Is 400 Mbps good for gaming?
Let’s discuss internet speeds for gaming and how you can improve your latency!
A 400 Mbps internet speed is far above the average required for gaming. Competitive gaming demands at least 20 Mbps / 3 Mbps (Download/Upload), while casual online gaming requires 3 Mbps / 0.5 Mbps (Download / Upload). Livestreaming requires 25 Mbps / 15 Mbps (Download / Upload).
Let’s discuss whether 400 Mbps is good for gaming and what are some things you can do to make your gaming experience even faster!
Is 400 Mbps Good For Gaming?
When it comes to internet speeds, gamers don’t mess around. Faster speeds are necessary for us to compete professionally in a game of CS:GO or League of Legends or enjoy our favorite online games without suffering from lag, delay, or constant disconnects.
A 400 Mbps (megabits per second) internet speed is solid and way above average for guaranteeing the lowest possible latency. While casual online gaming requires a minimum of 3 Mbps download speed and a 0.5 Mbps upload speed, competitive online gaming demands at least 20 Mbps download speed and 3 Mbps upload speed to compete without the risk of lag.
While internet speed determines the potential of your gaming experience, it does not determine the outcome.
It’s a big misconception that your internet speed determines how fast your online games run. Despite having a 400 Mbps internet speed, someone with a 70 Mbps speed can still experience a quicker gaming experience – why is that? If you want the smoothest gaming experience, you need to focus on reducing your latency.
Is 400 Mpbs Wired Different To 400 Mbps Wireless?
For those of us who remember gaming on dial-up, internet speeds used to be a lot slower, and the difference between wired and wireless internet was significant.
However, wireless has since advanced to almost equal footing compared to wired internet, although it still retains some technological limitations. Wireless connections start to diminish in strength over long distances, can experience congestion, and takes reasonably long to clear congestion.
From a gamer’s perspective, these issues will cause packet loss, lag spikes, high latency, and disconnects. These issues become worse when other people share the network or when the Internet Service Provider (ISP) towers experience a lot of traffic.
Wired internet like ADSL is superior in almost every way, especially when it comes to Fiber Optics. Data remains steadfast when traveling from the host to the server, and congestion quickly disappears on the rare occasion that it happens.
Is Upload Speed Important For Gaming?
While download speeds contribute more to latency, upload speeds are equally important. The download part of your internet connection lets you receive information from the game server you connect to, and your download speed determines how quickly you can do that.
On the other hand, the upload part of your connection allows you to send your inputs and information to the game server and determines how quickly you can send it.
As a result, if you don’t have enough latency, you may find that the game is not registering your inputs on time or delaying them. For instance, you may be playing a shooter and running for cover. You make your way around the corner but still get shot – as it turns out, you hid around the corner on your screen, but not on your opponent’s screen.
Furthermore, upload is also crucial if you plan to do any livestreaming. The minimum upload speed for livestreaming is 10 Mbps. However, this will drastically increase the higher resolution you stream. For instance, if you want to stream in 4K resolution, you need to have a minimum of 25 Mpbs upload speed, but preferably around 50 Mpbs to account for fluctuations.
Which Factors Determine Good Latency?
If you dream of a world without lag or latency, know that these factors will help you realize that having a faster gaming experience is not impossible.
Routing
Routing refers to the data route from the client (your computer or console) to the game server (Epic Games, Riot Games, EA Games) and vice-versa.
The larger the distance between the client and the game server, the longer it will take the server to send your device data and the longer the server will take to receive your inputs. For instance, if you are from the US and play on a game server hosted in Europe, your latency would be higher than if you played on a US server because the distance is shorter.
Routing is, in fact, the second most significant factor that determines high latency, next to game servers. It allows someone with a 40 Mbps internet speed to have better latency than someone with a 400 Mbps internet speed.
Server and Client Location
The location of a game server ties into routing, too. The greater the distance between you and the game server, the higher your latency and chance of lag.
Furthermore, although internet speed can increase your potential to have a faster gaming experience, it won’t necessarily give you a better latency.
It’s crucial for gamers to choose the nearest server to have the best online gaming experience.
VPN
VPNs are more than just software for protecting personal privacy and watching geographically locked series. Gamers use them to improve their routing and attain a lower latency. Of course, some gamers use them to access games that have IP bans, too, like Lost Ark.
In most cases, VPNs can lower your latency by around 15 – 30, which can significantly improve your gaming experience, depending on the game you play.
However, it can also increase your latency in some cases because it needs to decrypt any data you send, decrypt it when it gets to the game server, and repeat the process when the server sends data back to you.
It’s also worth noting that some game companies like Epic Games and Valve will ban gamers who try to use a VPN service to connect to their servers. Others will simply block gamers from connecting to their servers with a VPN service – remember to read the Terms Of Service carefully!
Rubber-Banding
Every gamer has suffered from rubber-banding at some point, even if they don’t know it! It is most noticeable when playing a first-person shooter like Call of Duty.
You could be on a reasonably populated server and running looking for your next target to shoot when suddenly you get teleported back a few steps to where you were three or four seconds earlier – that is rubber-banding!
Unfortunately, there is no rubber-banding umbrella fix for every game because the fixes usually involve tweaking in-game settings. There are a lot of videos that share tips and tricks on Youtube covering rubber-banding fixes for every game, from Valorant, CSGO, Apex Legends, and Fortnite, etc., so check it out!
Publisher Server
Sometimes game publishers are at fault for gamers having high latency and experiencing lag or disconnects. There are many examples of game companies reporting server issues on their Twitter platform, explaining that they are aware of server issues and working on a solution.
Networking Equipment
Pay special attention to the router you purchase because older routers can limit internet speeds to 100 Mbps. Your router assumes the position of your personal chauffeur while you enjoy the ride from the back-side passenger seat.
As it happens, your chauffeur’s vehicle cannot exceed 100 miles per hour (in this case, 100 Mbps), so your internet speed will cap at that speed, irrespective of the internet package from your ISP.
The only way to exceed the router’s limit of 100 Mbps is to buy a faster one – it’s impossible to upgrade a router to make it quicker.
Packet Loss
When your computer or console communicates with your router, the data presents itself in the form of a packet. The packet travels from your computer or console to your ISP and the game server.
Packet loss is evident when your latency suddenly spikes without warning and drops back to normal just as suddenly. For instance, you could have a latency of 50 spike to 335 within a second and back down again to 45 a few seconds later.
Your latency fluctuates rapidly because the packets of data traded between your computer and router become lost in transit. As a result, the server loses about 60 frames of in-game information, and you appear to teleport while you play.
Although your game server and gaming system can have an influence, your best bet to fix packet loss is to contact your ISP.
Internet Service Provider (ISP)
If you test your internet speed and notice its way below the package you bought from your ISP, contact them and report the issue. There’s a high probability that they can explain why you experience current internet speeds and how you can fix it.
Conclusion
A 400 Mbps internet speed is perfect for competitive gaming or casual, but it does not guarantee a good latency.