A fast and secure internet connection isn't just a nice-to-have these days; it's a must. Your internet experience relies on how fast and stable your connection is, whether you're watching your favorite TV shows, playing the newest games online, or just browsing YouTube for fun. But how fast is too fast? Let's talk about the things that really matter for each activity, especially when it comes to games, where delay can make or break your experience.
What Do Internet Speeds Mean?
Megabits per second (Mbps) is the most important number to know about internet speed because it shows how fast data moves from the internet to your computer. Your link will be faster if the Mbps number is high. But speed alone isn't enough; you also need to think about delay, especially if you play games online.
Latency is the amount of time it takes for a signal to go from your device to the game server and back again. The faster it is, the lower the millisecond (ms) value is. Lag, which means that actions in your game are delayed, can be caused by high latency, which is also known as ping. This is a big problem in competitive games that move quickly.
Streaming
One of the most popular things to do online is stream video. The speed you need depends on the quality of the video you want to watch.
- SD Streaming (Standard Definition): 3-4 Mbps
- HD Streaming (High Definition): 5-8 Mbps
- 4K Streaming (Ultra High Definition): 25 Mbps or higher
If you like Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+'s 4K video, you should get a plan with at least 25 Mbps. Plans with 50 Mbps or more will also help other devices on your network.
Video Games
When you play games online, things get a little more complicated. For viewing, download speed is the only thing that matters. But for games, both download and upload speeds, as well as latency (ping), are important.
- Download Speed: For most online games, you should have at least 10 to 15 Mbps, but more is always better, especially when you're getting fixes or updates for games.
- Upload Speed: For smooth gameplay, an upload speed of 3–5 Mbps is fine, but if you want to show your games on sites like Twitch, you'll need at least 10 Mbps upload.
- Latency (Ping): The golden rule for latency is to keep it under 50ms. Anything higher than that will cause lag and ruin your experience, especially in games where you have to beat other people, like Call of Duty or Fortnite. Gamers who really care about speed try to keep delay below 30ms.
As a quick tip, Ethernet-based wired connections have lower latency than Wi-Fi, so if you're really into games, you might want to skip the wireless link during those marathon sessions.
YouTube and Casual Browsing
You don't need very fast internet to browse YouTube and other social media sites. You'll still need a good connection, though, if you want to watch HD movies.
- Browsing (general websites, emails, etc.): 1-5 Mbps
- YouTube SD Streaming: 3 Mbps
- YouTube HD Streaming: 5-7 Mbps
- YouTube 4K Streaming: 20-25 Mbps
10–20 Mbps will be fast enough for most people who just want to browse the web and watch YouTube videos in HD. But if more than one device is watching, reading, or playing games at the same time, getting at least 50 Mbps can help keep things from getting frustrating.
How Much Internet Speed Do You Really Need?
We've talked about the basics for different tasks. How do you figure out what speed works best for you?
Here’s a quick rundown:
- Solo Streamers & Browsers: If you mostly browse the web, watch HD videos, and play games once in a while, a plan with 25 to 50 Mbps should be plenty.
- Households with Multiple Users: If several people are watching 4K material, playing games, or working from home using video calls, a plan with 100–200 Mbps will be enough to handle everything.
- Pro Gamers & Streamers: For the best experience, gamers who stream their games or play in competitive online games should look for deals with at least 200–500 Mbps. When using wired lines, make sure to keep latency as low as possible.
It’s Not Just Speed
Don't forget about delay, even though speed is important. Latency isn't as important for general reading and streaming, but ping needs to be kept low for gaming. Buy a good router, connect via wired connections whenever you can, and pick an internet package that fits the way you live online.
Making sure your internet is fast enough is important whether you're watching your favorite show or playing the newest AAA game. Check how much you're using now and, if necessary, switch to a plan that will keep everything going smoothly. Tomorrow you'll be glad you did this!
