What is the best internet speed for gaming?

Competitive gaming demands more from your internet connection than almost any other online activity. A split-second lag can mean the difference between victory and defeat, whilst buffering during crucial moments ruins the experience entirely. But what is the best internet speed for gaming, and how much do you actually need to dominate online matches without breaking the bank on unnecessary bandwidth?

The 3 non-negotiable factors for a perfect gaming experience

Before diving into specific speeds, understanding the three critical elements of gaming internet helps you make informed decisions.

Ping(latency): This measures how quickly data travels between your device and the game server, expressed in milliseconds (ms). Competitive gaming requires ping below 50ms, with under 20ms being ideal. High ping causes noticeable lag where enemies seem to shoot you before appearing on screen.

Download speed: This determines how quickly data reaches your device. Gaming itself requires surprisingly little bandwidth (typically 3-6 Mbps), but downloading game updates and new titles demands substantial speed. Modern games routinely exceed 50-100GB.

Upload speed: Often overlooked, upload speed affects how quickly your actions transmit to game servers. Streaming gameplay, video chatting with teammates, or competitive play all require decent upload speeds. A full fibre broadband for gaming excel in all three areas, delivering symmetrical upload and download speeds with consistently low latency.

What is a good download speed for gaming?

When people ask what broadband speed they need for gaming, they're usually thinking about download speed. The answer surprises many: actual gameplay uses just 3-6 Mbps. Even graphically intensive titles like Call of Duty or Fortnite rarely exceed this.

However, what a good download speed for gaming extends beyond active gameplay. A 100GB game takes roughly 3 hours on a 100 Mbps connection, 1.5 hours on 200 Mbps, but only 15 minutes on 900 Mbps. Gaming while family members stream Netflix or video call requires additional bandwidth. A 50 Mbps connection struggles when multiple activities compete simultaneously, causing lag spikes during crucial moments.

For dedicated gamers, 100-200 Mbps provides comfortable performance with headroom for other household activities. Power users downloading games frequently or streaming their gameplay benefit substantially from 300-900 Mbps connections.

Is 300 Mbps good for gaming?

Absolutely. Is 300 Mbps good for gaming? Yes, 300 Mbps represents an excellent sweet spot for gaming households. You'll download a 50GB game in roughly 20 minutes, can game whilst others stream 4K content without interference, and have plenty of bandwidth for voice chat or streaming your gameplay.

Is 300 Mbps fast for gaming compared to what you actually need? It's more than adequate. The primary benefit isn't faster gameplay, but rather eliminating bandwidth-related slowdowns and drastically reducing download wait times. For households with multiple gamers, 300 Mbps internet becomes even more valuable.

Is 900 Mbps good for gaming? It's excellent, though the benefits over 300 Mbps primarily apply to download speeds rather than gameplay performance. A 100GB game downloads in about 15 minutes on 900 Mbps versus 45 minutes on 300 Mbps.

Console gamers often wonder about specific requirements for PlayStation and Xbox. What is a good internet speed for gaming PS5 versus PS4, or what is a good internet speed for gaming Xbox One? The requirements are broadly similar across platforms.

Minimum and recommended speeds for PS5 / Xbox

PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S both recommend a minimum of 3 Mbps for online play, but this bare minimum provides a poor experience. A good internet speed for gaming online realistically starts at 50 Mbps for casual gaming.

Competitive console gamers should target 100-300 Mbps. This ensures downloads don't disrupt gaming sessions and accommodates background system updates without causing lag spikes.

What’s a good upload and download speed for gaming on consoles? Aim for at least 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload as a minimum, though symmetrical speeds provide the best experience. Full fibre connections offering 150 Mbps symmetrical speeds give console gamers everything they need.

Is 200mb good for gaming on any console? Yes, 200 Mbps provides excellent performance for all current gaming platforms, with substantial headroom for downloads, streaming, and household internet use. The average internet speed needed for gaming comfortably sits around 100-200 Mbps for most households.

What is a good broadband speed for streaming?

Many gamers also stream their gameplay on Twitch or YouTube. A good broadband speed for streaming your gaming content depends on your target quality: 720p at 30fps requires 3-5 Mbps upload, whilst 1080p at 60fps requires 6-9 Mbps upload, and 4K at 60fps needs 20-30 Mbps upload.

Notice these are upload speed requirements. Standard asymmetric broadband offering 100 Mbps download but only 10 Mbps upload struggles with streaming. This is where full fibre's symmetrical speeds become crucial.

For serious streamers, a good internet connection speed for gaming whilst broadcasting requires at least 150 Mbps symmetrical speeds.

How your router affects latency and ping

Even with gigabit broadband, a poor router can sabotage your gaming performance. Router quality matters enormously for latency. Budget routers struggle with multiple devices, introducing lag spikes when other household members browse or stream.

Wi-Fi vs wired connections represents perhaps the single biggest factor in gaming performance. Wi-Fi introduces latency, typically adding 5-30ms ping compared to ethernet connections. Wi-Fi also suffers interference from walls and neighbouring networks, causing unpredictable lag spikes.

For competitive gaming, always use wired ethernet connections when possible. This eliminates Wi-Fi's inherent latency and provides stable, consistent ping.

Modern Wi-Fi 6 routers handle multiple devices better and reduce latency compared to older standards. Hey! Broadband includes quality routers with our packages that deliver excellent gaming performance with Wi-Fi 6 technology.

At Hey! Broadband, we understand that gamers demand the best from their connections. Our full fibre packages deliver symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 900 Mbps with consistently low latency. Whether you're a casual player or competitive gamer, our Superfast 150, Megafast 400, or Gigafast 900 packages provide the speed and stability you need.

Ready to upgrade your gaming experience? Call our UK-based team on 0330 822 2878 to discuss which package suits your gaming needs, or check availability in your area on our website.