Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing an Internet Provider

Xfinity

4 Best Internet Providers for Gaming

You’re gonna relate to this. 

I was playing Valorant with my clan, and it was a 1v1. Now, I was sweating bullets, but I knew I had this. I heard the spike being planted and knew this was my chance to eliminate the guy and get a win.

I peek and see the guy. I knew I had him. I smile as I press left-click. And BOOM! I get eliminated. Why?

Because my internet decided to lag out at that exact second. At that point, I wanted to rip the router and yeet it at a wall.

Consequently, I decided to let go of my previous ISP and look for a better one. After some extensive research, I found some great ISPs for gaming.

Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing an Internet Provider

4 Best Internet Providers for Gaming

Tips for Optimal Gaming Experience

Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing an Internet Provider

Here are some of the things you need to keep in mind when choosing an internet provider for gaming.

  • Availability: The first thing you need to check is the provider’s availability in your area. Some internet providers might offer cable but not fiber in your area. Make sure to check if the provider offers the exact plans you want in your area.
  • Speed: This is another huge factor to keep in mind when selecting an internet option for gaming. While gaming doesn’t use a lot of bandwidth, it’s always better to get a little more than to be a little short. Generally speaking, a 300 Mbps internet connection should be more than enough.
  • Cost: It’s always important to keep your budget in mind when choosing an internet plan for gaming. While fiber internet is the best for gaming, it’s also more expensive. Make sure to check out the internet plans on offer and choose the one that suits your budget.
  • Reliability: The internet’s reliability is the biggest factor you need to consider when gaming. This includes the latency of the internet when gaming and the frequency of the outages. While you can’t test this out unless you get the connection yourself, you can always head to Reddit and YouTube for user reviews in your area.
  • Contracts: Let’s be honest. No one likes to get stuck in those pesky contracts. So, try to find a provider that offers no contracts. However, if the provider offers great services, then contracts can be a great way to save some money on the side since a lot of providers offer a discounted rate for contracts.

4 Best Internet Providers for Gaming

After testing out various internet service providers in the U.S., here are four of the best internet providers to use for gaming.

AT&T 

ProsCons
Straightforward PricingLimited Availability
Fiber InternetSpeeds Above 1 Gbps Require Special Hardware
Unlimited Data

AT&T is among some of the best fiber internet providers in America right now. While we don’t have anything bad to say about their internet service, it just isn’t widely available in the U.S., like some other providers in this list.

Their fiber internet is lightning-fast and reliable, which makes it a great option to use as a gamer. Not just that, they offer unlimited data, which is perfect for a gamer who needs to download huge games onto their console.

Whether you’re a gamer or not, one thing we hate about internet providers is having to sign a contract, which essentially means that we have to stick to that provider for a while. Thankfully, with AT&T, you don’t have to sign a contract.

Also, did I mention that there are no equipment fees?

While their internet is a little costly compared to the others, it’s understandable because of the benefits they offer. Overall, I found AT&T to be a great internet provider for gamers since it gives reliable speeds, a stable connection with great latency, and unlimited data.

Xfinity 

ProsCons
Excellent SpeedsCheaper Plans Have Contracts
Affordable PlansUnlimited Data Has Extra Charges
Customizable Plans

The internet plans offered by Xfinity are some of the most versatile ones you can get on this list. Depending on your location, you can find up to seven Xfinity Internet plans to fit your needs. While the prices are great, you can get an extra discount if you opt to sign a contract with them.

I found their Connect More plan to be more value for money. Not only do you get a speed of up to 300 Mbps, but you don’t have to sign a term contract.

You will have to endure a data cap of 1.2 Tb. However, this should be more than enough if you play a lot of multiplayer games and don’t download games that often.

We found their internet to be highly reliable for gaming and didn’t experience packet loss even once, which is great for people who play a lot of competitive shooters.

It’s a fiber-backed cable internet which means that you’re going to get some of the benefits of fiber internet such as its reliability and stability.

Optimum 

ProsCons
No Data CapsLimited Availability
Competitive PricingExpensive Than Other Options
No Contracts

Optimum Internet is another great option you can get if you want a fiber internet connection at an amazing price. While their fiber availability depends on your location, you can still get a great cable internet option if you don’t have fiber in your area.

Their fiber internet offers symmetrical speeds, which means that you get the same upload and download speeds. This can be great for gamers who also like to stream their content since upload speeds matter a lot when uploading larger file sizes.

One great thing about Optimum is that you don’t have to pay for the equipment, and there are no contracts or data caps.

During our testing, we found that their internet is extremely reliable for gaming. Not just that, it held up pretty well when streaming games through Discord or YouTube, while playing online multiplayer. However, this testing was done using their fiber internet, so results might vary when using cable internet.

Overall, this Internet provider is great if you’re looking to save a little money, all while getting the benefits of using fiber internet.

Spectrum

ProsCons
No ContractsLimited Gigabyte Availability
No Data CapsAsymmetrical Speeds
Free Hotspots

Spectrum is another great option to get if you’re a gamer who can’t get fiber internet in your area. Not only is it reliable, but it also gets great internet speed at a very reasonable price.

With their basic internet plan, which is more than enough for someone who plays competitive multiplayer games, you can get download speeds of up to 300 Mbps. 

They also offer free WiFi hotspots all over the U.S., which can be great if you’re a nomad gamer who takes their gaming laptop to different places and needs internet to game on it. However, these WiFi hotspots aren’t that good for online gaming as you’re going to face a lot of lag during gameplay.

There’s nothing at stake since you don’t have to pay a fee for termination.

While their internet doesn’t compete with fiber internet, it’s great for gaming as it’s a reliable and inexpensive option for people who want unlimited internet for downloading large games.

Tips for Optimal Gaming Experience

Now that you have your chosen internet all wired up and your console’s fans roaring, it’s time to grab your controller and show these noobs who the boss is. 

But wait!

There are still a few things you can do to make your internet performance great for gaming. These include:

Manage Your Bandwidth

A lot of times, your bandwidth can be sucked up by other applications or devices, which can cause a lot of lag and jitters in your online experience. Whether you know it or not, there may be an app running in the background that’s using up your resources.

Make sure you close any unused apps and disconnect the devices you’re not currently using.

Use an Ethernet Cable

Even if you have a fast internet connection, you might have a higher latency if the game server is further away from your physical location. If you’re using a WiFi connection, this latency can increase based on a lot of factors like your location and the number of obstructions between your console and the router.

This is why, I recommend using a wired connection to eliminate any external factors that might affect your connection.

Check Your Ping

It’s important to make sure that you’re getting lower ping when gaming. Anything less than 50ms ping is great for gaming since there’s no noticeable lag during gameplay. After 100ms of ping, you’re going to notice delays in your action, which might be a little annoying but won’t ruin your experience.

However, if your ping is more than 150ms, you’re going to experience a significant amount of lag and your experience won’t be fun. So, make sure you check your ping before you start playing. If your ping is higher than normal, double-check your server to see if you’re connected to a server that’s further away.

A reliable internet provider is guaranteed to give you a better gaming experience. I won’t recommend going for any satellite internet providers if you can’t find these ISPs in your area. Instead, you can always use your phone’s cellular data for gaming since it doesn’t use up a lot of data.

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