Should I use a VPN for gaming? – AVG
What’s the best VPN for gaming?
The best VPN for gaming is one that gives you a stable and fast connection while letting you access a choice of servers across the world.
Here’s what to look for in a good VPN for gaming:
Stable connection: Look for a VPN provider committed to consistent server maintenance and improvement.
Reputable: You’re entrusting your data to your VPN provider, so pick one you trust.
Fast: While a gaming VPN might not improve ping times, a fast VPN is better than a slow one. Find a VPN with fast servers both near your location and in other areas where you might need an IP address.
Secure: There’s no point in using a VPN for gaming if it’s going to leak your data. Don’t settle for anything less than super-secure AES-256 encryption — the same type of security used by banks and governments around the world.
Is a VPN good for gaming?
By encrypting your internet connection and hiding your IP address, using a VPN for gaming can potentially help you in several ways — granting access to different servers, improving ping and reducing lag, or even protecting you against DDoS attacks.
Many people use VPNs (virtual private networks) to unblock websites, access streaming content, or tap into their work networks. And many VPN companies have started pitching their services to gamers as a new market.
You may see VPN providers make bold claims about improving latency, letting you access unreleased games or games outside of your region, or generally having “the best VPN for gaming. ”
As gamers, we’ve decided to examine these claims to find out whether they’re legitimate, or whether gamers are being taken for a ride. So do you need a VPN for gaming? It turns out the answer is somewhere in the middle — while VPNs and gaming aren’t always the best match, you can still benefit from using a VPN for gaming in certain situations.
Does a gaming VPN lower ping?
Since all VPNs route your internet traffic through a remote proxy server, a VPN is unlikely to lower ping times or reduce lag times. So why do some VPN providers suggest that gaming with a VPN will help lower ping?
Multiplayer gaming has been around for more than two decades and continues to reach new heights with battle royale games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), or team-based shooters such as Overwatch.
A screenshot from the game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
As an online gamer, there’s one thing that counts: a stable connection with low latency. Some VPN companies claim that by connecting to a server close to your gaming server, their gaming VPN can lower ping times when playing the likes of Dota 2, or Counter-Strike.
Using a VPN for gaming won’t reduce ping
We tested this theory and didn’t find that gaming on a VPN lowered ping or improved lag times. Your data still needs to travel from your computer to a VPN server and back — and the longer that journey is, the slower things may feel. The best VPNs for gaming will introduce minimal lag into your connection, but some lag is still more than none.
If you’re looking for ways to boost your gameplay in Ark: Survival Evolved and other multiplayer games, a VPN for gaming isn’t likely to work. Instead of using a gaming VPN to help with ping, many gamers note increased connection issues and lag introduced by the VPN server — which means that the VPN actually slowed down the gaming experience.
Can a gaming VPN overcome P2P blocking?
A gaming VPN may help you get around P2P (peer-to-peer) connection blocks by your ISP (internet service provider). The idea makes sense in theory, but we haven’t found that using a VPN for gaming here was necessary.
Many multiplayer games use a server-client model, where the game is hosted on a central server and all players connect to it. Other games — such as those that want to minimize server costs — will instead use a P2P model, where players host games directly.
Some ISPs may block P2P connections, which can affect certain games like PUBG. That’s why you may have seen VPN providers claiming that using a VPN for gaming will help.
You likely won’t need to use a gaming VPN to get around P2P blocks
In our research on some of the most popular games and ISPs across the world, we didn’t find any instances of ISP-based P2P blocking that affected multiplayer gameplay. In extremely rare cases, an ISP might block some P2P connections — and we did note a handful of reports in which using a VPN for gaming fixed ISP-related connection woes.
Will using a VPN for gaming evade IP bans?
In addition to account bans, IP address bans allow gaming publishers to eject troublesome players from their games. If you’ve been banned for using mods, cheating, or otherwise violating the terms of service, a VPN might help you get around an IP ban.
IP bans can be temporary — 24 hours, a week — or permanent. If you’ve committed a bannable offense, the decision to ban you was probably the right one. But sometimes, IP bans can happen for no apparent reason.
