TA_RUN It would depend on whether your carrier supports 5G SA.
5G SA uses a different core network (this handles things like transferring network traffic, authenticating users, routing calls, and various network management functions) to introduce more advanced 5G features like network slicing and 5G voice - see below. Your device will still switch between 4G & 5G depending on which network radio signal is present. I have activated 5G SA on my NP(1) and if no 5G signal is present, it will connect to 4G. From my experience, it doesn’t increase my battery drain.
5G non-standalone
5G Radio Access Network (RAN - cell towers) that anchors to existing Evolved Packet Core (4G) networks
Based on LTE/EPC (4G) architecture
Maximizes the use of the installed LTE base
Supports early 5G use cases including enhanced mobile broadband (video streaming, early immersive reality) and Critical IoT.
5G standalone
5G RAN that anchors to cloud-native 5G Core networks
Based on new service-based architecture, with new network functions in Core
Simplified RAN and user equipment architecture
Supports advanced 5G services including network slicing, edge computing, 5G voice, RedCap devices, Time Critical Communication (TCC), network exposure, and enhanced Fixed Wireless Access (FWA).
