There’s nothing more frustrating than having to deal with slow internet speed and lag on a ranked online and highly competitive game.
If this happens time and again it’s time to consider what internet speed you need for a lagless experience. However, it may not be as simple as getting the highest available speed because you have to factor in other things, such as budget and uptime rate.
Should You Get Fiber Optic?
Fiber optic and gaming go well together. It offers some of the fastest available speeds and has a nice and consistent throughput.
As you may know, speed is not the end-all factor in gaming. There’s latency, which happens when there’s a great distance from server ISP as well as rubber banding, which happens when your internet is sluggish.
There’s also the thing regarding download and upload speed. You should note that upload speed is just as important as download speed when it comes to playing online games. Fiber optic is a plus since offers symmetrical bandwidth, which means if you subscribed to a 50 mbps speed the upload is somewhat the same.
Upload speed dictates how quickly you can send packets of data from your computer or hardware to the game servers. That said, it can mean the difference between a game-winning shot or losing first place.
AT&T internet has some of the best fiber optic packages that could be available in your area. You can also try for bundled deals so you can save money and take your games to the next level.
What Speed is Recommended for Online Gaming?
The answer depends on the game you’re playing.
For frantic games and titles that demand high graphics and multiplayer, you’ll be needing the highest possible bandwidth. On the other hand, if you’re playing online casino or card games then you won’t need the fastest.
Regardless of title you’ll want to aim for the lowest possible ping and latency. Most games would run at a minimum of 3 to 6 mbps, but if you’re experiencing more slowdowns than what you want then you should upgrade to around 25 to 50 mbps.
In the same vein, you’ll want the fastest possible speed for competitive play. Casual won’t require as much. Also, you’ll need to factor in how many users will be on the wi-fi and what activity they will be doing.
Things You Can Do For a Faster Connection
If you’ve already subscribed to high speed internet that’s recommended for competitive play then it may be the hardware that’s proving to be a bottleneck.
Upgrade your router and get one that’s suited for gaming. You’ll want a wifi 6 router that has wired connection and offers beamforming technology.
During a match, it’s best to close or turn off devices, apps and programs that could be slowing down your internet, such as streaming, downloading large files or open software. You’ll want to divert all your internet resources to the game to get the best possible results.
It’s also a good idea to get a wired connection to reduce lag and latency.