A VPN for gaming may help get around IP bans (but it’s a bad idea)
Since a VPN lets you hide your IP address, you might be able to get around an IP ban by using a VPN for gaming. But we don’t encourage anyone to void the service terms in any games they play — and gaming with a VPN to get around a ban is definitely a violation of those terms.
Some publishers ban the use of VPNs for gaming altogether, so if you aren’t banned yet, you might be after gaming with a VPN. These publishers likely have already banned any known IP addresses associated with leading VPNs, which means that using a VPN for gaming won’t help at all.
Can a gaming VPN unblock geo-restricted games?
By letting you change your IP address to one in another country, a VPN can let you access content that’s not available where you are. Many people use a VPN to get around geoblocks — when something is available only to IP addresses in certain parts of the world.
Due to licensing agreements, streaming platforms often have location-based content restrictions on the movies and TV shows you can access online. Similarly, many multiplayer games group players into region-based servers. If your preferred server is in Europe, and you’re abroad in the US, you might not be able to connect.
A screenshot from the game Dying Light
A VPN for gaming can get you around content restrictions
Setting up a VPN lets you choose which server to play on — no matter where you are — by giving you a new IP address in the same region as your preferred server. If you’re worried about accessing a certain game, gaming on a VPN won’t be particularly useful, since most games can be played from anywhere in the world.
Most multiplayer games can be played in the US, Europe, and most parts of Asia. But sometimes, gaming publishers based in one country might not be allowed to operate in others. And some governments may block certain games within their borders. In these rare cases, knowing the best countries to connect to via VPN can help.
Can a VPN for gaming prevent ISP throttling?
Since a VPN prevents your ISP from seeing exactly what you’re doing online, some VPN providers claim that this will also stop them from throttling, or limiting, your internet speed. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
Internet throttling typically happens based on one of two things: your online activity or your bandwidth use. ISPs may throttle users who play a lot of games, stream a lot of shows, or torrent a lot of files — anything that consumes large amounts of data. A VPN will stop your ISP from seeing exactly what you do, but it can’t hide your data consumption.
A VPN can’t completely prevent your ISP from throttling your connection
The claim that a VPN can prevent your ISP from throttling your internet is based on the VPN’s ability to hide your internet activity. A VPN encrypts your connection, which conceals your online activity from your ISP (and everyone else). But your ISP can still see that you’re connected to a VPN, and it can see how much bandwidth you’re using.
If you hit or exceed the data cap on your internet plan, your ISP can throttle your internet connection in response. A VPN is an extra layer of protection, but it can’t prevent internet throttling completely.
Will gaming on a VPN get you early access to games and DLC?
In some cases, gaming with a VPN can get you early access to games and DLC (downloadable content) that aren’t yet available in your area. For example, if a game is released in the US but not yet in Europe, you can set your server location to the US, purchase the game, and play before anyone else can. This applies to DLC content as well, in some cases.
Gaming with a VPN can sometimes get you early access (but you might get banned)
In rare situations, gaming on a VPN can get you around location-locked release dates, but we can’t promise that you won’t get banned by the publisher.
Take the example of Fallout 4 from back in 2015. People tricked the gaming platform Steam into thinking that they were in New Zealand, where Fallout 4 was available almost a day earlier than in the US due to time differences. But instead of getting early access, these players were blocked on Steam — which meant they couldn’t play the game at all.
A screenshot from the game Fallout 4
Rather than impulsively getting a VPN to access new games, just wait and buy the game when it comes out in your region. A few hours of early access are not worth the risk of getting banned by Steam, another gaming platform, or game publishers themselves.
Do gaming VPNs prevent DDoS attacks?
VPNs conceal your IP address, so in theory, a gaming VPN can prevent others from obtaining your IP address and using it to initiate a DDoS attack against you. A DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack happens when a hacker uses a botnet to overload an IP address or server with requests, eventually shutting it down.
As a massive industry, competitive gaming is prone to DDoS attacks by hackers. Some VPN providers claim that your opponents may target you with one — causing you to lose the game — and they’ll suggest VPNs and gaming together as an effective tool for countering these attacks.
Gaming on a VPN can prevent DDoS attacks — in theory
There’s nothing wrong with hiding your IP address with a VPN to prevent DDoS attacks. It’ll work — but if you’re just a regular gamer, your odds of being targeted by a DDoS attack are extremely low.
