Internet speed for games and streaming: what should it be and how to measure it?
Long gone are the days when image sites took several minutes to load and downloading a single .mp3 file was a difficult task. Today's channels allow you to download anything in seconds. At first glance, there are no problems with online games. Graphics are usually processed on the user side; only basic commands are needed from the server. However, if the connection is unstable, lags may occur at critical moments.
And for those gamers who like to broadcast gameplay to the public, the quality and speed of the Internet connection are especially important. How to figure out what channel parameters are needed for online games and streaming? Let's find out now.
Let us immediately note that we recommend checking the current speed of your Internet connection in the service Speedcheck Speed Test. In terms of quality and accuracy, it is no worse than more popular analogues such as Speedtest, but unlike them, it is not overloaded. There have also been cases when providers deliberately calculated traffic before Speedtest and inflated the indicators. So it never hurts to double check.
What Internet channel is needed for smooth and stable gaming on online servers?
The requirements are low: for most games, the download speed must be at least 3 Mbit/s, and the upload speed must be at least 1 Mbit/s. Such indicators are considered minimal for PS4 and Xbox One consoles, as well as services like Steam.
However, for games it is not so much megabits that are important as latency, also known as ping. This metric tells you how long it takes your computer to communicate with a remote server. The latency should not exceed 150 ms, and ideally 100 ms for MOBA games (Dota 2, League of Legend, World of Tanks) and 40-50 ms for shooters (PUBG, CS:GO). Ping directly depends on your Internet provider, so choose it carefully.
What about the stream?
For streaming, ping is also important. But also speed, of course. Although the requirements are again low. For 720p – at least 10 MB/s upload, for 1080p – at least 20 MB/s. More is better. Ideally, you should have 40 Mb/s when broadcasting in FullHD.
In conclusion, here are brief instructions on how to check your Internet speed using the Speedcheck service mentioned above. Just click on the big blue “Start Check” button.
The test lasts less than a minute, then you will see all the useful information - ping, download and upload speed with a stability indicator (can be positive or negative).
Why we recommend this particular service - 40 Gbit/s server (for an accurate connection test on the entire route), applications for any smartphone, the ability to log in and keep a history of checks, a guide to solving problems with the Internet connection.
