What is a Good Internet Speed for Gaming?
The truth about internet speed for gaming: it's not as fast as you think. Learn the minimum speeds, why latency matters more, and how to eliminate lag.
If you're shopping for internet and the salesperson tells you that you need 1 Gig for smooth gaming, they're overselling. The reality is that online gaming uses surprisingly little bandwidth—far less than streaming 4K video. What matters most for gaming isn't raw speed, but latency (ping) and connection stability.
The Minimum Speed for Gaming
Most online games require surprisingly little bandwidth to function. Here are the official minimum requirements from major gaming platforms:
PlayStation 5 & PlayStation 4
Minimum: 3 Mbps download | 1 Mbps upload
Sony's official recommendation. Sufficient for online multiplayer, but you'll experience lag if others in your home are streaming or downloading.
Xbox Series X/S & Xbox One
Minimum: 3 Mbps download | 0.5 Mbps upload
Microsoft's official recommendation. Works for basic online play, but download speeds below 25 Mbps will cause slow game updates and patches.
Nintendo Switch
Minimum: 3 Mbps download | 1 Mbps upload
Nintendo's official recommendation. The Switch has notoriously weak WiFi, so a wired connection is highly recommended for competitive games like Splatoon or Smash Bros.
PC Gaming (Steam, Epic, Battle.net)
Minimum: 3-5 Mbps download | 1 Mbps upload
Most PC games use similar bandwidth to consoles. However, game launchers like Steam download massive updates (50-100 GB), so faster speeds reduce wait times significantly.
The Recommended Speed for Gaming
While 3 Mbps is technically enough, it leaves no room for anything else. If someone starts streaming Netflix while you're mid-match, you'll lag out. Here's what we actually recommend:
Recommended: 25-50 Mbps download | 5-10 Mbps upload
This provides enough headroom for smooth gaming even when others in your home are browsing, streaming, or video calling. You'll also download game updates much faster—a 50 GB update takes 2-3 hours on 50 Mbps vs 12+ hours on 10 Mbps.
If you stream your gameplay to Twitch or YouTube, you'll need higher upload speeds—at least 10-15 Mbps upload for 1080p streaming, or 25+ Mbps for 4K streaming.
Latency (Ping) Matters More Than Speed
Here's the secret that internet providers don't advertise: for gaming, latency (measured in milliseconds or "ping") is far more important than download speed. Latency is the time it takes for data to travel from your device to the game server and back.
0-20ms: Excellent
Professional-level latency. Perfect for competitive FPS games like Call of Duty, Valorant, or Counter-Strike.
20-50ms: Good
Smooth gaming experience for most games. You won't notice any lag in casual play.
50-100ms: Playable
Noticeable delay in fast-paced games. Fine for turn-based or slower-paced games.
100ms+: Poor
Significant lag. Your character will rubber-band, shots won't register, and you'll die before seeing the enemy.
Fiber internet typically has lower latency (10-20ms) than cable (20-40ms) or 5G home internet (30-60ms). If you're a competitive gamer, fiber is worth the extra cost solely for the latency advantage.
How to Reduce Lag and Improve Gaming Performance
1. Use a Wired Ethernet Connection
WiFi adds 5-30ms of latency and is prone to interference. An Ethernet cable provides a direct, stable connection with the lowest possible latency. This is the single biggest improvement you can make.
2. Upgrade Your Router
Old routers (5+ years) struggle with multiple devices. A modern WiFi 6 router with QoS (Quality of Service) can prioritize gaming traffic over other devices, reducing lag even on WiFi.
3. Close Background Apps and Downloads
Steam, Epic Games, and Windows updates download in the background, hogging bandwidth. Pause all downloads before gaming and close streaming apps on other devices.
4. Choose Servers Closest to You
Most games let you select servers by region. Always choose the closest server to minimize latency. Playing on European servers from the U.S. adds 100-150ms of lag.
The Bottom Line
You don't need 1 Gig internet for gaming. A 50-100 Mbps connection with low latency will provide a better gaming experience than a 1 Gig connection with high latency. Focus on fiber internet if available, use a wired connection, and upgrade your router before upgrading your internet plan. If you're still experiencing lag after these steps, then consider faster internet—but chances are, the problem isn't your speed.