There are over 35 million gamers in the UK, and that figure continues to rise year-on-year. We can guarantee that every one of those gamers has, at some point, been frustrated by bogus and unstable internet. Whether you're playing Call of Duty Warzone, FIFA 22, or GTA Online, a fast and reliable internet connection is more important than ever when it comes to video games — even for your single-player experiences.
Considering next-gen consoles are here, and games are now consistently hitting 4K resolutions, digital downloads aren't going to get any smaller, and the updates certainly will be hitting new and outrageous levels of huge. Not only that, if you're considering going all-online with the PS5 Digital Edition, for example — you need a fast internet connection.
To assist in your search for the best, we've summarised all the relevant information and lined up all the top broadband plans for gaming in the UK.
See it on BT
There are plenty of benefits to consider when opting for BT broadband, but at its core, BT thrives because of its consistency and overall reliability. Download and upload speeds are consistent and even go above and beyond those advertised, while its latency and packet loss stats continue to be some of the best according to the latest Ofcom reports. The provider has also just renewed its interest in providing even faster internet, with new Full Fibre broadband now available in select parts of the country.
See it on Virgin Media
Speeds Available: Up to 516Mbps ● Setup Cost: £34.99 ● Speed Guarantee: No ● Contract Length: 18 months
Virgin Media typically only deals in some of the very fastest internet available in the UK, with most packages available providing some incredibly impressive speeds. It's a top plan, for example, hits an average 500 - 516Mbps, with upload speeds coming in around 36Mbps.
The provider certainly isn't messing about, with even its cheapest package still offering an impressive 100Mbps for just £28 per month. There will be plenty of bandwidth to go around the home with Virgin Media, even in the busiest of homes, you won't see any drops in speed.
See it on Hyperoptic
Hyperoptic is a relatively new and innovative broadband provider that's aiming to provide more homes with Gigabit internet capabilities. Right now its top plan can reach average speeds of 1Gbps, and even at peak times will tend to hit at least 900Mbps instead.
Hyperoptic also offers these plans on 30-day rolling contracts for a slight increase in price, which can often enough also provide a free speed upgrade. If you do opt for this, it also means you can leave or change providers at any time, without any extra costs.
See it on Vodafone
Vodafone offers a couple of different types of internet and could be a great option if you're looking for a standard superfast broadband connection. Not only that but existing Vodafone mobile customers can save an extra £2 off their new monthly broadband bill.
If you're one of the lucky few cities to get Gigafast, you can sign up and get supplied right now. Some of the most notable locations include Edinburgh, Bournemouth, Cambridge, and Coventry, but you can find the full list on the Vodafone website.
See it on EE
EE offers plenty of variety when it comes to broadband packages, with plans ranging from basic ADSL to superfast, all the way up to ultrafast 300Mbps fibre. The broadband plans are a little bit more expensive than your standard packages from the likes of Virgin Media or BT, but it's nice to know you've got another option for superfast speeds just in case you haven't had any luck elsewhere. If you're with EE mobile as well, you can even get an extra 20GB mobile data for your pay monthly plan.
See it on Plusnet
Plusnet is an incredibly reliable service and often enough to have plenty of freebies to give away alongside its broadband packages. Its customer service record speaks for itself, and you can get a consistent 67Mbps fibre service, no fuss, no hassle. Sure, you won't be downloading next-gen titles at the speed of sound, but Plusnet will do just fine for online gaming, and most standard updates for current titles.
Speed is certainly an important factor when it comes to choosing a new broadband provider, especially since video games suffer from chunky updates, and ever-increasing digital game downloads. But, it's not the only thing you need to consider. You can probably get away with comfortable online gaming at download and upload speeds that average around 10Mbps... as long as you've not got multiple other users all trying to live stream, watch a 4K film on Netflix, or download the next greatest thing since sliced bread.
At the end of the day, the best broadband for gamers will be the one that finds a careful balance between speed, affordability, reliability, and overall performance. Individual factors such as latency and traffic management are also worth consideration. Latency is an important one, especially for those who like to game online. Latency is the time between a button push and the reaction, and if this is too high, gaming online can become near-on impossible. Upload speed is also important if you're looking to stream gameplay on Twitch or share anything online. Traffic management is when broadband providers adjust your download or upload speeds for certain tasks at certain times. This can be frustrating, so it's worth taking into account when making your decision, but thankfully this isn't as common practice as it used to be in the UK.
Lag and stuttering while gaming can be frustrating, so we recommend taking all the right precautions to ensure you're set up with the perfect broadband package. With games getting more powerful, and 50GB day-one patches becoming normality, it's even more important to ensure your download speeds are up to the task. ADSL and standard fibre packages (11 - 36Mbps) will do an okay job, but these plans tend to lack the upload speed and consistency required to achieve uninterrupted online gaming. Larger homes with plenty of electronic devices should consider the top superfast packages (50 - 90Mbps) or even an ultrafast plan if your home is eligible. If you can get it, super or ultrafast internet is your best option and will certainly future-proof you for the next few years of gaming innovation.
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Considering next-gen consoles are here, and games are now consistently hitting 4K resolutions, digital downloads aren't going to get any smaller, and the updates certainly will be hitting new and outrageous levels of huge. Not only that, if you're considering going all-online with the PS5 Digital Edition, for example — you need a fast internet connection.
To assist in your search for the best, we've summarised all the relevant information and lined up all the top broadband plans for gaming in the UK.
