Games are an old invention and have been in use by kids and adults alike for a long time. From Atari and Nintendo to the latest Play stations and Xbox, games have come a long way. Like all other things, technological advancements in games have not only enhanced their graphics but 3D animation has taken these games to a whole new level.
There are multiple genres of games and a new term for players called “gamers” has emerged in recent times. These gamers take gaming very seriously, so much so, that companies have invented special big-screen PCs designed especially for enhancing the gaming experience. Modern-day games require high-speed internet packages like the one’s Spectrum One offer, for a real-time gaming experience and interaction with other players.
Commonly Used Gaming Terms
- Lag – a delayed response between a game’s server and the player.
- Latency – the time required by the server to send back data to the player. High latency rates mean that the server is slow in response.
- Ping – Ping is a measure of latency. A lower ping rate means a higher response.
- Rubber Banding – jolting in a multiplayer game due to high latency.
- Packet Loss – lost data that doesn’t make it to the server is called to as packet loss. This can be a hindrance in real-time gaming if the loss in data exceeds two percent.
Uploading and Downloading Speed
Upload Speed – Upload speed determines how fast data is transmitted from the user’s device to the servers. The recommended speed for gamers is a minimum of 3 Mbps.
Download Speed – Download speed measures how fast data is retrieved from the servers or the internet. Fast downloading is essential in real-time gaming, therefore recommended download speed for gaming is 3-8 Mbps.
Gaming Speed
Most commonly played games on Xbox and PlayStation require a minimum of 3 Mbps upload speed, 3-8 Mbps download speed, and a ping rate of less than 70ms. This is not true for all online games, as different games have different features and so speed requirements differ. But speed is considered to be the minimum for digital gaming.
There are ways to maximize your internet speeds. Many devices are connected to a single network, lessening the burden, and using the internet solely for gaming enhances the speed levels. Whereas choosing high-speed tiers of the internet helps transmit and retrieve data much quicker which improves the whole gaming experience. A download speed of 300Mbps is recommended for new-age games with heavy graphics.
Different games require different speed levels depending on the type of game, the technology it entails, and the features they offer.
Speed Requirements for Different Games
- Casual – For casual gaming minimum requirement of download speed is 3 Mbps, Upload 1 Mbps, and 100-150 ms ping rate.
- Better – A slightly higher-level casual game requires 5-25 Mbps of download speed, 1-3 Mbps of upload speed, and a ping rate of 40-100 ms.
- Competitive – For Streamers and competitive gaming high download speed of 100 Mbps is recommended with an upload speed of 5-10 Mbps and a ping rate of 20-40 ms.
- Highly Competitive – Highly competitive gaming required downloading speed levels greater than 100 Mbps, uploading speed of 5-10 Mbps, and a 20 – 40 ms Ping rate.
Internet Connections
There are 4 different types of internet connections with varying speeds and distinct features.
- Cable – Cable internet has a download speed of 15-1200 Mbps and a ping rate of 15-35 ms.
- Fiber – Fiber internet has a 50-10,000 Mbps download speed with a ping rate of 11-14 ms.
- Satellite – satellite cable has a downloading speed of 12-1200 Mbps and a 594-624 ms ping rate.
- DSL – DSL has a download speed of 15-100 Mbps and a ping rate of 25-43 ms.
Fiber optics is the best type of internet connection currently available in the market. With its high speed and low ping rates, it is ideal for gaming. The connection is stable and can handle multiple players at one time.
WiFi vs Ethernet
Wi-Fi gives the mobility to roam freely and play from a distance even if the user is not near the router yet nothing beats the speed and the stability of the ethernet cable. The ethernet cable is connected directly to the computer which gives undisrupted, fast connectivity that is essential to competitive gaming.
Internet Required for Multiple Players
If there is more than one gamer in a single household, the internet requirements will increase directly proportional to the number of players. If there are three players in a house, the minimum required internet will be 9Mbps.
For competitive gaming, at least 150Mbps is required, so that each player can use up to Mbps. Other people using streaming devices with the same internet connection should also be considered while making a package choice.
