From AT&T Internet to Verizon Fios and everything in between, determining which internet provider is best for the high-speed internet required for streaming and gaming in 2024 is important. Slow internet can really kill the relaxing vibe we try to achieve when streaming or gaming, as can endlessly comparing the many speeds, promotions, types of internet service and providers in your area. We’ve broken down the seven main factors to consider when determining which streaming and gaming internet provider is best for you and your home.
Availability
The first thing to check when determining the best high-speed internet provider for your home is which providers actually offer service in your area. In major cities, you’ll have a plethora of options for providers who use different types of service, while in more rural areas, your options may be more limited. In metropolitan areas, it is common to find fiber optic and/or cable services, while more rural areas will often have only cable or sometimes only DSL options. For streaming and gaming speeds, fiber optic or cable is necessary.
The best way to determine which providers offer coverage in your area is to do a preliminary search online and then check each company’s website to confirm availability in your zip code.
Also, asking former tenants, landlords or neighbors which services are best in your neighborhood can be a great way to find the best speeds and prices. Keep in mind that people who do not stream or game may not appreciate high-speed internet as much as you do, so “fast” for them might just mean their email loads quickly.
Upload Speed
When selecting an internet service provider, it’s essential to determine if your plan will provide a good upload speed. Unlike a download speed, the upload speed determines how fast you can send or upload data from your computer or device to the internet, like uploading files. A good upload speed is also essential to ensure there isn’t a lag in video conferencing, streaming or online gaming. Generally, upload speeds of 5 Mbps or higher are considered “good” and would be ideal for streaming and gaming.
Download Speed
Download speed is how quickly data is transferred to your device from the internet. Whether you’re loading web pages, streaming videos or online gaming, a good download speed is at least 100 Mbps.
While download speeds aren’t usually crucial for gaming, some situations require faster downloading than others. Quick download speeds allow faster game updating, which is nice when you’re ready to play now. More importantly, faster download speeds mean your game is less likely to suffer interruptions when others in the house are busy online.
Connection Type
Unless you have speedy Wi-Fi for gaming, utilizing a wired connection and opting for fiber optic is recommended for best results. Fiber is the best connection. Its fast uploading speeds and low latency times mean lagging is all but eliminated. It essentially ruins connection speed excuses, really.
If fiber isn’t available in your location, the next best thing is broadband cable. Cable won’t share fiber’s upload speed capacity, but latency times are still adequate.
DSL is an option, but your gaming skills may suffer due to speed issues. Satellite is last up, with latency problems simply due to the distance your signal needs to travel at critical moments in the game.
Latency
Whether pressing play or moving a joystick, latency is the time it takes for the system to respond to an action. Therefore, if you’re online gaming and instructing a character to move, data packets are sent to the server, and then the server processes that request. The server even processes other gamers’ actions toward you and sends that information back to your system, also called the ping rate. The lower the ping rate (ideally under 50 milliseconds), the faster the connection.
Typical Average Latency Speeds by Connection Type
| CONNECTION TYPE | LATENCY RANGE |
|---|---|
Fiber | 12 – 25 |
Cable | 20 – 40 |
DSL | 25 – 70 |
Satellite | 450+ |
Data Caps
All internet service providers implement data caps differently. That is why they are important to note when choosing an ISP. When you reach your data cap, two things can happen:
- Your ISP will temporarily slow your data speeds until the next billing cycle
- Your ISP will cut off your data, and you won’t have access to data until the following month
The more people you have streaming and gaming in your home, the more data you’ll need to keep up with everyone’s downloads. We suggest going for unlimited data when you can.
Typical data caps among the high-speed internet providers implementing them are 1 TB and above. Having data caps well below that with slower connection plans is common. 1 TB is usually more than enough for casual gaming. However, running over that amount is pretty easy for those who take competitive gaming seriously.
Reliability
Suppose you are looking for the most reliable ISP for your streaming and online gaming habits. In that case, there are a few things you’ll need to consider like availability in your area, affordability (including promotions and discounts), speeds offered, etc. To determine the service’s reliability, you must research and read the reviews.
