Your internet speed will be a key factor and you should know what is a good internet speed for gaming and streaming. When you want to be a competitive gamer, you want everything spot-on. So, the first thing on the list is connectivity, knowing what is a good internet speed for gaming and streaming based on your gaming preferences will save you time and money.
So, what is a good internet speed for gaming and streaming? The good internet speed for gaming and streaming should be a minimum of 10 Mbps for 720p resolution and 25 Mbps for 1080p resolution. The good internet speed for streaming games at 1440p & 4K resolution should be a minimum of 40 & 100 Mbps respectively.
In this article, you will find the ways to find the best internet speed as per your gaming preferences, things you should know along with internet speed for your gaming, and how to improve your online gaming connection.
Let’s find out: What is a good internet speed for gaming and streaming
In order to find out the best internet speed for gaming and streaming, we should first understand a few things such as gaming preferences and what to select from the options you have.
This process will allow us to understand the importance of a few key factors and make the right choice while deciding the best internet speed for the gaming that suits the need and makes you competitive online.
Finding the best internet speed for gaming and streaming
As mentioned earlier, the best internet speed for gaming as well as streaming is based on your gaming preferences and options that you have at hand. So, what are the factors that you should consider before considering any internet speed?
We need to first make sure that what is the game type that we want to have such as platform gaming, first-person shooter, real-time strategy, role-playing, or online competitive gaming.
Following is the minimum internet speed you will need according to the screen resolutions that you want to play or stream the games:
| Screen Resolutions | Minimum Internet Speed for Gaming & Streaming |
| 720p | 10 Mbps |
| 1080p | 25 Mbps |
| 1440p | 40 Mbps |
| 2160p / 4K | 100 Mbps |
| 4320p / 8K | 200 Mbps |
Along with gaming type, we also need to know the gaming platform such as PC or console gaming to understand the requirement. The type of internet and type of connection also matters while choosing the best internet speed.
The factors such as how many devices are going to get the internet speed so that you know the distribution of the internet speed. Along with online multiplayer if you want to stream in 4K then it will require a good amount of internet speed.
What is a good download speed for gaming
The good download speed for gaming is should be between 10 – 25 Mbps if you are playing games at 720p screen resolutions. Anything more than that screen resolution will increase the requirement for more speed.
As we know that download speed will be crucial for downloading large games on your gaming console or PC. But that is a one-time action and download speed will be also crucial when trying to play games online with friends or multiplayer.
The good download speed for gaming requirements can vary based on the type of game you play, internet type, connection type, and gaming platform that you are going to use.
Also, consider the screen resolutions that you wanted to play the games as it will demand more download speed as well as upload speed while gaming and streaming.
Also Read: What Is The Best Resolution For Gaming? 8 Significant Ways
Internet speed test for gaming
Check your current speed of internet and know what is the average you get and change the plan or connection accordingly. The following websites are mostly used on the internet to check internet speed.
Project stream by Google (Opens in New Window)
Fast.com (Opens in New Window)
Speedtest.net (Opens in New Window)
Make sure you turn off other internet activities such as music and video streaming, other internet-connected devices, and updating services. This will give you the true number on the internet speed test.
Ways to find out the best internet speed for gaming
Getting the best internet speed for your gaming and streaming requires a bit of work and process to understand your preferences. Following is the list of ways that you should consider before selecting the best internet speed that will be your requirement.
1. Game Type
There are types of games that you need to make sure that you are going to play on your gaming system. These gaming types will have different requirements as per the demand of download and upload speed.
Platform Gaming:
This gaming type basically consists of platform games and they do not have high-end graphics. Though there are exceptions with some games that require high-end graphics. But generally, these platform games have low-end graphics and require less internet speed.
So, if your gaming list has platform games then make sure you get the minimum required internets speed for these games. Also, make sure what type of gaming platform you are going to use to play this game.
Check out if there are any of the following games which are most played by the gamers online. These are Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mirror’s Edge, Ratchet & Clank, Cuphead, Psychonauts, Ori and the Blind Forest, Little Nightmares, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and many more.
Real-Time Strategy
This gaming type is more towards real-time strategy games which will consist mostly of games from high-end graphics. The recent real-time strategy games will have screen resolution up to 4K and that will require much more internet speed for consistent online gaming.
