If you’re thinking of upgrading to a high-speed internet plan and wondering if 400 Mbps is fast enough, then you should check out our guide right here.
Now, to answer the main question first, yes, 400 Mbps internet is quite fast. If you look at the recent report by Statista, the average global internet speed is 50 Mbps – so 400 Mbps is eight times faster. With this speed, you can expect lag-free gaming, smooth, high-resolution streaming, and an overall faster internet experience.
Usually, when it comes to the internet, it’s “the faster, the better.” However, this does not necessarily hold true for all users. For instance, if your internet usage is limited to web browsing or sending emails and you connect three devices to the WiFi, a 400 Mbps connection is an overkill.
So, to avoid investing in an internet connection, you may not completely utilize, we’ve put together this guide to help you understand how fast 400 Mbps is, the download speeds you can expect from it, what can you do with 400 Mbps internet, and more.
Quick Answer
So, is 400 Mbps fast?
The short answer here is – yes. A 400 Mbps connection is quite fast. If you look at some of the packages offered by ISPs (like Xfinity, for instance), a 400 Mbps plan is classified as a higher-end one. So, with a 400 Mbps connection, you should be able to experience smooth and lag-free gaming and streaming. Plus, you can keep multiple devices connected at once.
On the flipside, a 400 Mbps internet connection is an overkill if you don’t deal with ‘bandwidth-intensive’ activities like downloading large files or online gaming or keeping several devices connected. Plus, a high download speed doesn’t guarantee a high upload speed – you will have to check in with your ISP for that.
How fast is 400 Mbps download speed?
To put things into perspective, let’s take a look at some rough download times, which may vary due to different factors, to understand how fast 400 Mbps really is
| File type | The time it will take to download |
| 500 MB | 10 seconds |
| 1.5 GB | 30 seconds |
| 3 GB | 1 minute |
| 40 GB | 13 minutes 20 seconds |
Is 400 Mbps good for gaming?
Most Internet Service Providers suggest a minimum speed of 3 Mbps to 6 Mbps for online gaming, so a 400 Mbps speed should be more than enough for gaming on multiple devices.
So, whether you’re a PC or console gamer – a 400 Mbps internet connection will take your gaming experience to the next level. You could have a LAN party play story-based or competitive multiplayer games with multiple devices connected without experiencing lag or interruptions.
As far as downloading games is concerned, a 400 Mbps internet speed is quite fast, so you can expect quicker downloads. For instance, a 40GB game file will take about 13 minutes.
Is 400 Mbps good for streaming?
Now, Netflix recommends a download speed of 15 Mbps, and Amazon Prime Video suggests you have at least 5 Mbps speed for HD content. So, with a 400 Mbps connection, you should be able to stream 4K content smoothly without any buffer on more than one device.
Is 400 Mbps good for working from home?
If you work from home, a stable, speedy internet connection is a must. With a 400 Mbps speed, you can process conferences via Zoom or Google Meet, send emails with heavy attachments, establish a connection with the company CMS, download and upload small and large files, and more. However, do note that if your work is not bandwidth-hungry, and all you do is browse, send emails, and fill out spreadsheets, then 400 Mbps might be a bit too much.
On top of that, you can connect multiple devices on the same connection and use them simultaneously without experiencing congestion issues, as you will have more than enough bandwidth to cater to them all. So, even if you’re not working alone – you will have nothing to worry about.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 400 Mbps good for Youtubers?
YouTubers have a lot of high-definition videos to upload on a daily basis, and with this high-speed internet connection, it should give you 400 Mbps upload speed which is pretty fast. This should quicken the process of uploading HD videos which could be anywhere from 1080p to 4K resolution. To ensure that you get the most out of your internet connection, connect to your device via an ethernet cable to eliminate any interference that WiFi signals are prone to.
Is 400 Mbps overkill?
The answer to this question will vary from person to person, depending on their usage. If you have a small business or a large family with multiple devices connected to a single connection, 400 Mbps might not be overkill. Depending on the nature of the activities, you might even need to increase your internet speed.
However, suppose you only have a couple of devices and don’t plan on streaming 4K content, gaming online, streaming music, and downloading large files and applications.
Is 400 Mbps good for a family of five?
A 400 Mbps connection is more than enough for a family of five; some might even consider it overkill. So, suppose each person has two devices connected; that would mean ten devices are connected. Even if all those devices stream HD content simultaneously – they won’t experience buffering or a drop in performance.
How many devices is 400 Mbps good for?
Theoretically, you can connect as many devices as you want. However, with each device connected, the bandwidth will be divided, which can lead to interruptions. That said, 400 Mbps should be good enough to cater to two or three devices per individual as long as all these devices aren’t being used for bandwidth-intensive activities.
Conclusion
400 Mbps is a high-speed internet connection that can handle varying workloads across multiple devices without a hitch. It should enable you to consume content comfortably at a high definition without buffering, download and upload games and files quickly regardless of size, casually browse the web, and connect to different devices, offering them the same experience. However, if you do not need so much speed, you can save money by option for 300 Mbps or 200 Mbps.
