An online match uses less internet than a Full HD movie. Even so, gamers complain about lag. That happens because what really counts in a game is ping, the time your command takes to reach the server and come back.
How to read ping
- Up to 20 ms. Great for any game, including shooters and fighting games
- From 20 to 50 ms. Good, you can play competitively without noticing
- From 50 to 100 ms. Playable, but the delay shows up in fast games
- Above 100 ms. Your character teleports and shots do not register
What raises ping at home
- Playing over Wi-Fi. An Ethernet cable removes the biggest delay inside your home
- Someone downloading or watching video at the same time. The data queue grows and your game command waits
- A distant server. Choosing a Brazilian server in the game makes a difference
Where speed comes in
Speed matters for downloads. New games go over 100 GB, and big updates come out every week. On Ultra 1 Giga, a 100 GB game downloads in under 20 minutes when the connection is free. On 300 Mbps, it takes around 50 minutes.
Fiber also helps with ping, because light inside the glass strand is not affected by interference or rain.
