Which is the best satellite internet for gaming? Living in the countryside means many gamers cannot enjoy a strong internet for online gaming.
But satellite internet is an ultimate panacea for such zones due to its availability.
The hard part is choosing the best satellite internet company. If you’re a gaming enthusiast trying to figure out the ideal satellite internet, we’ve got you covered.
Read on for more details on this topic.
What Makes a Good Gaming Internet Connection？
The following factors are the key determinants of your gaming internet strength and stability.
Low Latency
Ping/latency measures the time gaming data travels from the servers to your device. When picking the suitable latency, choose the one with the least value.
The problem with high latency is that it causes delays during actual gaming. You’ll, therefore, not enjoy the real-time experience ideal for online gaming.
Stability and High Speed
Online gaming icon.
High speed and internet stability is also a fundamental requisite for online gaming.
Primarily, good speed ensures you play the games with optimal graphics display.
It also eliminates the communication lag synonymous with playing online games on slow internet.
So, what is the ideal internet speed? There’s no definite perfect speed, as this fundamentally depends on the type of game you’re playing.
However, on average, a 3-4 Mbps speed is ideal for basic gaming.
Also, if you’re playing a game involving multiple players, you need strong internet.
Low Packet Loss
Professional Online Gamers in Action.
Data transfer on the internet is in the form of packets, and a data packet is a set of commands/instructions.
Hence, you send a data packet to the game server when playing an online game.
Often, there are scenarios when some of the data packets may not reach their destinations due to packet loss.
It further means that you miss out on the perfect execution of some gaming action.
How much Speed do you need for Online Gaming?
A jubilant gaming enthusiast.
The perfect internet speed is proportional to the demands of the game you’re playing.
Most broadband internet options will work for most games. But, fast internet delivers a more seamless experience.
Below are the specific speed requirements for the main game types:
Casual games
Most casual games’ internet demands are relatively low. Hence, you can play them even on basic broadband internet.
Fundamentally, this is because they don’t need spontaneous reactions during play.
Competitive games
When doing a competitive game, having a strong connection is imperative.
It’s essential to ensure that you make the right reflexes on time.
So invest in a fast speed and stable internet connection.
On average, such games require a minimum internet speed of about 3Mbps. But if you can get faster internet, the better.
Hardcore games
These are games where a split-second reaction has a significant impact. So you require a highly powerful internet as they primarily involve professionals.
Latency is also a critical consideration for such games. The ideal speed for pro hardcore games is between 200 and 500Mbps.
Tips to Optimize Satellite Internet for Online Gaming
A happy online gamer.
Satellite internet can sometimes be disappointing and undependable. But despite that, you can improve the gaming experience with these tips.
Regularly Check for Updates
Gaming speed and responses will depend on the software version.
If you’re operating on outdated software, there will be a significant dip in most of these features. Therefore, we advise that you get regular updates.
They are pretty data-consuming, so ideally, you should schedule them to ensure you don’t deplete the data cap.
Go for Mobile/Local Games
Playing online games on the PC consumes more data than on your mobile device.
Hence, although the gaming experience on mobile platforms is quite diminished, it’s sometimes better than on PC.
It is especially important when your internet speed is quite poor.
Other Tips
The other essential tips that can improve your gaming experience include the following:
- Use a network optimization application to enhance the game loading and improve data packet operation.
- When playing on Windows OS, choose the Game Mode. It’s optimized to boost the gaming speed while diminishing the background operations that can slow games.
- You can also use VPN software to improve routing and lower latency. Nonetheless, note that this can be counterproductive and can increase the lag. We advise you to try it out first.
- In addition, there is software to schedule updates like Steam. They ensure that you don’t miss out on new developments.
- Activate the Quality of Service settings to prioritize gaming traffic over other browsing activity.
- Finally, perform regular internet speed tests. It helps you know when to contact the ISP to boost the internet speed.
What’s the Best Satellite Internet for Gaming?
A young gamer in action.
We recommend Starlink and Viasat as the two primary internet options for gamers. The internet speeds for Starlink are between 25 and 100 Mbps.
Its latency is also relatively low thanks to its low-orbit earth satellites. Starlink is also available in numerous countries worldwide.
Viasat also has similar features, although it is cheaper in installation than Starlink. If you cannot access either of these superb options, choose HughesNet.
While its speeds are not as high as for the latter two, they are still decent for basic gaming.
Also, HughesNet is quite cheap and available in most areas of the US.
Conclusion
Online gaming is an internet-intensive endeavor that requires super-fast speeds.
And while satellite internet is slower than fiber and other options, it’s still ideal for gaming.
All you need to ensure is you pick the perfect ISP.
We recommend Starlink or Viasat, and if you cannot access the two, opt for Hughesnet.