I'm upgrading to a 1.5Gbps internet plan next week, and I'm unsure of the best way to set things up. My modem and PC are in the same room, but my motherboard only supports 1Gbps wired Ethernet and has Wi-Fi 6E, while my modem supports Wi-Fi 6. Should I stick with Ethernet for its stability, or go for Wi-Fi to potentially achieve higher speeds? I'm currently on a 150Mbps plan, so anything will feel faster, but since I'm paying for the higher speed, I want to maximize it. Another idea I had was to use both: keep Ethernet for gaming to ensure stability and switch to Wi-Fi for downloading large files. Is that a practical solution? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
4 Answers
Wi-Fi has improved a lot, and as long as you have a decent router and antenna, it can be very reliable. I switched to Wi-Fi and have had zero issues, but I realize Ethernet is still more stable overall.
You should consider the type of activities you do. If you’re gaming alone, your current 150Mbps plan is great. Going to 1.5Gbps mainly benefits downloading large files while also gaming or streaming at the same time, so weigh that in.
I’d go with Ethernet if you can. It offers lower latency and usually higher speeds compared to Wi-Fi, which you'll be sharing with all your devices and possibly neighbors. For gaming, this would be the best option for stability.
Why not upgrade your equipment? A 2.5Gbps Ethernet adapter is pretty affordable, especially if you want to maximize your setup without switching to full Wi-Fi. Just make sure your CPU can handle it without affecting gaming performance.
Good point! I'm looking into the adapters, but I’m curious: would it really tax my i5-14400F significantly while gaming?
Got it! I'll stick with Ethernet since stability is key for me and the latency difference is just too good to pass up.