the Pixel 9 series should end up being faster, more efficient, and offering improved connectivity compared to older Pixel phones.
Of course, we won't know for sure until the Pixel 9 actually ships. There's every chance the new modem won't have as much of an impact as Samsung would have us believe, after all. But once we get some thorough testing of the phone in our labs and in the real world, we should be able to see just how much of a difference the new modem makes.
Until then, be sure to check out our first impressions of the entire Pixel 9 series with our Pixel 9 hands-on review, our Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL hands-on review, and our Pixel 9 Pro Fold hands-on review.