Best Internet Providers for Gaming in 2025

Our picks BROADBAND DEALS OF THE WEEK What's the best internet for gaming? Having a good ISP is crucial to having a good gaming experience. Your internet connection's latency and packet loss are the most important factors. Latency , or ping time, is how long it takes for your device to communicate with a game server. Predictably, the lower the better in this case. Packet loss, on the other hand, has to do with the consistency of your connection. If your connection is dropping packets, it can lead to stuttering and disconnections. Together, the two can add up to a significant amount of lag to ruin your match. You need a combination of minimal delay and a rock-solid connection if you want to enjoy smooth and responsive gameplay. Verizon Fios is CNET's top choice for gamers looking for an ISP. A recent CNET survey found that 63% of Americans are facing unreliable connectivity despite higher prices. Verizon Fios offers the lowest latency of any major provider. You also get fast, symmetrical fiber speeds, making it a great choice for online gaming across consoles, PCs and even cloud streaming. Fiber and cable internet are typically the best options for stable and responsive connectivity. However, if you live in a rural area without access to a lot of wired options, Starlink performs surprisingly well, with low latency for satellite service. : Best internet provider for gaming overall Verizon Fios : Best Frontier Fiber low-cost internet for gaming : Best Astound gaming router offer : Best Spectrum cable ISP for gaming : Best Starlink rural internet for gaming Locating local internet providers Top internet providers for gaming Internet providers Verizon Fios Best internet for gaming overall Our take - If you're looking for low latency from an ISP, Verizon Fios should be at the top of your list. Verizon Fios speed tiers -- 300Mbps, 500Mbps, 1Gbps and, in some places, 2Gbps -- all offer plenty of upload and download speed for online gaming. But besides the speeds, you can expect a low-latency service with Verizon Fios. Read full review Starlink One month of Residential service free Speeds up to 350 Mbps. Service prices from $80 to $120 per month. Residential service plans include unlimited high-speed data options for your home. And it's available at all ZIP codes in the US. Frontier Fiber Best low-cost internet for gaming Our take - Frontier's 200Mbps plan starts at just $30 per month and includes an Eero Pro 6e router at no extra cost. The 500Mbps plan, 1-gig plan and 2-gig plan come with the Eero Pro 7, which has Wi-Fi 7 technology designed to lower latency. That's plenty of speed for gaming, and the quality router will help ensure your connection is up to the task. Speeds up to 7,000Mbps are available. Read full review Astound Broadband Best equipment for gaming Our take - Gaming routers can be pricey, often ranging from $200 to $500 or more. Astound previously offered the Netgear Nighthawk Pro Gaming router...

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