Best Internet Speed for Gaming – A Quick Guide

Gaming has evolved to a whole new level since the introduction of the internet. Nowadays, whether you are gaming on a PC, PS4 or an Xbox, having a reliable internet service provider like Spectrum has almost become a necessity. From glitchy games to streaming using the best budget capture cards, internet speed is a crucial part of success.

In this article, we will be discussing the various aspects of internet connectivity in the gaming world. From download to upload speed to the platforms of choice, we will cover the basics that you need to consider before deciding on the perfect internet connection for an immersive gaming experience.

Things to Consider in an Internet Connection

Having the latest hardware in a PC or console isn’t enough to provide you with the full pleasure of a gaming session. You need to have the perfect internet connection too, and when it comes to that you need to consider the following aspects:

Download Speed

The download speed an internet connection provides is the speed at which data is transmitted from the server to your device. It may vary depending on the device you are using and it is not necessarily the same as the upload speed furnished by the connection.

Upload Speed

Similarly, the upload speed of an internet connection is the speed at which information is transmitted from your device to the server. The upload speed is often less than the download speed unless you are on a connection that provides symmetrical speeds.

Latency

In addition to the best download and upload speeds, latency and ping  also play a critical role in gaming. Simply put, ping is the signal that is sent from one computer to another on the same network while latency is the time it takes for the ping to return to the computer – in other words ping is one tool that helps measure latency of the round trip. You would want your latency to be the lowest possible and the lower the number of milliseconds denoting latency, the faster the game and the better you play.

What Sort of Gamer Are You?

For most gamers, basic internet specifications will do the trick. They would be able to manage no matter what the platform. But if you are a serious gamer, every second in the game would be a matter of life and death for you and basic speeds will simply not work. You would require a much more reliable connection with speeds as high as 25 Mbps.

Internet Speed for Gaming on PC

Internet speeds also differ depending on the device you are using. If you prefer playing on a PC we highly recommend at least 6 Mbps download speed per gamer. Moreover, an upload speed of at least 1 Mbps is recommended.

Since the ping rate is also important, one between 50 and 100 milliseconds would work to provide you with a considerably smooth gaming experience; less than 20 ms would be exceptional while 150 ms or more will be less than desirable. For PC games like Dota2 and Heroes of Newerth, these speeds and ping rates are adequate to fulfill your gaming needs.

Internet Speed for Gaming on Console

For consoles like PS4 and Xbox One, the game changes a little in regard to the internet speeds. Since the consoles’ sole purpose is gaming, they require a minimum download speed of 3 Mbps and 1 Mbps upload speed per gamer.

These speeds however may vary depending upon the game you are playing. For games like Call of Duty, you are most likely to require a minimum of 6 Mbps of download speed if you want a flawless gaming session.

Best Internet Providers for Gaming

Now that we have informed you regarding what to look for in an internet connection, let us tell you about who to go for in order to get these services. Below mentioned are some of the best internet providers in the country. All of them are more than capable of performing beyond minimum requirements.

Spectrum

Spectrum internet is one of the prime choices to go for when deciding on an internet service provider. Capable of providing download speeds up to 940 Mbps, Spectrum’s cable internet powered by a fiber-backbone is way more than minimum requirements for flawless gaming.

Frontier

Next up is FiOS® Frontier which is without a doubt one of the fastest internet services in the U.S. It has the capability of furnishing speeds up to a whopping 1 Gbps over a 100% fiber optic network – the delight of gamers anywhere!

Cox

You cannot ignore the contribution of Cox in the world of connectivity. One of the largest cable internet service providers in the U.S. Cox is the natural choice of many gamers country-wide. With speeds up to the Gig order, Cox too sets you up for a seamless and pleasurable gaming experience without lags.  

Start Gaming

These are some of the most basic factors you need to take into account when it comes to an internet connection intended to serve your gaming desires. There may be variations in specifics depending on your choice of game and the number of players sharing the connection.