But if you’re running a dedicated championship Minecraft or League of Legends server, you’re a much bigger target for DDoS attacks. If you’re into that sort of business though, you’re likely not looking at consumer-tier gaming VPNs for protection.
Can using a VPN while gaming prevent swatting?
It’s been suggested that gaming on a VPN can prevent swatting since your VPN hides your IP address — but that’s not enough to stop a swatting attack.
Swatting happens when someone places a fraudulent emergency call and fools the police into sending a response team to the target’s address. Swatters — the people behind the attacks — may view it as a prank, but swatting has resulted in at least one real-world death.
Swatting is an especially serious concern for streamers, as people may try to swat them mid-stream. Do gaming VPNs work to prevent swatting?
Gaming with a VPN won’t block a swatting attack
When VPN providers tell you that gaming on a VPN will prevent swatting, the explanation is as follows: swatters use your IP address to figure out where you live, and a VPN will prevent anyone from finding your IP address.
The problem is that your IP address doesn’t reveal your street address — only your general location. Many swatting attacks happen when the swatter uses spoofing software to mimic the victim’s phone number, then places an emergency call that appears to be coming from the victim’s home. A VPN can’t do anything against that type of attack.
Can a gaming VPN be used to create a LAN?
Remember the good old days of LAN gaming? They haven’t passed — many games still allow you to connect PCs and laptops over a local area network (LAN) and play together in one room. When you’re traveling, things become a bit more difficult.
Certain tools like Hamachi let you create a LAN over the internet using VPN technology. If everyone in your gaming group is using one of these tools, you can make a virtual LAN and let your friends connect to it, no matter where you are. Something like this may be the best VPN for your gaming group.
Most gaming VPNs don’t offer LAN capability
If you find a VPN for gaming that lets you create virtual LANs, then you and your gaming group will be golden. But the majority of consumer VPNs don’t offer any sort of LAN mode. In that case, VPNs and gaming won’t bring back the halcyon days of LAN sessions.
Do gaming VPNs work?
When gaming with a VPN, you’ll enjoy all the benefits your VPN gives you: an encrypted internet connection, a hidden IP address, and a new IP address somewhere else in the world. But will a gaming VPN improve your gaming experience? Let’s find out with a few FAQs about VPNs and gaming.
Does a VPN slow down gaming?
At best, your gaming VPN will be exactly as fast as your internet connection. But in most cases, it’ll be slightly slower than that. You’re still using your physical internet connection when you connect to a VPN, and it’s impossible for a VPN to speed up your internet.
Since a VPN connection directs all your traffic through a remote server, it’s common for VPNs to be a bit slower than your normal internet connection. If you need a gameplay boost in GTA V or another one of your favorite games, a VPN might not help — look into boosting your gaming rig instead.
You can also try overclocking your CPU and overclocking your GPU for increased gaming performance. Or, if all else fails, check our detailed guide to speeding up your computer.
Will a VPN improve your connection?
VPNs introduce an extra connection point in the journey from your computer to your game server. That’s one more opportunity for a connection to drop, especially if you’re using a crowded VPN server. You may experience service drops and packet loss — when some of your traffic doesn’t reach its destination.
When it comes to VPNs and gaming, stronger connectivity isn’t one of the benefits you’ll enjoy.
Are gaming VPNs legal?
VPNs are legal in many countries, but others restrict their use or ban them outright. Check to make sure VPNs and gaming are legal where you live before using one. And note that it’s always illegal to conduct criminal activity over a VPN.
Will I get banned if I use a VPN?
Some gaming publishers, like many content platforms, don’t permit VPN connections. If you use a VPN for gaming to breach the terms of use in a game you play, you can expect a ban.
Can I install a VPN on my gaming console?
While setting up a VPN on your PC is as easy as installing a reliable VPN app, console gamers likely won’t have that option. If you prefer game consoles to PC gaming, you’ll need to either install a VPN on your router, or connect your console to your computer with an Ethernet cable.
