The gaming industry is changing rapidly, with most people shifting from the single-player experience to online multiplayer content. Consequently, data spending has become an increasingly relevant talking point for PS5 users with limited data packages. So how much data does the PS5 use?
The PS5 uses ~300MB/hr when playing online for most data-heavy games, but many other online games use somewhere within 100MB/hr or less. Downloads consume much more data than online gaming, as most PS5 games are huge (50+GB in some cases). Downloading games will count against your ISP’s data cap.
Now that we’ve put a few things into perspective, let’s get into the details and find out if a PS5 slows down the internet and the best internet speeds for using a PS5.
How Much Data Does the PS5 Use?
No specific amount of data can be approximated for usage by the PS5. Instead, several variables dictate the data usage, including the games you play and if you’re gaming online or offline.
And note that this data usage is different from either the PS5’s cloud storage or it’s onboard storage. Check out our Ultimate PS5 Owner’s Guide for more on that, but for now let’s get back to talking about data usage.
Data Usage When Playing Online
Most people nowadays tend to play online with their consoles. So, of course, gaming online will consume your data. On the bright side, though, it won’t consume a massive chunk of your monthly broadband allowance, as most blockbuster titles use around 40MB to 300MB per hour. That’s way less than what a standard Netflix stream uses up.
On average, online games use about 200MB of data each hour. Therefore, you could play for 4.5-5 hours and only use approximately a GB of data.
Even though it might seem minor, it could still pile up over a month, especially if you’re an ardent gamer. For instance, Fortnite uses around 100MB of data per hour. So if you play for extended periods daily, you might use up a considerable portion of your monthly data in a couple of weeks.
Data Usage When Downloading
While online gaming uses quite a lot of data, downloading new games is one of the most data exhaustive tasks you can carry out online. Many new AAA titles are now as big as 50GB going up, at least when it comes to the PS5.
For example, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a hefty 89GB game, while Call Of Duty: Warzone clocks in at 101GB. Yikes! So, if you have a 250GB quota, downloading a single Triple-A rated game could consume up to 20% of your monthly data, if not more.
Even if you decide to game from the disk and not indulge in online activities, you still have to consider updates and patches. The updates aren’t reserved for online gaming solely. Day one patch for a game like Forza 7 is around a whopping 50GB.
These downloads can fill up the PS5’s onboard 825GB of storage pretty quick, so, check out our full guide on PS5 storage issues if you’re running into issues there.
Turning off Auto Updates
It would be best to turn off automatic updates on your PS5 if you’ve set a low data cap. Here’s how to disable auto-updates:
- On the home screen, navigate to ‘Settings‘.
- Scroll down to ‘System‘ and select ‘Automatic Updates‘.
- Remove the tick on the box next to ‘Application Update Files‘.
Online vs. Offline Gaming
Online gaming is electronic gaming that requires a strong and constant internet connection. On the other hand, offline gaming doesn’t need an internet connection for you to play.
The amount of data online gaming consumes mostly depends on how long you play and the type of game you play. For example, a game like Overwatch uses more data (100MB/hr) than League of Legends, which only uses around 50MB/hr.
Although offline gaming doesn’t require an internet connection, it doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t have to use your data. In fact, offline gaming can burn through an extraordinary amount of data as you have to download and install day one updates and patches for some games and a few extra contents before you can start playing them offline.
Does a PS5 Slow Down Internet?
A PS5 shouldn’t slow down the internet during normal usage. However, if you’re downloading games and set a data cap, your ISP might stamp out your connection. Other than that, a slow internet connection when using your PS5 could be caused by:
- A network overload.
- Interference between your PS5 and the network.
- Issues with the PlayStation Network (PSN) servers or the online service you’re using.
- PS5 internal hardware issues.
How to Fix Slow Internet Speed When Using a PS5
There are many solutions to slow internet speed when playing on your PS5. Here are some of them:
- Reboot your console. If the network problems happen abruptly while playing, turn off the PS5, then switch it back on. Ensure that the console is completely off and not in rest mode.
- Move the console near your router. This will prevent a weak signal and interference from elements such as thick walls. It would also help keep your PS5 in the same room as the router.
- Use Sony’s Fix and Connect tool to diagnose the cause of the slow internet speed and get suggestions on how to improve your connection.
- Change your console’s DNS settings and set your primary DNS to 8.8.8.8 and the secondary DNS to 8.8.4.4. This configuration could fix the connectivity issues and also improve the download speed.
- Use your PS5 to access online features when other people in your home aren’t using the internet.
- Upgrade your internet plan to the recommended speed and test whether it’s fast enough.
Best Internet Speeds for Using a PS5
The minimum internet speed you need to play games on the PS5 is at least 3 Mbps download speed and 1 Mbps upload speed. It would be best to get an internet plan with faster speeds than those since other people and devices in your house will be using the internet at the same time you’re gaming.
The recommended gaming internet speed for the PS5 is at least 50-100 Mbps. This could be enough to carry you through game downloads and intense multiplayer online games.
It’s also best to choose WiFi band for gaming because it provides faster speeds and a more stable connection. Read our article about best WiFi band for gaming in connecting PS5 to WiFi.