Is 500 Mbps Internet Fast Enough, And What Can You Do With It? (2024)

Downloading an HD movie in a minute seems lightning fast. But a 500 Mbps internet connection enables you to do much more in less time. With 500 Mbps internet, you can:

• Browse the internet
• Send and receive emails
• Interact on social media
• Chat with direct messages
• Play games online
• Watch and host webinars
• Attend or host video conferences for staff and client meetings
• Stream videos and music

Using 500 Mbps Internet for Downloading

A download speed of 500 Mbps allows you to handle 20 4K video streams and hundreds of Zoom calls. In some countries, this speed is considered a luxury. In fact, the average internet speed around the world is 134 Mbps. Here’s how you can understand internet speed and how much time it takes each activity to download with a 500 Mbps internet connection.

Using 500 Mbps Internet for Streaming

When it comes to video streaming, think Netflix, YouTube videos or listening to your favorite playlists on music platforms such as Spotify, Pandora and iTunes. With a 500 Mbps Wi-Fi connection, you can stream audio and video on more than a few devices. Think hundreds simultaneously.

Just one YouTube video download uses three to five Mbps of your total internet capacity. When you do the math, it’s clear that a 500 Mbps internet connection would enable a household to stream 1080p on 100 devices. At a resolution of 4K, you can stream on around 20 devices without buffering or disruptions. Listening to your favorite tracks or podcasts is easy since music takes less than one Mbps to download audio streams.

Uploading, on the other hand, is loading data from your computer to the internet, such as posting a video to your YouTube channel. These are the upload speeds needed for live streaming.

Using 500 Mbps Internet for Gaming

Are you a gaming enthusiast? Does the idea of a Minecraft challenge get you excited? Then an upgrade to 500 Mbps can level up your gaming experience. Such a robust connection allows you to challenge family, friends or online gamers around the world without the frustration of lag time or a slow connection. Plus, you’ll be able to download large games in less time.

Using 500 Mbps Internet for Multiple Users

A slow internet connection of 25 Mbps can affect your internet experience because it’s limited to two people and five devices. Even a 100 Mbps connection influences the performance of multiple users with a limit of four to six people and seven to 10 devices, which puts a damper on large gatherings.

A 500 Mbps connection will give you five times more speed to support multiple users and devices. When choosing the best internet provider, make sure the company offers the speed you need for everyone in your household.

Using 500 Mbps for Working from Home

A 500 Mbps internet comes in handy when you work from home. You’ll be downloading documents and images, sending and receiving emails, messaging on company platforms and portals and more. While most of these activities require maximum download speeds of around 100 Kbps, group video calls and conferences can require a minimum of five Mbps download speeds per video.

If you have more than one person working from home, it can cause a system to overload that can lead to freezing and buffering.

You might wonder if there is a downside to 500 Mbps internet––and there could be. A 500 Mbps internet connection falls short when you compare it to a one gigabyte internet connection that downloads data at a speed of one gigabyte per second. In actuality, one gigabyte is 1,000 Mbps, so it’s twice as fast as 500 Mbps.

You can see its limitations when downloading large files, software or games of one or more gigabytes or programs that require a high bandwidth. For instance, a 50-gigabyte game will take 15 minutes to download with 500 Mbps and half the time with one gigabyte (1,000 Mbps). However, in most households with typical use, 500 Mbps is a fast enough internet connection to support multiple users and devices.

Most homeowners and renters who live in metropolitan areas can choose between cable and fiber optic internet providers that offer a 500 Mbps option. Here are some of the best internet providers that provide 500 Mbps internet access.

• Verizon Fios
• AT&T
• Optimum
• Cox Communication
• Spectrum

Do you live in the countryside or a remote area away from the city or suburbs? We haven’t forgotten you. Check out the best internet providers for rural areas.

A caveat to keep in mind is to stay away from internet providers with data caps. If you go over the limit, you could be paying a lot more than you expected. Always give yourself a bit of breathing room before you choose a plan, in case you go over the limit.

Internet costs can vary based on location, bundles, autopay, the time of year of purchase and the company. However, here are some pricing examples of 500 Mbps internet plans. Note that most plans go up after the first 12 months. Here’s how much internet costs per month for 500 Mbps.

• Verizon Fios 500 Mbps: $70
• Cox Communication Ultimate 500: $80 per month
• 500: $65 per month
• Spectrum Internet 500 Mbps: $70 per month (up to 12 months)
• Optimum Internet 500Mbps: $60 per month

Think you might need to increase your internet speed? When choosing an internet speed for your home, consider the following factors to help you make the best decision.

Number of Users

When selecting the right internet speed, consider how many people live in your home and the number of devices they use. Many family members own smartphones, desktop computers and tablets and rely on the internet for TV rather than a cable connection. Calculate the number of people in your household and the devices they use at home to guide your decision-making.

Online Activities

Do you use the internet for browsing, emaiingl, messaging, occasional social media use or gaming that requires large file downloads? Do you host online video conferencing for your hybrid or work-from-home job all day? These daily activities can determine how much internet speed you’ll need. Other factors include using smart devices and virtual assistants that rely on Wi-Fi or having a large family that does multiple video and audio streaming in different rooms at once.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the amount of data transferred over a network. It’s the maximum capacity of information that a network can handle at a given time. People often confuse bandwidth with speed, the time it takes to transmit or receive data. To learn how much bandwidth and speed you need for the activities you do, read the table above or do a bandwidth test. You can also test your internet speed on your router and other ways.

Budget

Another essential factor to consider when choosing an internet provider is the amount of money you have to invest in your monthly internet bill. If you have large expenses, such as a mortgage, and only have two people in your household who use the internet for web browsing, email, social media and weekend video streaming, you’ll likely be able to get by with a 100 Mbps connection.

Overspending on a 500 Mbps or one-gigabyte internet connection would throw money away. Whether you plan to set up internet in your home or call in an installer, make sure your internet plan fits your budget.