A poor internet connection can be the reason behind a lot of computer related problems, but is gaming one of them? The answer is yes, it can indeed be an issue, but not always. Before we elaborate more on that answer, it is necessary to define what exactly qualifies as a bad or poor internet connection in the first place.
How to Know if Your Internet Connection is Poor or Not
There are two primary parameters to judge an internet connection by, and they are:
- Download/upload speed in relation to the locality
- Ping, aka communication latency between two points of contact/network
You can find your current internet download/upload speed and ping in one click by testing it out on Speedtest.net. Compare this with the results from your location there and you will instantly know if your connection qualifies as poor or not. As a general frame of reference, your ping should not exceed 50ms and your download/upload speed should not be below 10Mbps – 15Mbps. If you find that your connection is poor, you can then look for a provider like viasat internet services, or a similar provider in your area, that is compatible with your required speeds, at a price that suits you.
How Does a Bad Internet Connection Affect Your Gaming Experience?
If you are playing games online, the internet connection speed needs to receive and send data at a minimum speed of 10Mbps, if not at a much higher speed. Once you have the minimum recommended internet speed going, you still need to be wary of the ping, especially if you are interested in playing competitive online games that require having a low reaction time.
Examples include all online shooters and racing games for instance. If you have a high ping, there will be a significant delay between your action and that action's representation on screen. Imagine taking a close shot in COD and then waiting for a whole second or two to see your onscreen character follow that command. In competitive shooters, your character would be dead by the time your delayed signals even reach the server! Irrespective of high speeds, any ping higher than 40ms – 60ms can render competitive online games completely unplayable.
When Does a Poor Internet Connection Not Affect Your Gaming Experience?
If you are playing any online game that requires fast reaction, a bad internet connection will ruin your experience completely. However, it should not be as much of a problem if you are playing games that don't require lightning-fast reflexes. For example, most casino games don't need a superfast internet connection with sub-50ms ping to be enjoyed properly. If you do like playing slot games, blackjack, roulette, etc., you can get the most value out of your deposits with the best casino bonus CA (Canada) based online casinos have to offer. In case you are interested in live casino games, make sure that the ping is at least below 90 – 100ms, or the latency may affect the experience a bit too much for it to be truly enjoyable.
Other than that, you can always stick to single player games which do not require an active internet connection to play. Last of Us, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Dark Souls III, Resident Evil: Village, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Red Dead Redemption II, Hades, Monster Train, and Dead Cells, are just some of the many, many excellent single-player games that do not require an active internet connection to play.
