What Is a Good Internet Speed for Gaming?
Last Updated: February 1, 2023
We all know the feeling—you’re about to start a gaming session with your friends and your internet suddenly starts lagging, or you’re in the middle of an intense battle and your connection starts acting up. Don’t worry, we’re here to help—in this article, we’ll talk about what internet speed is and what is a good internet speed for gaming, and give you some tips on how to get the best connection for your gaming needs.
So, whether you’re a casual gamer or a competitive pro, read on to find out everything you need to know about getting the best internet speed for gaming.
What Is Internet Speed and How Internet Speed Works?
Simply put, internet speed refers to how fast your connection can download or upload data, which is usually measured in megabits per second (Mbps)—the higher the number, the faster your connection. It’s very important to have good internet speed for gaming, because the faster your connection, the less likely you are to experience lag.
Lag can be caused by a number of things, but most often it’s due to slow internet speeds. When you’re playing a game, your computer is constantly sending and receiving data from the game server. If your internet speed is too slow, the data can get jammed and cause your game to dawdle. Your internet speed is determined by a few factors, including:
- The type of internet you have (cable, DSL, fiber, etc.)
- The speed of your internet service provider (ISP)
- The quality of your home’s Wi-Fi connection
- The number of devices connected to your network
“What is my internet speed,”you ask? You can easily check it using internet speed test websites like SpeedTest, Fast.com, SpeedCheck, or others.
What Is a Good Internet Speed for Gaming?
Now that we know what internet speed is, let’s talk about what a good upload speed for gaming is. When it comes to online gaming, you want to have a fast and stable connection, which requires an internet speed of at least 25 Mbps
However, if you’re looking to get the most out of your online gaming experience, we recommend having an internet speed of 50 Mbps or higher. With a connection that fast, you’ll be able to play most games without any lag or connection issues. Overall, the best Mbps for gaming is:
- Download speed: 15–25 Mb/s
- Upload speed: 5 Mbit/s
- Ping rate: Below 50 ms
What Is a Good Internet Speed for Different Devices and Games?
Different gaming systems require different speeds. It mostly depends on the gaming system you’re using, and the type of game you’re playing. For example, the internet speed for gaming on PC might vary from the internet speed you need for playing on PlayStation 4/5 or Xbox One:
1.Different Types of Consoles
Take a look at the table below to discover the internet speed requirements of different gaming consoles:
Minimum speed |
Recommended speed |
|||||
Download | Upload | Ping | Download | Upload | Ping | |
PlayStation 4/5 | 3 Mbps | 1 Mbps | Less than 150 ms | 16 Mbps | 4 Mbps | < 50 ms |
Xbox One | 3 Mbps | 0.5 Mbps | Less than 150 ms | 15–25 Mbps | 4 Mbps | < 50 ms |
Nintendo Switch | 3 Mbps | 1 Mbps | Less than 150 ms | 15–25 Mbps | 4 Mbps | < 50 ms |
PC | 3–6 Mbps | 0.75–1 Mbps | 100-150 ms | 15–25 Mbps | 5 Mbps | < 50 ms |
2. Different Types of Games
Different types of games require different internet speeds as well:
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First-Person Shooting Game
“Shooters” are video games centered around gun and other weapon-based combat from a first-person perspective (the player experiences the action through the eyes of the protagonist). Popular examples of games of this type include Halo, Gears of War, Call of Duty, Destiny, and Overwatch. So, how much Mbps for gaming do these games require?
For first-person shooters, you’ll need an internet speed of at least 25 Mbps, as they’re fast-paced and require quick reactions. If your connection is too slow, you’ll likely experience lag, which can be frustrating and make it hard to play the game.
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Fighting Games
Fighting games or PVP games are a video game genre where two on-screen characters fight each other. Some examples of fighting games are Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Tekken, and Super Smash Bros. For fighting games, you’ll need a good download speed for gaming of at least 50 Mbps. Like first-person shooters, fighting games are fast-paced and require quick reactions, so a slow connection can cause lag and make the game unplayable.
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Real-Time Strategy
Real-time strategy (RTS) games like Warcraft, Total War: Rome III, and StarCraft are video games where the player has to control units and resources to build a base, produce troops, and defeat an opponent. For real-time strategy games, you’ll need an internet speed of at least 50 Mbps, as they require a lot of data to be transferred between the game server and your console or PC. So, if you’re wondering does download speed affect gaming, keep in mind that it absolutely does—if your connection is slow, you’ll have problems playing real-time strategy games.