TL;DR – These are the Best Broadband Providers for Gaming
1. BT Broadband
Most Reliable Broadband for Gaming
See it on BT
- Full Fibre 300 - £39.99/month, 300Mbps
- Fibre 1 - £26.99/month, 50Mbps
There are plenty of benefits to consider when opting for BT broadband, but at its core, BT thrives because of its consistency and overall reliability. Download and upload speeds are consistent and even go above and beyond those advertised, while its latency and packet loss stats continue to be some of the best according to the latest Ofcom reports. The provider has also just renewed its interest in providing even faster internet, with new Full Fibre broadband now available in select parts of the country.
2. Virgin Media Broadband
Best Ultrafast Broadband for Gaming
See it on Virgin Media
Speeds Available: Up to 516Mbps ● Setup Cost: £34.99 ● Speed Guarantee: No ● Contract Length: 18 months
Virgin Media typically only deals in some of the very fastest internet available in the UK, with most packages available providing some incredibly impressive speeds. It's a top plan, for example, hits an average 500 - 516Mbps, with upload speeds coming in around 36Mbps.
The provider certainly isn't messing about, with even its cheapest package still offering an impressive 100Mbps for just £28 per month. There will be plenty of bandwidth to go around the home with Virgin Media, even in the busiest of homes, you won't see any drops in speed.
3. Hyperoptic Broadband
New Kids on the Block
See it on Hyperoptic
- Fast Broadband - £22/month, 50Mbps
- Superfast Broadband - £29/month, 150Mbps
- Ultrafast Broadband- £39/month, 500Mbps
Hyperoptic is a relatively new and innovative broadband provider that's aiming to provide more homes with Gigabit internet capabilities. Right now its top plan can reach average speeds of 1Gbps, and even at peak times will tend to hit at least 900Mbps instead.
Hyperoptic also offers these plans on 30-day rolling contracts for a slight increase in price, which can often enough also provide a free speed upgrade. If you do opt for this, it also means you can leave or change providers at any time, without any extra costs.
4. Vodafone
Vodafone Mobile Customers Save Extra
See it on Vodafone
- Superfast 1 - £23/month, 35Mbps
- Gigafast 100 - £28/month, 100Mbps
- Gigafast 900 - £40/month, 900Mbps
Vodafone offers a couple of different types of internet and could be a great option if you're looking for a standard superfast broadband connection. Not only that but existing Vodafone mobile customers can save an extra £2 off their new monthly broadband bill.
If you're one of the lucky few cities to get Gigafast, you can sign up and get supplied right now. Some of the most notable locations include Edinburgh, Bournemouth, Cambridge, and Coventry, but you can find the full list on the Vodafone website.
5. EE
Great Variety of Broadband Packages
See it on EE
- Fibre Plus - £30/month, 67Mbps
- Fibre Max 1 - £40/month, 145Mbps
- Fibre Max 2 - £48/month, 300Mbps
EE offers plenty of variety when it comes to broadband packages, with plans ranging from basic ADSL to superfast, all the way up to ultrafast 300Mbps fibre. The broadband plans are a little bit more expensive than your standard packages from the likes of Virgin Media or BT, but it's nice to know you've got another option for superfast speeds just in case you haven't had any luck elsewhere. If you're with EE mobile as well, you can even get an extra 20GB mobile data for your pay monthly plan.
6. Plusnet
Best Broadband for Cashback and Reward Cards
See it on Plusnet
- Unlimited Fibre - £23.99/month, 35Mbps
Plusnet is an incredibly reliable service and often enough to have plenty of freebies to give away alongside its broadband packages. Its customer service record speaks for itself, and you can get a consistent 67Mbps fibre service, no fuss, no hassle. Sure, you won't be downloading next-gen titles at the speed of sound, but Plusnet will do just fine for online gaming, and most standard updates for current titles.
What to Look for When Choosing a Broadband Provider
Speed is certainly an important factor when it comes to choosing a new broadband provider, especially since video games suffer from chunky updates, and ever-increasing digital game downloads. But, it's not the only thing you need to consider. You can probably get away with comfortable online gaming at download and upload speeds that average around 10Mbps... as long as you've not got multiple other users all trying to live stream, watch a 4K film on Netflix, or download the next greatest thing since sliced bread.
At the end of the day, the best broadband for gamers will be the one that finds a careful balance between speed, affordability, reliability, and overall performance. Individual factors such as latency and traffic management are also worth consideration. Latency is an important one, especially for those who like to game online. Latency is the time between a button push and the reaction, and if this is too high, gaming online can become near-on impossible. Upload speed is also important if you're looking to stream gameplay on Twitch or share anything online. Traffic management is when broadband providers adjust your download or upload speeds for certain tasks at certain times. This can be frustrating, so it's worth taking into account when making your decision, but thankfully this isn't as common practice as it used to be in the UK.
Lag and stuttering while gaming can be frustrating, so we recommend taking all the right precautions to ensure you're set up with the perfect broadband package. With games getting more powerful, and 50GB day-one patches becoming normality, it's even more important to ensure your download speeds are up to the task. ADSL and standard fibre packages (11 - 36Mbps) will do an okay job, but these plans tend to lack the upload speed and consistency required to achieve uninterrupted online gaming. Larger homes with plenty of electronic devices should consider the top superfast packages (50 - 90Mbps) or even an ultrafast plan if your home is eligible. If you can get it, super or ultrafast internet is your best option and will certainly future-proof you for the next few years of gaming innovation.
Continue reading...