So, if your games with real-time strategy need high screen resolutions then make sure you get the higher internet speed for your online gaming. These real-time strategy games consist of Ashes of the Singularity, Homeworld, Company of Heroes, Age of Empires 2, Starcraft 2, Command & Conquer, Warcraft 3, and many more.
First-Person Shooter
This gaming type is more common and the screen resolution is comprised of a wide range from 720p which is used for streaming and up to 2160p which is 4K which will require high-speed internet.
So, If you are planning to play first-person shooter games then you need to make sure which is the screen resolution you will need to play online multiplayer and for streaming carefully because of the frame rates.
This gaming type consists of games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Valorant, Half-Life, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Battlefield, Borderlands, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Wolfenstein, Overwatch, Metro Exodus, Apex Legends, Titanfall, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Call of Duty: Warzone, Destiny, and Doom.
Also Read: What Does FPS Mean In Gaming? 6 Best Ways To Find Out
Role-Playing
This gaming type is also more common and the screen resolution is played on a wide range from 480p to 4K and will require internet speed accordingly. So if your gaming list consists of role-playing games then make sure you get the appropriate internet speed.
This gaming type of games consists of Witcher 3, Mass Effect, Fallout, Legend of Zelda, Elder Scrolls, Outer Worlds, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Dark Souls, The Division 2, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, Monster Hunter, World of Warcraft, and Final Fantasy.
Competitive / Multiplayer Gaming
According to Cody Packer, a Major League Gaming competitor, the best internet speeds for gaming depend largely on casual gaming or competition. For casual, he recommends 20 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload.
For competitive gaming and tournaments, he says “50 download speed and 10 upload speed is good. If I want to game competitively and I live with a few other people that stream all the time, I want at least 100 down. 50 for them, 50 for me.”
Also Read: How Does Gaming Help Hand-Eye Coordination? What 7 Scientific Studies Says
Live Streaming
Live streaming is all about upload speed. Yes, that’s right not the download speed but the upload speed. It is because of the data that needs to be sent back to the streaming service like Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, or any other streaming platform.
Also, make sure that you get the internet speed according to your screen resolutions. Since high resolutions will require high internet speed and your audience can get frame drops or lags if your internet speed is not up to the mark.
For online streaming or live streaming, you’ll need faster upload speeds—at least “5.6-7.4 Mbps for 1080p video at 60 frames per second”. PC gaming with 200+ frames per second will require even more.
2. Gaming Platform
Every gamer has their favorite platform decided and some of us have multiple of them which can be used as per their need. All the gaming platforms have their differences in terms of internet speed requirements.
You will find your gaming platform requires much more high-speed internet than others which is right sometimes and sometimes low internet speed is enough. The gaming platforms like gaming consoles such as Playstation, Xbox will have similar requirements to PC, Nintendo, and gaming on mobile.
PC / Laptop
Gaming PC and laptops are the most commonly used gaming platforms and have the ability to show games in high resolution with great efficiency. Which makes PC gamers to run games at high-end graphics and with high-resolution for streaming.
For PC and laptop gamers, the best internet speed goes a little bit on the higher side than the console gamers. Since consoles will auto adjust the screen resolutions to give you the best frame rate and that will ultimately use less of the internet. Check out our recommended Pre-built Gaming PCs & Gaming Laptops
Also Read: Why Are Gaming Laptops More Expensive Than Desktops
Gaming Console
Gaming consoles are not much different than other gaming systems like PC or desktops but they do work differently and the requirements are also different than you think. Yes, the internet speed that you should get for the gaming console basically depends on the screen resolutions.
A great way to find out the best internet speed for your console is to know the screen resolutions that you will have for online gaming and streaming. You also make sure that it will adjust the screen resolutions to get the best frame rate for the game.
Also Read: How To Make Your Console Last Longer for Years
Internet speed for gaming on PlayStation
Playstation consoles are great to enjoy some great gaming with high screen resolutions and on a great frame rate. Yes, the internet speed that you should get for the gaming console basically depends on the screen resolutions.
A great way to find out the best internet speed for your console is to know the screen resolutions that you will have for online gaming and streaming. You also make sure that it will adjust the screen resolutions to get the best frame rate for the game. Check out our recommended products for PlayStation.
Internet speed for gaming on Xbox
Gaming consoles are not much different than other gaming systems like PC or laptops but they do work differently and the requirements are also different than you think. Yes, the internet speed that you should get for the Xbox console basically depends on the screen resolutions.
