Best broadband for gaming in the UK
Whether you're a parent looking to find out more about the hobby that your child spends so much of their time on, or an experienced gamer looking to find the best broadband for gaming, the Uswitch Gaming Hub is home to all of the gaming-related information that you need.
What is gaming?
Gaming refers to playing an electronic video game via a device such as a gaming console (like PlayStation), a PC, or a smartphone. ‘Gamers’ are a group of people who often play video games.
The difference between gaming and online gaming
The main difference between the two is that online gaming is any type of video game offering online interaction with other players, rather than being played offline. With offline gaming you don’t need an internet connection to participate, whereas a strong connection is a necessity for online gaming.
The different types of online gaming
Online games are usually played on either a games console (like a PlayStation), a personal computer (PC) or a mobile phone. Each platform has its own pros and cons, and when talking about hardcore and/or professional gamers people are usually referring to those playing on a PC or a console.
What’s the best broadband for gaming?
Fibre broadband? Download speed times? Ping rate? Knowing which broadband is best for gaming is a minefield.
The type of broadband you have at home should reflect what you plan to use it for, and online gaming is one of the most bandwidth-hungry activities you could do. The best broadband for gamers is going to be significantly different from the best broadband for simple social media browsing or Netflix streaming.
Many major broadband providers know that gamers are in a class of their own and will place high demands on their broadband connections. There are a range of fast broadband packages on the market that are ideal for gamers, so here are a few things to consider when comparing broadband deals.
What minimum broadband speed do I need for gaming?
The good news is that you can technically game online with almost any broadband speed. The bad news is that if your broadband speed is slow, it will likely be a poor gaming experience, and if you’re playing competitively, you’ll probably get taken out pretty quickly.
As a minimum for basic games, you should have at least 3Mbps of broadband speed for any one device. But you should bear in mind that others in your home might be using the internet too. If family members or housemates are also using the internet, your bandwidth will be even more limited. So it’s always wise to look for a broadband speed that accounts for everyone in your household.
Plus, when you're competing against others, faster can often mean better. Not only will downloads be faster, but your 'ping rate' will be much faster (a ping rate of at least 150ms or less is ideal for gaming), which can significantly improve your performance versus other online players.
What should I consider when choosing broadband for gaming?
Here are four key factors to consider when choosing the best broadband for gaming:
- Good internet connection
Full fibre broadband (also known as fibre-to-the-premises or FTTP) is the best internet option for gaming, as it delivers ultrafast speeds and a stable connection. Part-fibre broadband (fibre-to-the-cabinet or FTTC) can be less reliable as it uses older copper cables, resulting in slower internet and interruptions.
- Know your speed requirements
While 3Mbps is the bare minimum for online gaming, faster connections of around 100Mbps and above will result in smoother gameplay. If multiple people in your household play games online, it is recommended to have higher speeds to avoid interruptions.
- Reduce latency
Low latency (also known as ping) is essential for online gaming, as it reduces the response time between what you do on your controller and the action you take in-game. Ensuring you have a stable broadband connection helps prevent lagging and disconnections while playing a game – especially when doing so competitively.
- Choose the best broadband provider and plan
Choosing a reliable broadband provider is imperative for gamers. Reliability is key to ensuring a smooth gaming experience and preventing interruptions during online play. Take time to research the provider's track record for customer service and connection reliability, as these are key to a lag and frustration-free gaming experience.
How to get the best gaming internet
To get the best gaming internet, you’ll need to make sure that you have the right broadband connection and that you’re using it effectively.
Below are some tips for getting the best internet for gaming:
1. Choose a fibre broadband package
Full fibre broadband (also known as fibre-to-the-premises or FTTP) is the best internet option for gaming, as it delivers ultrafast speeds and a stable connection. Part-fibre broadband (fibre-to-the-cabinet or FTTC) can be less reliable as it uses older copper cables, resulting in slower internet and interruptions.
2. Try a wired connection
You could switch to a wired Ethernet connection with your router, which is more stable than connecting wirelessly via Wi-Fi and is the only way to achieve the fastest broadband speeds currently available in the UK.
Even wireless internet means fewer cables and more flexibility where you can play. If you can connect via Ethernet cable, you could dramatically improve your gaming experience.
For one thing, the direct connection can help to lower your ping rate. As Wi-Fi signals can be affected by interference, they can increase your latency, packet loss and jitter. Interference can come from any number of household devices, so using a wired connection will make gameplay faster and smoother.
3. Make sure you have a good ping for gaming
Ping rate, measured in milliseconds (ms), is the time your connection takes to respond to a request.
