The short answer: online gaming needs very little download speed. 10–25 Mbps is enough for gameplay itself. What matters far more is latency (ping) and a stable, consistent connection. If you want the best gaming experience, full fibre is the top choice, but standard superfast FTTC is perfectly fine for most games. Wired ethernet over Wi-Fi makes a bigger practical difference than upgrading your speed tier.
Why latency matters more than speed
When you play an online game, your console or PC is constantly sending small packets of data to a game server and receiving responses. The time that round-trip takes is your ping, measured in milliseconds (ms). A lower ping means the game responds faster to your inputs. A higher ping causes the delay people call lag.
The actual data exchanged during gameplay is tiny. A typical multiplayer game session uses around 40–150 MB per hour of play, far less than a single HD video stream. So having a 500 Mbps connection does not make your character move faster. What it cannot do is reduce your ping. That depends on your connection type, your distance from the game server, and the stability of your line.
To put numbers on it: a connection with 100 Mbps download and 80ms ping will feel noticeably laggier than one with 20 Mbps download and 10ms ping. For gaming, that lower-speed, lower-latency connection wins every time. See our guide to broadband speeds explained for more on how Mbps and latency relate.
Ping benchmarks for gaming: under 20ms is excellent; 20–50ms is good and suitable for almost all games; 50–100ms is noticeable in fast-paced competitive games; above 100ms causes clear lag and is not suitable for real-time multiplayer.
What speed do you actually need for gaming?
The minimum download speed for online gaming is around 3–5 Mbps. Upload needs to be at least 1–2 Mbps. These figures cover the game traffic itself during active play. Even in a lobby with many players, the data exchanged is modest.
Where higher download speed makes a real difference is downloading games. Modern AAA titles routinely weigh in at 50–100 GB. At 100 Mbps, 1 GB downloads in roughly 80 seconds, so a 70 GB game takes about 93 minutes. On a 20 Mbps connection, that same 1 GB takes around seven minutes, meaning the full game takes roughly eight hours. If you buy games digitally and want to play quickly after purchase, higher download speed has a genuine benefit.
For most households where gaming is one of several activities happening simultaneously, 25–50 Mbps is more than sufficient. Everyone else can stream and browse without affecting game performance at that bandwidth.
| Activity | Minimum speed | What actually matters |
|---|---|---|
| Online multiplayer gaming | 3–5 Mbps down / 1–2 Mbps up | Latency (ping) |
| Downloading a 70 GB game | Any speed works, faster is quicker | Download speed |
| Game streaming (Xbox Cloud, GeForce Now) | 15–35 Mbps | Consistent low latency |
| 4K game streaming (GeForce Now Ultimate) | 35 Mbps+ | Consistent connection |
Broadband types compared for gaming
Full fibre (FTTP)
Full fibre is the best broadband type for gaming. Because fibre optic cable runs all the way to your home with no copper in the line, latency is consistently low and stable. Typical ping on an FTTP connection to a UK game server is 5–15ms. Jitter (the variation in ping from one packet to the next) is minimal, which means no unexpected lag spikes during play.
FTTP also handles peak-time traffic well. Coverage is now above 70% of UK premises and growing. If it is available at your address, it is worth getting. See our full fibre explained guide for how it works and how to check availability.
FTTC (superfast fibre)
FTTC delivers fibre to the street cabinet, then uses copper from the cabinet to your home. Typical ping is 10–20ms, which is fine for all but the most competitive play. Connection stability is slightly less consistent than FTTP, mainly because the copper stretch can be affected by interference or poor wiring quality, but for the vast majority of games and players, FTTC is perfectly adequate.
ADSL (standard copper)
ADSL uses copper telephone wiring all the way from the exchange to your home. The longer cable run introduces higher and more variable latency. Typical ping on ADSL is 20–60ms, and it can spike higher. For casual gaming this is workable. For fast-paced competitive multiplayer, such as first-person shooters, fighting games and racing sims, the higher latency and variability will be noticeable. If ADSL is your only option, it is playable, but upgrading to FTTC or FTTP when available is worthwhile.