A great way to find out the best internet speed for your console is to know the screen resolutions that you will have for online gaming and streaming. You also make sure that it will adjust the screen resolutions to get the best frame rate for the game. Check out our recommended products for Xbox.
Also Read: What Is The Best Size TV For Gaming? 8 Factors To Consider
Internet speed for gaming on Nintendo
Nintendo consoles are different than other gaming systems like PC or gaming consoles and they work differently and the requirements are also different. Yes, the internet speed that you should get for the Nintendo console basically very much less than other platforms.
Since Nintendo has handheld devices and does not use high resolutions such as 4K and 8K for gaming, the requirement of the internet speed goes down, and to get the best experience you should have internet speed from 10 to 25 Mbps. Check out our recommended products for Nintendo.
Mobile Gaming
Mobile gaming is becoming the next big thing in gaming as could gaming entering the market in the form of Google stadia, Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming, PlayStation Now, and many more coming.
Mobile gaming, in general, does not need very high-speed internet such as 100+ Mbps whereas cloud gaming does require high-speed internet to get your mobile device uninterrupted gaming.
3. Internet Type
You will find these types of internet available to choose from such as dial-up, DSL, satellite, fiber-optic. Each has it’s pros and cons while considering the speed of the operation. Make sure you opt for the best suitable one so that it gives you the best internet connection for your gaming.
Dial-up
The dial-up internet is available everywhere. Even in rural areas which are sometimes difficult for the many types of internet. The only problem is that dial-up internet can not provide a high-speed internet connection and then it becomes out of the spectrum for the gamers.
DSL
The DSL internet type provides high-speed internet but through telephone wire where it can be used along with calls. The download and upload speed may vary and this type of internet is available in limited areas.
Also Read: What RAM Speed Should I Get For Gaming? 8 Best Ways To Find Out
Satellite
Satellite gaming is an upgraded version of the dial-up which can be used via a dish and through your computer. This internet type can reach rural areas and give broadband level speed. Though, it can give you high-speed but not fast enough for online gaming or streaming.
Fiber-optics
Fiber-optics cables send data through a laser-generated pulse of light which can be easily understood & convert into ONT by your computer. Fiber-optic internet can offer high-speed internet such as 1000Gbps. Fiber optic internet is growing these days but you have to check at your location.
4. Connection Type
Yes other than the type of internet, how you will connect to your gaming device is important for online gaming and streaming. There will be pros and cons for each connection type and here we will discuss the same.
Wireless
This one is used widely everywhere and quite famous which comes with the advantage of the accessibility of the devices anywhere within the range of the WiFi router.
You can use your gaming laptop or switch to access the internet easily but due to its wireless nature, it does have cons such as inconsistency of the internet speed which can ruin your online gaming & streaming sometimes.
Also Read: Is Wired Mouse Better Than Wireless For Gaming? 7 Best Ways To Find Out
Wired
The wired internet connection is mainly used by pro gamers to avoid inconsistency of the internet where they get a steady and consistent internet supply to keep top of the online game while streaming. We also recommend this type of connection for online gaming and streaming.
Hotspots
Mobile hotspots or computer hotspots are also another connection type you can use to access the internet. This one is very rare and mostly used as a backup. Internet speed & consistency is an issue for this type of connection because the internet is shared between devices.
What is a good Mbps for gaming?
For the best gaming and streaming experience, the good Mbps should be a minimum download speed of 50 Mbps and an upload speed of 25 Mbps. Having said that, the internet speed requirement will be different as per gaming type, gaming platform, internet type, and connection type.
Is 25 Mbps good for gaming?
Yes, 25 Mbps is good for gaming which requires minimal reaction time on lower screen-resolutions whereas It may not be enough for high-resolution such as 4K on high-frame rates such as 60 frames per second and more.
Is 50 Mbps good for gaming?
Yes, 50 Mbps is good for gaming where you can play fast action games on screen-resolutions up to 1080p without lag but whereas It may not be enough for high-resolution such as 4K on high-frame rates such as 60 frames per second and more.
Is 100 Mbps fast enough for gaming?
Yes, 100 Mbps is very good for gaming which requires fast reaction time on screen-resolutions up to 2160p / 4k whereas It may lag sometimes with high-resolution such as 4K on high-frame rates such as 60 frames per second and more.
Is 200 Mbps good for gaming?
Yes, 200 Mbps is good for gaming which requires fast reaction time on high screen-resolutions such as 4k and 8K whereas It may lag sometimes for high-resolution such as 8K on high-frame rates such as 60 frames per second and more.
