E-Gaming is the up-and-coming sensation that has taken the world by storm. What used to be a mere leisure activity has become a dedicated profession of its own and this naturally attracts attention from the masses. We see massive tournaments happening around the world with handsome prize pools offered to the competitors. These gaming activities are not just limited to a certain platform, rather the gaming domain is a ginormous one with a significant number of game genres available.
The primary requirement for these online gaming activities is unperturbed internet connectivity. This connectivity is not just based on how strong a connection is but also depends upon the types of mediums used for connectivity. Cable stands out for its consistency but the changing environmental trends go in favor of Wi-Fi mediums. In this article, we will compare the advantages and disadvantages of Ethernet connection versus Wi-Fi for gaming purposes and suggest a suitable option under different circumstances.
Ethernet vs Wi-Fi: Which One is Better for Gaming?
General Differences
As far as general considerations go, generation Z usually prefers Wi-Fi mediums since they offer you the portability of carrying your devices around with you. If you are living in a shared accommodation per se, it becomes considerably difficult to connect wires in different rooms. That being said, gaming requirements and considerations are quite different. Gamers yearn for stability and performance when it comes to their internet connectivity. An ordinary Wi-Fi connection will not be able to give you the pings you need to play competitively. Factors such as supported Wi-Fi hardware can make a considerable impact here.
As hinted earlier, Ethernet cables offer more stability with the direct wire mechanism. However, if you use an Ethernet connection for gaming, all the hardware components need to be taken into account. The capabilities of cabling, the router, and your internet package all play an essential role.
Performance Differences
Wi-Fi connections work through routers that distribute the signals between devices. Most of the standard ISP routers have a built-in preference for activities like streaming and video calls. Therefore, if multiple devices are connected to the same internet connection, your gaming activities might not be recognized as latency-sensitive tasks and your experience, therefore, will struggle. This becomes an even bigger nuisance if you have a slow connection (speeds below 5 Mbps). Resultantly, you will become a victim of fluctuating pings and packet loss.
Ethernet cables, on the other hand, have always been considered the safest medium for gamers when it comes to performance evaluation. Let us explain this in a bit of detail. Ethernet connectivity is based on a direct wire from the router. The standard ISP routers consider wired connections as a priority. Therefore, you do not have to worry about that over a wired connection. On top of this, wired connections tend to offer much higher download speeds as compared to their Wi-Fi counterparts from the same ISP’s. Ethernet connections offer low latency during online gaming sessions. Latency refers to a delay before data transfers between devices. So faster data transfer will yield a more enjoyable gaming experience.
What’ Our Verdict?
Ok, so here is our verdict regarding the better option. If you are into intensive gaming sessions where good connectivity is vital, go for an Ethernet connection. It will provide you stability and prioritize your gaming sessions, delivering the best experience possible. As stated earlier, the quality of the equipment you use matters a lot. A Wi-Fi connection can be improved significantly through a dedicated gaming router. Major companies like Spectrum prove quite dependable here since they have a wide array of compatible gaming routers with their dependable internet services. You can choose a plan after going through Spectrum Internet prices, buy a gaming router for yourself and enjoy experiences at par with any Ethernet connection.
If you enjoy casual gaming over a mobile device, for instance, a decent Wi-Fi connection will be sufficient for the cause and will naturally allow you to enjoy gaming on the go wherever you want, whenever you want, provided of course that you be in your router’s signal vicinity.