Virgin Media cable
Virgin Media operates its own cable network rather than using Openreach infrastructure. Latency is low (typically 5–15ms) and speeds are high, making it a good gaming connection. The one consideration is that Virgin Media's network is shared between neighbours in your area, and congestion at peak times (evenings) can occasionally push ping up. In most areas this is not a persistent problem, but it is worth bearing in mind.
4G and 5G broadband
4G home broadband typically gives 20–50ms ping. This is playable for most games but less ideal for competitive multiplayer where consistency matters. 5G is a meaningful improvement: typical ping on 5G home broadband is 10–20ms, comparable to FTTC. The key limitation of both is consistency. Mobile network congestion can cause ping to spike unpredictably, which is more disruptive in gaming than a steady but slightly higher average ping. If fixed-line broadband is not available at your address, 5G home broadband is a viable gaming option; 4G less so for competitive play.
Wired versus Wi-Fi for gaming
Connecting your console or gaming PC to the router via an ethernet cable is one of the most effective improvements you can make, and it costs very little. Wi-Fi introduces two problems for gaming: it adds latency (typically 2–5ms extra) and it introduces jitter. That jitter is the real issue. Even if your average ping looks acceptable on a Wi-Fi connection, the variation from packet to packet can cause sporadic lag spikes that a wired connection eliminates entirely.
If your router is in another room, a powerline adapter pair (around £30–50) lets you run a wired connection through your home's electrical wiring without threading cables through walls. For competitive gaming on a PS5, Xbox or gaming PC, a wired connection is strongly preferable.
For a full breakdown of Wi-Fi improvement options, see our guide on how to improve your home Wi-Fi.
Understanding jitter
Jitter is the variation in your ping from one moment to the next. A connection with an average ping of 20ms but jitter of 15ms means your actual ping is swinging between roughly 5ms and 35ms constantly. That variation causes inconsistent hit registration, rubber-banding (where your character snaps back) and stuttering in fast-paced games.
A connection with 30ms average ping but only 2ms jitter will feel smoother than one averaging 15ms with 10ms jitter. FTTP has the lowest jitter of any fixed-line broadband type. FTTC is generally good. ADSL and mobile connections have higher jitter, particularly during congested periods.
Most broadband speed test tools (Ookla Speedtest, fast.com, BT's own test) display a jitter figure alongside ping and speed. Run a test during the evening when you usually play to get a representative reading.
Are "gaming broadband" packages worth it?
Several providers market broadband packages specifically aimed at gamers, often at a premium price. These packages tend to offer one or more of: prioritised traffic for gaming, a static IP address, or lower contention ratios.
Traffic prioritisation (Quality of Service) can help on a congested connection, but a standard full fibre connection from most providers achieves the same low latency and jitter without any special configuration. If you are on FTTP, you are already getting the best latency available from your line. Paying extra for a "gaming" label on top of that rarely delivers a measurable improvement during actual gameplay.
A static IP address is useful if you host game servers or need a consistent NAT type, but for most players it makes no practical difference.
In short: a standard full fibre deal gives you everything you need for gaming. You do not need to pay a premium for a gaming-branded package.
Game streaming services
Cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now and PlayStation Plus Premium's cloud streaming work differently from downloaded games. Instead of running the game on your hardware, the game runs on a remote server and video of the gameplay is streamed to your screen. You send your inputs to the server and receive back a live video feed.
This places greater demand on your connection than conventional online gaming. You need a consistent 15–35 Mbps depending on the resolution, and low latency matters considerably, because the entire rendering pipeline is remote. A 5ms ping improvement is more noticeable in cloud gaming than in a locally run game.
Full fibre is the best platform for cloud gaming. FTTC is fine for 1080p streaming. ADSL and 4G are marginal, particularly at peak times when speeds and latency both fluctuate.