Is 400 Mbps good for gaming?
Yes, 400 Mbps is good for gaming which requires fast reaction time on high screen-resolutions up to 8K and you won’t see any lags if you stream as well on these high-resolution such as 4K on high-frame rates such as 60 frames per second and more.
What is a good upload speed for gaming & streaming?
The good upload speed for gaming & streaming should be a minimum of 5 Mbps if you are streaming a game with minimal reaction time and you will need a minimum of 15 Mbps of upload speed for the games which require high reaction time.
Does upload speed affect gaming?
Yes, the upload speed affects gaming only if you are playing games that require high reaction time and simultaneously streaming them. The streaming will be more connected to the upload speed and your upload speed determines the quality of the stream with the screen resolution and frame rate you selected.
Things you should know along with internet speed for gaming
The following are the terms that you should know along with knowing the best internet speed for gaming because you will be seeing these terms everywhere while understanding how internet stuff will affect you.
Lag – a slow response or delay between a game’s server and a player. this is a more used term by gamers and you will hear it across most of the platforms on the internet. So if you find any game stream slows down or paused for the fraction of the seconds then it means the stream is lagging.
Latency – how fast your gaming device sends data from your game’s server and back again. High latency = slower response time. This term is used while gamers choose gaming devices such as gaming monitors, gaming TV, gaming mouse, and more.
Ping – measures latency in milliseconds. Lower ping = faster response time. So ping is a measurement that shows how strong is your internet connection for the moment.
What’s my ping rate?
To find out your ping rate you can use the following websites which will give you the average, maximum, and minimum ping rate. The first website will show you the ping rate for your location and the second website will show the ping rate around a few cities.
Meter.net (Opens in New Window)
Ping Test (Opens in New Window)
This is the best way to know the ping rate and adjust accordingly for your gaming sessions.
Download speed versus ping
The download speed is how fast your internet connection can fetch the data from the server to your device and the Ping is the measurement in milliseconds (ms) of your internet connection on how fast you receive the response from the servers once you have sent the request.
Rubber Banding – when you see jerky, random movements in a multiplayer game that occur as a result of high latency. You will experience this effect in multiplayer matches when you have low internet speed as well as upload speed.
Packet Loss – when packets of data drop before reaching a server (often due to network congestion); measured as a percentage. Packet loss greater than one or two percent causes problems in real-time gaming.
All the above terms and their effects are mainly related to the internet speed and you should know them to understand how things are and will go to your situation.
How to improve your online gaming connection
Along with understanding the best internet speed for your gaming, you should also know how to improve your internet connection for a better and smooth online gaming experience.
Wired internet connection
Yes, wired connections are more favorites of the pro players around the world and it is rightly so. A wired internet connection will ensure not losing any data while sending it to your gaming device. You get the most of the internet directly to your device and ensures that online games and stream doesn’t lag.
Keep the router close or use a Wi-Fi extender
The wireless internet connection to your device will have its downsides such as losing data and not getting the full internet speed that the connection comes with. Using the Wi-Fi extender will help you if your router reach is limited and your gaming device is far away from it.
Checking connection by resetting your modem or router
We have found that many times your internet connection starts showing issues sometimes and resetting your modem or router helps to resolve the issues. You may want to reset your modem or router when you occur any issues with internet speed.
Disconnect the internet on unwanted devices
If you have more than one device connected to your internet connection and some of them are not actively used by you or anyone else then they might leeching the internet and you may not get the full speed for your online gaming. Make sure you disconnect those devices on regular basis.
Change settings and update your Wi-Fi router
Make sure you are on the right frequency band of 5 GHz which is suitable for gaming consoles, gaming PCs, and smartphones. You may also check the firmware of your modem or router and update accordingly as it can enhance the internet speed.
Make your Wi-Fi connection secure
In this modern age, your small little Wi-Fi connection can become a victim and your security can be compromised. Make sure you change the default name, password of Wi-Fi, and do not use personal information. Use WPA 2 type of encryption security.
We hope you have come to the conclusion and found your answer to the question of what is a good internet speed for gaming and streaming. The best gaming setup along with consistent and steady high-speed internet is one big key to winning and becoming a champion in competitive online gaming.
Also, check out our recommended products for Gaming PC, Gaming Laptop, Gaming TVs, and Gaming Monitors.
