Best Internet Plans for Gaming: Lower Latency Means Better Performance

To offer the best recommendations for internet service providers for gaming, we looked at speed test results from our speed test tool, compared advertised speeds versus actual speeds, and whenever possible, we strive to get hands-on experience. In this case, I have personally used Google Fiber and Xfinity, and have reached out to gamers across the nation to get insight about their experiences with other ISPs.

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To get the best gaming experience, you need four core features on your home internet plan:

• Fiber or cable connection
• Low latency
• Fast download speeds
• No data caps

Let’s take a look at the reasons for each of these features.

Fiber is the best internet connection available because it delivers the fastest speeds and works over the most reliable network infrastructure. Fiber providers like Google Fiber and AT&T Fiber aren’t available everywhere, so a good alternative is a cable internet provider like Xfinity or Spectrum. In either case, you get speeds of up to a gigabit speed (or even faster in some cases) and a stable connection.

Of course, you can still game on slower connection types like 5G home internet—in fact, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is a solid option for gamers on a budget. But with fiber or cable, you get the smoothest gameplay possible and you don’t have to worry as much about buffering or sudden outages.

Latency, or ping, refers to the time it takes for an internet packet to travel from its sources to its destination. In gaming, it measures how long it takes for the game to register that you pulled a sharp turn in Assetto Corsa Competizione or headshotted someone in Valorant before they headshotted you. The lower the latency, the less lag you experience and the smoother your gaming feels.

Latency depends on what type of internet connection you have, and what internet provider you use. According to the FCC’s latest Measuring Fixed Broadband Report, typical latency for different connection types breaks down like this:

The gold standard for internet gaming is fiber internet, which gives you the fastest speeds with the lowest latency. Cable isn’t too far off from fiber, but you might encounter a few more milliseconds worth of lag than you would with a fiber connection.

DSL has much higher latency rates and satellite internet has the highest latency of all. Gamers should definitely stick with either fiber (best-case scenario) or cable internet to get the best experience.

You don’t need the fastest internet speeds possible to game, but aim for at least 50Mbps download speeds per person in your household for a smooth experience. Keep in mind, your internet speed gets shared across every connected device in your household, so make sure you have enough bandwidth to go around if you have family members and roommates.

If you livestream your games, make sure to get upload speeds of at least 10Mbps. Faster upload speeds make for a much better streaming experience and faster publish times for new videos. One major advantage of fiber is you get symmetrical internet speeds, meaning your uploads are just as fast as your downloads—giving you a ton more bandwidth to support livestreaming and uploads.

The download speeds you get mostly depends on what type of internet connection you have in your house.

Some internet service providers still implement data caps, which put a limit on how much data you can use during the month and lead to charges or slowed speeds when you go over. Keep an eye on the fine print for any limits on your data usage, and aim to get a plan with unlimited data, if possible. You want unlimited data usage so that you can install games, patches, and play online without any arbitrary limits.

Google Fiber is, hands down, the best internet provider for gamers. You get superfast download and upload speeds, low latency, and no data caps—all at a reasonable price. The only problem? It’s not widely available. Before you get too excited about Google Fiber, put in your zip code here to find out if you can get it in your area:

One Google Fiber user on Reddit, who recently switched from Spectrum Internet, recently posted about experiencing a notable decrease in latency—from the high teens all the way down to single digits:

According to results from Reviews.org’s own speed test, the average Google Fiber user gets 25.03 ms of latency. But that number could get even lower with an optimized Ethernet connection.

I’ve been a Google Fiber customer for the past three years and have had an excellent experience. I can remote into my gaming PC from my Steam Deck with very little lag. I can download huge game files quickly (hello Baldur’s Gate 3!), and all of this can happen while my wife streams Real Housewives on the TV downstairs. In short, Google Fiber has saved me from having to watch Real Housewives with my real housewife.

My latency isn’t quite as low, but that’s likely due to the fact that I ran the test with a Wi-Fi connection rather than a direct Ethernet connection, and I’m fairly far from the nearest server location.

Out of the tens of thousands of speed test results that Reviews.org has on record for the past year, Verizon Fios scores the lowest average latency rate at 13.28 ms. That means there should only be a 13.28 ms delay between you pressing the pass button on Madden, and your virtual Patrick Mahomes actually throwing the ball in your online match.

Verizon Fios has four different fiber plans to choose from, ranging from 300Mbps to 2.3Gbps. Those top speeds are overkill for most gamers, but it’s nice to have the option. Every fiber plan (aside from Fios 1 Gig) includes symmetrical speeds, so your download and upload speeds mirror each other rather than having the uploads much slower than the downloads. The high symmetrical speeds and fiber infrastructure all add up to create a superb gaming experience.

Jeff Wiggins, a graphic designer and regular gamer, recently moved to Brooklyn and switched from Optimum to Verizon Fios—which he finds works much better for his gaming needs. “My games download faster, and I can safely say I’ve never lost an Apex match because of my internet connection,” Jeff told Reviews.org in a personal interview. “I lose because I’m bad at the game.”

Verizon also offers 5G home internet services, which cost less while offering similar advertised speeds. You’re better off sticking with Verizon’s Fios fiber connection for gaming, but a Verizon 5G Home plan can save you some money with its $50/mo. (with AutoPay) price tag.

The best thing about AT&T Fiber? It costs less than just about any other high-speed internet provider out there. You can get a 500Mbps fiber plan from AT&T for just $65 per month, and you can get a $20 monthly discount if you bundle your internet service together with an AT&T unlimited cell phone plan. Keep in mind that discount works with any AT&T fiber plan, so you can even get a discount on the absolutely overpowered 5,000Mbps plan.