We use the internet for different purposes; therefore, our usage requirements will also vary. So if you love online gaming, this topic will interest you.
A good gaming session, whether in single or multiplayer modes, requires a smooth internet connection. So the question becomes, how much bandwidth do you need?
Many internet service providers offer different broadband packages at varying rates to an ever-growing number of internet users.
Unfortunately, you don’t always receive the speeds that you pay for. Luckily, a quick internet speed test will help you gauge the performance of your internet connection and confirm whether or not the speeds you pay for actually hold up.
Well, 25 Mbps sounds like an ample amount of internet bandwidth. However, will it suffice for gaming? This article will address this question.
Is 25 Mbps Good For Gaming?
Two factors define internet speed requirements for online gaming – download speed and upload speed. Furthermore, according to FCC recommendations, online gaming requires a download speed of 3 Mbps and an upload speed of 1 Mbps.
Therefore, a 25 Mbps internet connection should be sufficient for online gaming if you’re the sole user of your Internet connection.
However, if there are other users on your network, you should consider upgrading your internet package, especially if you cannot control how they use the internet. For example, if two other users on your network are streaming 4K content, 25 Mbps may no longer be fast enough for gaming.
How Fast Is 25 Mbps?
To get a picture of how fast 25 Mbps with other speeds are and how it matches up. For example, a 25 Mbps connection can conveniently handle 1-2 users.
It can handle HD streaming up to 1080p and load web pages smoothly. And as mentioned above, it can run most online games so long as not more than two users are connected.
In comparison with speeds of 100 Mbps to 200 Mbps, you can connect up to 5 people smoothly; stream 4k videos, of course, run online games with up to 5 people connected.
Looking at all the information above, 25 Mbps can be fast or slow for you; it depends on your internet needs. However, 25 Mbps is the sweet spot for most people, not too fast, not too slow.
IS 25 Mbps Good For Streaming?
Streaming services have become mainstream entertainment such that many people have forgotten about regular television. So anyway, you’d need the internet to stream content.
25 Mbps is sufficient for HD streaming, as most streaming services require anything between 6 to 15 Mbps. However, streaming 4k content may lag on tour devices, especially when you’re sharing it with someone else.
Is 25 Mbps Good For Downloading?
Download speed is critical to most people; we probably spend more time downloading files than uploading them. It is the very reason that companies place more emphasis on download speeds than upload speeds during advertising.
The upload speed is usually an 8th of the download speed. That said, 25 Mbps should be sufficient for most download applications. Aside from some heavy applications, it should be enough for the everyday user.
Why Do You Need Fast Internet For Gaming?
For most internet users, the answer to this question seems straightforward. You need fast internet to avoid lags in your games. That can be true in most instances, provided some other conditions are met, as outlined later in this article.
Online games tend to require a lot of patches and updates along the line. These patches and updates can be persistent and massive.
They are usually in Megabytes of data, which means depending on your internet speed, you might have to wait for a day or two, or just a couple of hours, before you can get into that fantastic gaming experience you love so much.
What Kind Of Games Can You Play With A 25 Mbps Connection?
Video game developers usually cite 3 Mbps as the minimum for games. Eventually, optimum speed would depend on the type of online games you love playing.
Suppose you like graphic-intensive games like Call of Duty, Players Unknown Battleground, Fortunate, etc. Then, speeds less than 20 Mbps second would be insufficient for a good gaming experience.
So with 25 Mbps, you can enjoy most of the graphic-intensive games mentioned above. 25 Mbps may be sufficient to run these games but may not provide the best experience when downloading patches and updates.
Note that while you can run these games with a 25 Mbps speed, it can only provide a smooth experience provided not more than two persons are connected.
What Causes Lags In Games?
Lags in games are not always a function of your internet speed cap; other factors could contribute.
Running programs in the background:
Online games, aside from consuming bandwidth, also tend to place some heavy computing memory demands on the computer or device used.
When other programs are running in the background, they will share processing memory (RAM), affecting the overall gaming performance.
Outdated graphics cards and drivers:
Most online games, especially multiplayer games, are graphic intensive and have many 3D renderings.
Graphics drivers control the graphics card, which is responsible for the graphics rendering in our games. Having an outdated graphics card can impede game performance, including how smoothly your device generates game graphics.
So make sure that your graphics card and drivers are always up to date for the best performance.
High In-game Graphics settings:
Most online games have varying settings on the graphics quality. Higher settings would require more system resources to run the game.
Depending on the device used, this is likely to reduce the game’s frame rate per second (FPS).
So, the lower the setting, the higher the frame rate and smoother the gameplay will be. The higher the game settings, the lower the frame rate and the choppier the gameplay will be.
So if you are experiencing choppy gameplay, you might want to check out how demanding the graphics settings are on your device and whether your machine can handle it.
Game version not optimized for hardware:
Besides internet speed, online games also have hardware requirements.
That is to say that they may have minimum requirements for RAM, graphics card requirements, and even processor requirements.
Sometimes the game can come in multiple versions to cater to different audiences depending on the capability of their devices.
The above is the reason games like PUBG have lite versions aside from the mainstream versions. So before running an online game, you must check the game requirements to know if they are optimized for your device.
Using a version that is not optimized for your device is sure to lead to game performance problems.
Presence of malware or virus:
Malware and virus are generally harmful to our tech gadgets, not just online games.
They alter the proper functioning of our devices and lead to undesired results. In worse case scenarios, they can even lead to loss and or theft of personal information.
That said presence of malware or viruses could also alter game performance and lead to lagging.
When using a server not close to you:
Online games usually incorporate different online servers to serve people in other locations efficiently.
The proximity of a server to you affects how stable and robust your connection to the game is. When you use a server not close to you, it can also impair your game performance.
When using a server with a high number of connections:
This is also as important as server proximity. Servers usually have a limited number of users they can host.
The more the number of people hosted by the server, most times the slower the connection becomes. This concept also works with downloads when different servers are available.
So it is best to stick with servers with fewer connections nearby for the best experiences.
How To Minimize Lags And Increase Your Gaming Speed
Adjust your router’s position:
Furniture and other domestic items can interfere with your wireless signal. Instead, try increasing the Wi-Fi signal and line of connectivity by moving your console closer to your router.
If the lag persists, or you are unable to move the router, change your gaming position. For example, consider adjusting the tilt of your console. This strategy will ensure that the wireless signal reaches your device in a shorter time.
Use an Ethernet cable:
If you share your internet connection with several other users, you might consider connecting your console to your router using an Ethernet cable.
This method enhances your connection strength and eliminates the problem of interference with your wireless network. So, provided there’s no problem with your router, using an Ethernet cable should significantly reduce latency.
Reboot your router:
A router that has been in use for an extended period may become overworked. So, restarting your router can refresh your connection and consequently reduce game lags.
Replace an old router:
Age can affect a router’s ability to provide a strong connection. If your router has aged, consider replacing it. New routers come with further improvements that enable them to keep up with increasing network requirements.
Conclusion
A 25 Mbps internet connection should be good for gaming as online games require an average of 3 Mbps and 1 Mbps download and upload speeds, respectively.
However, other factors affect your internet speed apart from your bandwidth size. For example, the number of connected devices on your network can determine whether 25 Mbps will be enough to enjoy a seamless gaming experience.
It is also important to note that your gaming experience can depend on factors other than your internet speed or connection. These factors include hardware components like RAM, processing speed, graphics card, and game version.
