How are Download and Upload Speeds Determined?ĭownload and upload speeds only determine the maximum potential amount of data a router, and therefore any device connected to it, can download and upload per second. Other factors come into play, which we will go into in this article. Contrary to popular opinion, just having a “fast” internet package with high download and upload speeds does not automatically guarantee that gamers will be lag free online. Latency, sometimes referred to as lag or “ping”, is actually far more important for online gaming and is a separate factor from download and upload speeds. While the reply is no doubt true most times, it is not the most relevant thing when it comes to online gaming. “How can I be lagging I’ve got Verizon 200 Mbps download and 20 upload, my internet is fine!” or something similar is usually what comes back when someone gets told they are lagging. When someone gets a hard time on a Playstation or Xbox message thread about lagging in an online gaming session, they usually respond by telling you how good their internet package is so what’s the problem?
Are download and upload speeds really that important for online gaming? A lot of people tend to think a they are.
