Review of Mediacom Xtream for Gaming in 2023

Gaming is mostly about timing, and a little delay can ruin the entire experience. It is especially critical when you are against the last enemy, when you are on the edge of winning, or when you are about to score for your team. In these moments, if the connection freezes, it is a nightmare.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is if your internet speed is enough. Several factors affect internet speed and its performance. The major one is the overall internet usage of your house. The more devices and users are connected to the internet, the more network congestion is expected. Also, it depends on the connection stability. So, you need a reliable internet connectivity provider to enhance and maintain your gaming experience.

This is a digitally connected world. So, it is normal to have multiple devices constantly connected to a single network. However, unless you have a gigabit internet connection, you might face connection problems. Therefore, it is important to have a high-end connection that can handle online gaming and still have enough juice left for multiple connections like smart devices, computers, and smartphones.

Important Gaming Knowledge

Before we begin describing optimum speed requirements, you should understand the following basic terms.

Internet Speed

Internet speed refers to your connection speed. It indicates the amount of data per second flowing between you and the web. The higher the number, the faster your connection. Internet speed is measured in either megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps). And it is like filling up a pot with water. If the water has a good flow through the tap, the pot will fill quickly; otherwise, you will be staying there for longer. Likewise, the faster the data sharing, the smoother your gaming experience. Finally, it is split into two parts, i.e., download speed and upload speed.

Download Speed

The download speed indicates the amount of speed your connection is capable of providing to download data from a server to your device. It means no matter what you are doing, watching streams, or playing games –the more download speed you have, the faster the data will flow.

Upload Speed

The upload speed indicates the speed at which you can send data to a server from your device. So, whether you are uploading a YouTube video or conducting a video conference on Skype, the more the upload speed, the better your link.

Ping

Ping is the time taken by a signal to get a response from the server. For example, you hit the A key for movement; if your ping is normal, your character will have a normal movement response. On the other hand, if your ping is high, there will be a delay in response, and you will miss a crucial moment.

Latency

Many times, ping and latency are used interchangeably by gamers, but there is a slight difference. The ping measures the one-way journey of a signal as the time taken for it to travel from device to device. On the flip side, latency also measures the time it takes for the signal to return to the originating device. Latency is also called response time, and the lower, the better.

Lag

Lag is a sudden or overtime delay, jitters, and loss that happens due to a high ping or latency. It means your internet speed is lower than you need, or something else is eating up your bandwidth. Lag impacts your overall connection and delays responses, and we all know how important reaction times are in a game. Also, sometimes there are huge delays, connection or packet loss, or the screen freezes up. All of these can severely hurt your gaming experience.

Optimum Internet Speed for Gaming

This may come as a surprise to some, but gaming is not the most bandwidth-busting activity. As compared to online video streaming and data uploading, gaming has light physical characteristics. Most of the work is done by your graphics card and processor, and the internet speed handles the remaining key and other inputs.

One thing you should remember is that you need both high download speed and upload speed for the optimum experience.

Other than that, you must also consider other factors before choosing your internet connection. Things like downloading large games and uploading heavy files are internet-demanding tasks. For example, a 50GB file will take about 11 hours to download on a 10 Mbps connection and will be uploaded in approximately five days. On the flip side, a one-gigabit connection will download the same file in under ten minutes, and uploading will complete in roughly three hours.

Normal internet speed requirements for different gaming platforms are:

PC Gaming

XBOX

PlayStation

Nintendo Switch

Minimum Upload Speed

0.5 – 1 Mbps

0.5 Mbps

1 Mbps

Minimum Download Speed

3 Mbps

Recommended Speeds

25 Mbps

20 Mbps

Latency

>100 ms

Gaming on Mediacom Xtream

Xtream by Mediacom provides high-speed internet connectivity at decent pricing. The different internet packages that Mediacom internet offers are as follows.

· Xtream Internet 100 – Get up to 100Mbps download speed with a 300GB data allowance at $29.99/mo. for 1 year plus taxes. In addition, it can connect multiple devices and comes with Total Defense online security software. It is an ideal package for day-to-day tasks.

· Xtream Internet 300 – Get up to 300Mbps download speed, and 20Mbps upload speed at $39.99/mo. for 1 year plus taxes. Moreover, it includes a 1500GB data allowance, multiple device connectivity options, in-home Wi-Fi, and Total Defense Internet security software. This is an ideal package to work and play with ease.

· Xtream Internet 600 – Get up to 600Mbps download speed, and 30Mbps upload speed at $49.99/mo. for 1 year plus taxes. Also, it includes a 3000GB data allowance, in-home Wi-Fi, and Total Defense Internet security software. This package is perfect for HD video streaming and hardcore gaming.

· Xtream Internet 1Gig – Get up to 1000Mbps download speed and 50Mbps upload speed at $59.99/mo. for 1 year plus taxes. Plus, it provides a 6000GB data allowance, in-home Wi-Fi, and Total Defense Internet security software. It is a great package for almost everything at once. You can stream TV, play online games, connect multiple smart devices, and more.

What Benefits do You Get with Mediacom Internet?

Mediacom Xtream delivers ultra-fast and stable internet with gigabit technology and professional support. With Mediacom's high-speed internet, you can surf the web, scroll social media, stream HD content, play online games, and work and learn with ease. Moreover, you can connect multiple devices, and still, your connection won't jitter, provided your package is enough to handle.

Final Takeaway

Gaming is a globally loved activity that is common among people of all ages. However, a lag or delay during a crucial moment is a nuisance. Therefore, it is important to understand its requirements keeping in mind the rest of the usage of your house.

So, get a reliable connection and game all you want quickly and smoothly. However, one thing to remember is that after getting a stable and capable enough connection, you won't be able to blame the internet for the miss-play.