Mobile Broadband for Online Gaming
Broadband connection enables you to play online games on your PC, laptops, tablets, smartphones and dedicated games consoles such as Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3 (PS3).But, what are the priorities that you need to look for, when you choose broadband for online gaming?
To play faster online games and multi-player games, you will need to make sure that
- your PC or laptop have the system requirements for the games that you want to play
- you have the right type of broadband internet connection
- your internet connection is fast enough to enable you to enjoy the games.
When it comes to system requirements, check whether you own PC, laptop or other device has
- Faster processor. Slow, old system is just useless like anything. Dual-core processor is better.
- Large RAM (2GB+ is ideal) can make a huge difference. Everything on the screen goes smoother when there is huge memory for applications like games.
- Large hard disk (some games can hold GBs of space) is another requisite.
- Latest hardware components like sound and graphics card help you to optimise your gaming experience.
What do online games demand on your broadband connection?
- Download speed: 2Mbps+ (4Mbps+ is ideal for advanced, multiplayer games)
- Ping levels: Less than 100ms is ideal.
Fast ping levels ensure that you do not lag (latency) behind your opponents in multi-player games. - Suitable broadband type or technology. You cannot ignore the type of broadband, if you are a serious online gamer.
Which type of broadband you use, can make a huge difference, when it comes to online gaming experience.
- Fibre optic broadband, cable broadband and high speed ADSL (landline) broadband are ideal for online gamers. These connections not only offer faster speeds but also come with ping levels of less than 100ms.
- Wi-fi or wireless broadband allows you to connect your devices (including game consoles) to your wireless router or hotspots and play games. There is more room for freedom when you use this option. Happily, you can expect faster speeds and quick ping levels depending on the access speeds received via wired connections.
- Mobile broadband (3G) comes with latency levels of around 200ms which can be slow for certain games. Still, you can connect games consoles to your 3G connection and play most games. To improve your mobile broadband speeds and latency, make sure that you get better 3G coverage and strong signals.
- Satellite broadband is the least preferred option for gaming due to its extremely high ping times. Compared to it, even slower dial-up connection can offer faster ping times.
Are there any special broadband plans for gaming?
Virgin Media offers broadband plans exclusively for online gamers. They come with faster upload speeds so the latency can be at minimum while playing online games.
Can I play faster games or Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PS3 with my mobile broadband service?
3G mobile broadband packages in the UK come with download speeds of up to 7.2Mbps, while the actual speeds that you receive could be between 1Mbps and 5Mbps. The coverage and the device you use can make a huge difference, when it comes to mobile broadband performance.Mobile broadband reception largely depends on the signal strength and uninterrupted signals can make your connection stabler and faster. You can also use antennas to boost the reception of your dongles. Alternatively, find a place at home or outside where you can get the maximum signal strength.
4G mobile broadband, can offer over 40Mbps download speed and ping times of less than 60ms.
Your mobile devices such as laptops, ipad, tablets and smartphones can also enhance gaming experience with their powerful, hardware elements.