What you do not need
You do not need gigabit broadband for gaming. Gameplay itself uses under 1 Mbps of bandwidth in most titles. Even downloading large games, 100–150 Mbps full fibre is more than adequate. Paying for 500 Mbps or 1 Gbps will not reduce your ping by a single millisecond.
You do not need a gaming-labelled router in most cases. Standard ISP-supplied routers on a full fibre connection deliver low latency without any special hardware. If you want manual Quality of Service controls or advanced network management, a third-party router can be useful, but the default hardware from most providers works fine for gaming.
You do not need to pay extra for a gaming broadband package. Standard full fibre from a mainstream provider gives you the same latency and stability as gaming-branded packages at a lower price. Compare deals on a like-for-like basis and set aside the gaming branding.
You do not need symmetrical gigabit speeds for gaming. Upload speed is rarely the bottleneck in gameplay. Even 10 Mbps upload is more than enough for online play. Symmetrical speeds become relevant if you stream your gameplay to Twitch or YouTube, in which case 5–10 Mbps upload is the practical threshold for a stable 1080p stream.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good ping for gaming?
Under 20ms is excellent and will be unnoticeable in any game. 20–50ms is good and suitable for all casual and competitive multiplayer. 50–100ms is acceptable for slower-paced games but will be noticeable in fast shooters or fighting games. Above 100ms causes clear and consistent lag and is not suitable for real-time multiplayer.
Why is my ping high even though I have fast broadband?
Ping depends on more than your connection type. The physical distance between you and the game server matters: a game server in the US will always have higher ping than one in the UK, regardless of your broadband speed. Router congestion, Wi-Fi interference and peak-time network load can also push ping up. Try connecting via ethernet and running a speed test to see your baseline ping to a UK server, then compare that to what you see in-game.
Does my router affect gaming performance?
Yes, if it is old or overloaded. A router processing many simultaneous connections can introduce additional latency and jitter. If your router is more than five years old and you have many devices on the network, upgrading to a modern Wi-Fi 6 router can help. Connecting your gaming device via ethernet also removes the router's Wi-Fi radio from the equation for that device.
Will other people using the internet during my gaming session affect my ping?
For ping specifically, not significantly on a 50 Mbps or faster connection. Gaming uses so little bandwidth that several people streaming simultaneously will not push the connection to capacity. Where shared usage can cause problems is on slower ADSL connections near their limits, or if someone is running a large upload (such as a cloud backup) that saturates upload bandwidth. On a superfast or full fibre connection, shared usage during gaming is not a concern.
Is Virgin Media or full fibre better for gaming?
Both are good. Full fibre (FTTP) from Openreach-based providers gives 5–15ms ping and very low jitter. Virgin Media cable is comparable at 5–15ms but can experience congestion at peak times in busy areas. In practice, both are excellent gaming connections. The choice between them should come down to price, contract terms and the speeds available at your address.
Can I game on 4G broadband?
Yes, for most games. 4G broadband typically gives 20–50ms ping, which is within the acceptable range for casual and semi-competitive multiplayer. The bigger concern is consistency: 4G latency can spike during network congestion, causing occasional lag spikes rather than a steady elevated ping. For serious competitive gaming, a fixed-line connection is preferable. 5G broadband is a better option if available, with ping comparable to FTTC.
Does Open NAT type matter for online gaming?
NAT type affects whether you can connect to other players and host sessions, particularly on consoles. Open NAT means no restrictions; Moderate NAT may limit some matchmaking features; Strict NAT can prevent certain connections entirely. Most home routers automatically configure an acceptable NAT type. If you have NAT issues, enabling UPnP in your router settings usually resolves them. This is a router configuration question, not a broadband type question.
Should I use a VPN while gaming?
No, in most cases. A VPN adds latency because your traffic takes a longer route via the VPN server before reaching the game server. For most players, a VPN while gaming increases your ping. There are niche exceptions: if your ISP is throttling gaming traffic, a VPN might bypass that, but for the vast majority of players, a VPN makes your connection to game servers slower, not faster.