It is lag that often makes it seem like your online opponent is standing still when, in fact, they’re moving in to attack you (and vice versa). Latency is the time it takes for the input from your controls to register in the game. The longer the time between pressing punch/jump/fire and that moving taking place on the screen, the lower your sensitivity and the worse your gaming experience will be.
A slow ping leads to high latency, causing lag. For smooth gaming, aim for a low ping rate, ideally under 100ms.
Ready to make a decision on the right broadband for your gaming needs? Compare broadband deals with Uswitch to find the right package for you.
What broadband speed do I need for downloading games?
Video game files can be enormous, and they’ll continue to get larger as graphics and features become more complex. Games with high-res graphics or those that play in 4K will place the biggest demands on your home broadband, and a fully copper ADSL connection with 3Mbps will be unable to cope.
To put things in perspective, Final Fantasy XV is roughly 100 GB and Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare is almost 175 GB. This means Call of Duty: Modern Warfare would take about 132.7 hours to download on a 3Mbps connection. That’s five and a half days of waiting for the game to download before you can start playing. And that’s if there are no interruptions and you don’t use your broadband for anything else that week.
How to speed up your Wi-Fi connection or gaming console
Forever sat waiting for games to download on your console, or bothered by a slow connection messing with your game? We’ve got you covered with the below tips on how to speed up your wifi connection and/or console:
- Get yourself a Wi-Fi booster for your home
- Invest in a better broadband connection to boost download speeds
- Try moving your router and testing if this improve your connection
Looking for more ideas on how you can speed up your video game downloads? Visit the article below to find our top tips on how to speed up downloads across PlayStation, Xbox and PC devices.
"Having a decent internet connection is essential for the ideal online gaming setup - checking your download (and upload) speed - as well as ensuring low latency (measured in 'ping' where lower is better) - is key.”
Explore the most interesting online gaming related statistics
Online gaming statistics
Did you know that 40% of the world’s population are gamers? Our online gaming statistics report details a whole host of other stats and facts about the world of gaming, from demographics to game comparisons and even revenue.
Broadband statistics
A good broadband connection goes hand in hand with a pleasant gaming experience, so the latest broadband facts and stats will be of interest to any gamer. For example, England had the strongest 5G accessibility across the UK, with the service available for between 76% and 85% of UK premises. Find other related facts like this one on our broadband statistics page.
How many gaming genres are there?
Even though most games mix facets from various genres, most games can be grouped into one of 10-15 game types. From sports to sandbox to RPG, we'll explain each game type and help you find which genre is most suited to you.
Role-playing games (RPGs)
RPGs are games in which you are put in a specific role, and act as a specific character whilst you play. You will find a wide range of RPGs, including Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) where you will compete and interact with a number of other gamers playing as their own characters.
Platformers/Platformer games
Platform games involve you navigating a virtual environment, often by running, jumping, and climbing on various platforms to work your way through that environment. Usually the platforms which you need to overcome will become progressively more difficult as you work your way through the game.
Simulation games
You can immerse yourself in a make-belief world with simulation games, and often that world will be of your own creation. Simulation games are great for those looking to channel their time, attention and energy into a creative endeavour.
What are the benefits of gaming?
There are many benefits of playing video games on a regular basis, including being able to improve:
- Cognitive health: gaming can help tap into different parts of the brain and help exercise memory.
- Problem-solving: working to progress through the levels or defeat a challenging opponent whilst gaming can mean that you are developing your problem solving skills.
- Teamwork: success in multiplayer games requires teamwork which is a skill that can benefit gamers in many other areas of their lives.
- Decision making: effective gaming requires confident action, which can help refine your ability to make quick decisions even under pressure.
- Navigation skills: when navigating online worlds and landscapes you may find that your navigation skills improve.
- Concentration: if there is one thing that the best gamers have in common it is concentration.
- Accuracy of tasks: progressing in a game requires you to hit key objectives consistently, potentially helping to improve your accuracy when it comes to everyday tasks.
- Multi-tasking abilities: one of the reasons that gaming is so enjoyable is because it is challenging, requiring you to consistently multi-task to progress.
Parents, are you looking for gaming advice?
Nine out of 10 children in the UK play games online, but many parents are wary of the dangers of online gaming and what they can do to help keep children safe while gaming online.
Our online gaming safety hub has all the resources you need to help keep your child safe and happy online, from guides on parental controls to how to tell if a game is suitable.
Feeling overwhelmed by gaming terminology?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. That’s why we’ve put together a gaming glossary with all the need-to-know gaming terms and abbreviations – all 160 of them. Get clued up for your next gaming session, or understand your child’s gaming lingo today.
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