5G NR Throughput Calculator
Compute theoretical DL and UL peak throughput per 3GPP TS 38.306 Β§4.1.2. Inputs: bandwidth, SCS, MIMO layers, modulation, carrier aggregation, overhead factor.
Last verified 2026-04-15 against 3GPP TS 38.306 v18.3.0 Β§4.1.2 Β· Release 18
Peak data rate formula
DR = 1e-6 * sum over J (v_layers * Q_m * f * R_max * N_PRB_BW_mu * 12 / T_s_mu * (1 - OH)) Where: v_layers number of MIMO layers Q_m bits per symbol (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) f scaling factor (1 for all UEs) R_max 948 / 1024 = 0.9258 N_PRB_BW PRBs per bandwidth (TS 38.101-1 Table 5.3.2-1) T_s_mu 1e-3 / (14 * 2^mu) seconds OH overhead (0.14 DL FR1, 0.08 UL FR1, 0.18 DL FR2, 0.10 UL FR2)
Worked example : 100 MHz DL FR1
Configuration:
Bandwidth = 100 MHz
SCS = 30 kHz (mu = 1)
N_PRB = 273 (TS 38.101-1 Table 5.3.2-1)
Layers = 4
Modulation = 256-QAM (Q_m = 8)
Overhead = 0.14 (DL FR1)
T_s = 1e-3 / 28 = 35.71 us
Per CC throughput:
DR = 4 * 8 * 0.9258 * 273 * 12 / 35.71e-6 * 0.86
~= 2.44 Gbps
With 2 CC aggregation: ~4.88 Gbps
Minus UE category cap (Cat 16 = 979 Mbps or more depending on category) Quick reference table
| Bandwidth | SCS | Layers | Modulation | Peak DL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 MHz | 30 kHz | 4 | 256-QAM | ~2.44 Gbps |
| 100 MHz | 30 kHz | 2 | 256-QAM | ~1.22 Gbps |
| 50 MHz | 30 kHz | 2 | 256-QAM | ~596 Mbps |
| 20 MHz | 15 kHz | 2 | 64-QAM | ~180 Mbps |
| 400 MHz | 120 kHz | 2 | 64-QAM | ~4.68 Gbps |
Measure real throughput on your device
HiCellTek Speed Test module measures actual LTE and NR throughput between the UE and a CDN server. Decomposes the result by CC, MIMO layers, and current MCS so you can compare real vs theoretical peak.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NR peak data rate formula?
Per TS 38.306 Β§4.1.2, the peak data rate per CC is: v_layers * Q_m * f * R_max * N_PRB_BW_mu * 12 / T_s_mu * (1 - OH). OH is 0.14 DL FR1, 0.08 UL FR1, 0.18 DL FR2, 0.10 UL FR2.
What peak rate does 100 MHz NR deliver?
With 273 PRBs, SCS 30 kHz, 4 layers, 256-QAM, approximately 2.4 Gbps raw. Minus overhead, around 2 Gbps effective.
Does TDD affect the peak rate?
Yes. TDD cells spend only a fraction of time in DL (typical 7DL 2UL 1 special = 70 percent DL). Multiply the raw peak by the DL slot ratio for TDD effective throughput.
How does carrier aggregation multiply throughput?
Linearly, minus overhead. Two 100 MHz CCs give roughly 2x single carrier throughput, bounded by the UE category maximum.
What is the max N_PRB for 100 MHz?
273 PRBs at SCS 30 kHz, 135 PRBs at SCS 60 kHz, per TS 38.101-1 Table 5.3.2-1.
Does the formula include coding and retransmissions?
Only to the extent of the overhead factor (14 percent DL FR1). Real throughput is further reduced by HARQ retransmissions, scheduling gaps, and TCP overhead.