The digital era has added a subscription to a stable internet connection mandatory. Every household has all kinds of gadgets from tablets, PCs, MacBooks, and Smartphones that require the internet.
Online gaming and online streaming have become a way of life among the young generation. During the game, every second count. Slow internet is, therefore, a deal-breaker to the players.
In this article, I will discuss the internet speed that you need for online gaming.
Factors to Consider
The three aspects of your internet connection that affect your gaming include;
- Upload speed
- Download speed
- Ping rate
Upload Speed
Although upload speed is not very critical to online gamers, it is vital for the people who store data online.
Upload speed should also be your concern if you post videos frequently. That said, this is the least important factor in internet speed for non-streamer gamers.
Download Speed
This is the speed at which you can download data from the internet to your device. The rate at which you can download your data is called bandwidth. The latter is measured in Megabits per second (Mbps).
The bigger your bandwidth, the faster you can download your data.
You may have noticed that when you are alone, your internet speed is perfect but once your friends come, you hear complaints of slow internet.
This is because your bandwidth is shared among all the devices in your internet connection. You are, therefore, likely to suffer a poor connection if you are using it at the same time.
Videos and games share the same bandwidth. Many games will require an average of 1-5mbs. You can, therefore, watch as one person is playing a game on the same roof without problems.
Bandwidth becomes an issue only when you have to download a large file to your drive.
Quick Tip: Always download your games at night; the internet speed is high because of the low demand.
Ping Rate
Ping rate also referred to as latency, is the amount of time taken for the server to receive a signal from your device.
Latency is the most crucial factor when it comes to gaming. Low latency is most preferred when gaming. The example below will explain the reason behind;
You are playing a game with an opponent, and you decide to shoot him to save your life. The opponent sees you and decides to take the same move too.
You, therefore, end up “requesting for the same action.” However, somehow, your opponents kill you.
This happens because of the difference in latency. If both of your latency rates were the same, then you would have fired at the same time.
However, your latency was higher than that of your opponent hence his winning and your loosing.
Gamers with a high latency have a disadvantage over those with low latency. They may not be able to finish off their opponents.
What Causes Latency and How Do You Deal With It?
The good news is that you are not a mediocre gamer; you are probably a victim of high latency.
The bad news is that you have to find the reason for your high latency, and this may take time. Problems may include;
- Amount of network traffic
- Individual internet connection problems
- The physical distance between servers
One thing you can do is reset your gaming console and your modem. If the problem continues, call your Internet Service Provider (ISP), and see if you can get help.
If high pings occur, it may be better to pass the time and wait for a better time.
Best Internet Connection for Online Gaming
DSL (digital subscriber line), fiber optic, satellite, and cable are the most common types of internet.
Although fiber optic is the best gaming internet, it is very rare in many states.
Cable internet is the most commonly used because it supports multi-players; it’s affordable and available in most parts of the country.
DSL can be used if there is no alternative; it’s moderate. I wouldn’t recommend the satellite for gaming.
Specific System Requirements
Every gaming console has specific requirements. The numbers can be found through the console’s respective services, such as PSN or Xbox Live.
In conclusion, an upload speed of 1Mbs, 150ms ping rate, and 3Mbps download rate are good enough for gaming.
To Conclude
You don’t need a very high internet speed to be a warrior in the gaming world. However, you will require a stable speed.
A high ping rate is the real deal-breaker when it comes to online gaming.
We hope using the tips discussed in the article; you can improve your gaming.
Bonus: You can also play for money instead of only having fun with a good internet connection. Find numerous live dealer casino sites, such as come on and see what they have to offer.
