I've been struggling with slow download speeds on Steam, and I originally thought it was due to my SSD. However, when I download games from Google, my speed seems to reach at least 50 MB/s, which is significantly faster than the 20 MB/s max I get on Steam. I'm confused as to why there's such a big difference in speeds.
6 Answers
While SSD speed can matter, it's generally not the main factor for download speeds on modern setups. If you’re downloading to an SSD, you usually won't see significant bottlenecks unless your internet connection is really slow.
It sounds like the issue might be with Steam's servers. Sometimes, they can be overloaded, which would definitely slow things down for you.
Just to clarify, MB is megabytes and Mb is megabits. If your SSD's write speed is 500 MB/s, that theoretically allows for downloads way above 20 MB/s. If you're only seeing 50 Mbps, there might be something off with your internet connection—could it be really outdated?
Have you checked if you accidentally set Steam to throttle your download speeds? It's a simple mistake that can cause a lot of frustration!
Don’t forget, your SSD impacts write speeds more than download speeds. Check if Steam is reporting in MB or Mb; that extra small letter could explain a lot!
It could also be that your ISP is throttling Steam specifically. If you have a VPN, give that a shot; it might help you get better speeds by hiding your traffic.
Or maybe you just have a slower internet plan? That could definitely hold you back.