What Internet Speed Is Best For Gaming?

While you’re going to need fast internet speeds (at least 100Mbps) for online gaming, a low latency or ping rate is even more important. In gaming, latency is the time it takes for data to travel from your PC or console to a game server and back. The faster the data transfer rate, the lower the latency, and the more responsive your game feels. On the flip side, higher latency makes your gaming experience frustratingly slow.

Accordingly, you’ll want to find an internet service provider and plan that provides you with a latency of 100 milliseconds or fewer, although 20 to 40 milliseconds is ideal.

Fiber internet offers the fastest internet speeds for online gaming, but if that’s not available where you live, you’ll want to look into a fast cable or 5G home internet plan. Some DSL plans may be suitable as well, depending on the internet speeds and ping rate. I A  If you live in a rural area and satellite is your only option, we have some tips and tricks for reducing your ping speed.

How many Mbps do I need for online gaming?

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Minimum internet speed recommendations vary depending on the gaming console and app. You can find the minimum download and upload speeds, as well as the maximum latency or ping rate, in the table below. But for the most optimal gaming experience, you'll want a plan with speeds between 100–300Mbps, much faster than the minimum required speed.   

*Cloud gaming on PlayStation Now and Google Stadia uses a lot of bandwidth, so you’ll want to make sure your internet plan doesn’t include a data cap. You can use our internet comparison tool to browse unlimited data internet plans. Especially if you're streaming to services like Twitch, you'll need blazing fast internet with speeds of 300 Mbps.  

Keep in mind that the best internet for gaming is going to include internet speeds that are far faster than the minimum required and latency numbers that are much lower than the maximum. If you’re a single-person household, you’ll want at least 100Mbps, although the faster, the better.

Competitive online gamers or large households may want speeds up to 1Gbps (1,000Mbps) and an internet plan that includes a ping rate between 20 milliseconds and 40 milliseconds. Do note that latency measures the round trip signal, while ping refers to the one-way journey time of a signal. 

Below, you can compare plans with high-speed internet for gaming.

How latency impacts your gaming experience

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Online gaming is fast-paced and time-sensitive, making latency crucial for gamers. Latency refers to the time it takes for your key commands or mouse clicks to reach the server and return back to you, appearing in your game. 

Measured in milliseconds (ms), a low latency response time means your game responds to your actions immediately. Any delay in this loop results in higher latency or lag, meaning you could miss the action or even get disconnected. 

Optimal latency time is anything lower than 100 ms for average players, but serious gamers should sit between 20–40 milliseconds for a smooth experience. Games may become unplayable with a latency speed higher than 100 milliseconds due to lag, and you could easily lose out in action-packed combat. Whether you play first-person shooter games, racing games, or real-time strategy games, the lower the latency speed, the better. 

Jump ahead to learn how to improve latency speed.

What is the best type of internet connection for gaming?

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The ideal internet connection type for online gaming is fiber internet, which provides blazing fast download speeds and upload speeds as well as an unbelievably low latency—under 20 milliseconds. If fiber internet isn’t available where you live, consider a 5G home internet plan.

5G fixed-wireless internet plans offer fast speeds and decently low latency rates (below 30ms), delivering both stability and responsiveness in gaming-terms. Reaching speeds as fast as 1,000Mbps, there aren’t any hiccups when gaming on 5G, and a fixed-wireless gateway keeps service consistent. Don’t worry, you won’t suddenly disconnect and leave your team one player down because of a drop in service.

That being said, the top contenders for gamer-friendly 5G home internet plans are two of the Big Three: Verizon and T-Mobile. Both offer considerable nationwide 5G coverage at a reasonable price. While Verizon offers faster download speeds, T-Mobile champions broadband for more users. However, when looking at home internet plans, keep in mind that online gaming uses a lot of data, so make sure to double-check for data caps in the fine print. There’s nothing worse than running out of high-speed data mid-game or needing to download a patch update with throttled speeds.

Check Verizon’s 5G coverage map and T-Mobile’s 5G coverage map to make sure there’s a 5G network in your area. 

You’ll also want to compare cable internet plans since they offer fast internet speeds and low ping rates as well—often under 35 milliseconds. 

Once Starlink satellite internet is widely available, though, it may rival and even surpass fiber internet in terms of speed and latency, potentially making it ideal for online gamers.

Of course, not everyone wants to fork over the money for an expensive fiber or cable internet plan. Thrifty consumers can find more affordable DSL plans that can suffice for gaming. DSL internet plans typically have longer latency periods than fiber and cable, averaging between 20 milliseconds and 60 milliseconds. While 35 or 40 milliseconds will probably not affect your online gaming, longer latencies could prove troublesome with first-person shooter games like Call of Duty.