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Sandbox
Sandbox games give the player a large amount of freedom to choose how to play the game, and some examples of these include Minecraft, Terraria, and Starbound. For sandbox games, you’ll need an internet speed of at least 25 Mbps. Although they’re not as fast-paced as other types of games, sandbox games still require a stable connection. If your internet connection is unstable and slow, you may experience some lag, but it probably won’t be as bad as with other types of games.
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Role-Playing Games
For gamers who love to immerse themselves in other worlds, a good internet speed for gaming is important, and should be fast enough to load these large files quickly. Requiring an internet speed of at least 25 Mbps, some examples of action RPGs are: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Final Fantasy XV, and Witcher III. If your connection is too slow, you may experience some lag, but it probably won’t be as bad as with other types of games.
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Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
Massively multiplayer online games are video games that can be played by a large number of people at the same time. Some examples of MMOs are: World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV, and Guild Wars II. For these, you’ll need an internet speed of at least 4 Mbps. If you’re gaming on PlayStation, the connection speed shouldn’t be below 3Mbps. MMOs require a significant amount of data to be sent from the game server to your game console or PC. If your connection is sluggish, you’ll most likely experience lag, and we already know how frustrating that can be.
DID YOU KNOW: The slowest internet connection in the country is in Alaska, where the average speed is 58,6 Mbps. |
Key Takeaways
A good gaming internet speed is at least 25 Mbps, but preferably 50 Mbps. |
If you want to avoid lag, make sure you have a good internet connection, a strong graphics card, and updated drivers. |
The preferred internet speed is also determined by the gaming system you’re using and the types of games you play. If you’re playing fast-paced games, the best Mbps for gaming shouldn’t be lower than 50Mbps. |
Lag is the biggest enemy of gamers. To avoid it, you need a good internet connection—the higher the speed, the less lag you’ll experience. |
How to Speed Up Your Internet for the Best Gaming Experience?
There are a few things you can do to speed up your internet and get the best online gaming experience.
Use an Ethernet Cable
If you’re using a Wi-Fi connection, switch to an Ethernet cable for a better gaming experience. Ethernet cables provide a faster and more stable connection than Wi-Fi, whether we’re talking about internet speed for gaming PC or console.
Close Background Programs
Before you start gaming, close any background programs you’re not using to free up bandwidth and get more resources for gaming.
Update Your Graphics Drivers
Out-of-date graphics drivers can cause lag and other performance and response issues, so make sure you update them before you start gaming.
Use a Game Booster
A game booster is a software program that can optimize your system settings for gaming. Some of the best game boosters are Razer Cortex, Game Booster, and Wise Game Booster.
Use a VPN
Another take on how to speed up your internet is to use a VPN. A good VPN can reduce lag by sending your data through a server closer to the game server. This can reduce the amount of time it takes for the data to travel from your computer to the game server.
DID YOU KNOW: Fixed broadband connections in Monaco have the highest median speed of 192.68 Mbps. |
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a decent internet speed for gaming, you should aim for at least 25 Mbps. However, if you want to be on the safe side, you should go for 50 Mbps. With these speeds, you’ll be able to enjoy your games without any lag or interruption, just make sure you know how much Mbps for gaming is needed on different consoles. So, there you have it! Now get out there and frag some noobs—but make sure your internet can handle it first!
FAQ
The short answer is: not as much as you think. When it comes to online gaming, your download speed is way more important than your upload speed, as most of the data in online gaming is being sent TO you, not FROM you. Now, there are some games that require a bit of upload speed, but as long as you have a good download speed for gaming of at least 5 Mbps, you should be good to go for most online games.
For the fastest internet speed, you need a good modem and router, as well as an internet plan that can handle your needs. The type of gaming system you’re using will also affect how your internet speed works. Finally, the number of players and the type of game you’re playing will affect your internet speed as well.
Again, you don’t need as much as you might think—a download speed of 20 Mbps should be enough for most simple games, as long as you’re not doing much else with your internet connection at the same time or playing high-definition graphics online games. But what is a good internet speed for gaming if you’re playing HD games? In such cases, you might want to consider a higher download speed, from 25–50 Mbps.