As a gamer—I've got a gaming desktop, two gaming laptops (Windows and Linux), a PlayStation 5, and a Nintendo Switch—my preference is fiber. I use GFiber (formally known as Google Fiber) for my ISP and couldn't be happier. Whether I'm playing Diablo IV with friends, streaming Dune in 4K on HBO Max, or publishing a WhistleOut article, GFiber keeps up with my demanding internet requirements.

Does satellite internet work for gaming?

Satellite internet is the worst internet connection type for online gaming, with latencies as long as 500 milliseconds. That said, all is not lost for rural customers who have no other options—some satellite plans include speeds up to 100Mbps (although admittedly, these plans are going to run you a higher bill than other internet types). And you have plenty of ways to reduce your ping to get it down to the recommended 150 milliseconds or fewer. Whether you have satellite internet or another internet connection type, you can jump down to our tips and tricks on how to reduce your lag and improve your gaming experience.

Best internet service providers for gaming

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If you want the optimal online gaming experience, you’ll want to look for an internet plan with an internet service provider that offers high speeds and low latency or lag. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the following ISPs have low latency rates:

• Optimum: 5 milliseconds
• Verizon Fios: 7 milliseconds
• Frontier: 10–12 milliseconds
• Cox: 13 milliseconds
• Google Fi: 13 milliseconds
• Xfinity: 16 milliseconds

Compare internet providers and plans near you and get gaming.

Optimum

Another great internet provider for gaming, Optimum’s cable plans include download speeds up to 8Gbps and no data caps. Optimum is only available in four states—New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. 

Verizon Fios

Available mostly in the Northeast, Verizon Fios is Verizon’s fiber internet service, offering download speeds up to 940Mbps, upload speeds up to 910Mbps, and unlimited data—excellent for online gaming, as well as all your other wireless needs.

Comcast Xfinity

Xfinity, Comcast’s internet service provider, offers super speedy fiber and cable internet plans with download speeds of up to 1.2Gbps. Xfinity’s upload speeds almost match its download speeds, too, which is a pro for online gaming—plus you get unlimited data. Xfinity also has very broad coverage, providing internet service to 41 states.

Cox

Cox offers high-speed fiber and cable internet plans with download speeds over 2Gbps and upload speeds up to 940Mbps. That said, if you aren’t on the fastest plan, the upload speeds are much slower than the download speeds (for example, on the 300Mbps plan, the upload speeds are only 30Mbps). Cox internet is available in 19 states, including Arizona, Idaho, and Massachusetts.  

GFiber

GFiber is a great internet provider for online gaming, offering fiber-optic internet plans with speeds up to 2Gbps. GFiber is currently available in 9 states, including Texas, Kansas, and Missouri. See how this ISP stacks up against the competition as we put GFiber against AT&T. 

Frontier

Frontier's fiber plans are a good option if they're available in your area. Froniter's fiber network has expanded to states like Illinois, Connecticut, Florida, and elsewhere. Just like other fiber internet connections, Frontier provides a fast and stable connection ideal for online gaming.  You can expect speeds up to 500 Mbps and latency times between 5–20 milliseconds, making it ideal for gaming.

Do a free internet speed test

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Before switching to a new internet provider to improve your gaming experience, speeds, or latency, you’ll first want to do a free internet speed test to determine how fast your current internet speeds are. In just a few moments, you’ll get your results, which include download speeds, upload speeds, and latency.  

Once you know what internet speeds you’re getting, you’ll then have a better idea of what plan or internet type to switch to. For example, if you’re currently on a 100Mbps plan but tests show your speeds as much lower, you’ll want to talk to your internet provider about improving the speeds you’re paying for. Plus, since your average speeds rarely stay at the fastest speeds, you may need to upgrade to a faster plan. If you aren’t sure where to start, you can always use our internet comparison tool; simply enter your home address and your desired download speeds, and click “Search.” You can also click the dropdown that says “More Options” and select your current ISP, as well as whether you’d like to bundle your plan with TV or phone service.

How to reduce your ping rate for a better online gaming experience

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One of the best ways to improve your online gaming experience, especially for first-person shooter games, is to reduce your ping rate, which enables faster game responsiveness. Here are some easy steps to reduce your network lag when gaming:

1. Use an ethernet cable. Connect your computer or game system to your modem using an ethernet cable.
2. Shut down other programs and apps you aren’t using.
3. Disable automatic updates temporarily while you’re gaming so they don’t start running during the game.
4. Restart your devices. Unplug your router and modem for about 60 seconds then plug them back in and restart your computer.
5. Scan for malware. Regularly sweep your hardware for viruses.

Using a wired connection should make a huge difference when it comes to your network delay, but if you want an even lower latency, you might want to consider getting a gaming router. A router specifically designed for online gaming prioritizes your gaming traffic, unlike regular routers, which treat all of your internet activities the same. Because it prioritizes your gaming traffic, it works to decrease packet loss. Packet loss occurs when data fails to reach its destination, resulting in difficulties like lagging and getting kicked out of your game.