Game safely with AVG Secure VPN
AVG Secure VPN is the best way to secure your internet connection, hide your IP address, and prevent anyone — especially your ISP — from knowing what you’re doing online. It’s got all the hallmarks of the best VPN for gaming: lightning-fast servers around the world, military-grade encryption, and the backing of a world leader in cybersecurity.
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The Best VPNs for Gaming in 2021 | PCMag
A virtual private network, or VPN, can be a powerful tool for securing your internet connection. But even the best VPNs can interfere with your connectivity, sometimes to the point where your favorite PC game becomes laggy or even unplayable. Some games may even block you from using a VPN altogether. While we can’t advise you on every problem that may arise from using a VPN while gaming, we can break down the issues and offer some solutions that will keep you in the game without losing control of your why would gamers want a VPN in the first place? Privacy and security are surely issues, but VPNs can benefit gamers, specifically. For instance, you can potentially spoof your location and access servers in other countries. VPNs may also make it more difficult for rivals to use distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks to knock players offline. Note that we haven’t evaluated the efficacy of VPNs protecting against DDoS Is a VPN? When you switch on a VPN, it sends all your data through an encrypted tunnel to a remote server operated by the VPN company. Anyone on the same network as you, even the person who owns the network, won’t be able to see your activity. Neither will your ISP, which is great because they’re now allowed to sell your anonymized browsing the VPN server, your data exits onto the public internet. Because your data appears to emanate from the VPN server and not your computer, anyone watching your traffic on the web will see the IP address of the VPN server instead of your computer’s IP address. If you select a VPN server outside your country, it will appear as if you are browsing the web from wherever the VPN server ‘s Always a Weak PointThere is no magic weapon in the world of security that will make you truly safe (or truly anonymous). If people want to target you specifically—and are willing to spend the time and money to do it—it’s likely they will eventually succeed. But a VPN makes it that much harder, and it can keep your data and personal information from being swept up in mass surveillance. At the very least, you won’t be the proverbial low-hanging fruit; the average attacker is more likely to go after an easier some VPN services claim they will defend against malware and phishing sites, we don’t believe that any of them provide the same level of protection as standalone antivirus software. And no VPN, no matter how powerful, can be as useful as a password manager at protecting your online accounts. Lastly, enabling two-factor authentication on all your accounts (especially gaming services such as and Steam) is the best way to prevent account takeovers. Security, just like dressing for winter, is best done in layers.
Lastly, a VPN doesn’t offer the same level of anonymization as the free Tor anonymization network. Meaning that it’s easier (but still very difficult) to determine your true IP address and location when you’re using a VPN than when you’re using Tor. On the other hand, VPNs have a far smaller impact on your internet speeds than What About My Sick Frags? The biggest concern people usually have with VPNs is that they can negatively impact their internet speeds. It makes sense, because routing web traffic through a VPN server adds extra physical distance and machines between computers and content out on the web—even for playing a video we test VPNs, we try to get a sense of that impact by looking at the difference between when the VPN is active and when it is not. We perform a series of speed tests using the Ookla speed test tool and then calculate the percent change. You can get all the nitty-gritty details in our article on how we test VPNs. (Editors’ Note: Speedtest by Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, the publisher of PCMag. )You can read more about our VPN speed testing in our fastest VPN feature. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has greatly limited our access to the PCMag Labs. We’ve adapted by moving to a rolling testing model, which we will update with more products throughout 2021. The best results for each category are in red and italicized. You can see the latest results in the chart below.
Data calculated on 3/30/2021
Latency is likely a bigger deal for playing video games than other activities. With fighting games, in particular, split seconds can make the difference between victory and defeat. A good rule of thumb is that the further the VPN server is from you, the greater the latency. A VPN with lots of servers and locations may help you find a server that’s nearby. Given the importance of latency, the chart at the top of this story shows the VPNs that had better latency results than the median score. We’ve also arranged them by their latency results in descending in mind that this is a snapshot of performance for a particular place and time, and not the final word in network performance. You will certainly see different results depending on where you live, when you connect, what your network looks like, and which VPN server you use. Our results are primarily for LootVery little in life is free, but some VPNs are free. Most reputable free VPN services have some kind of data restriction, although a few do not. So far, we think that ProtonVPN has the best free subscription even the paid subscriptions to a VPN service don’t need to break the bank. The average cost for a VPN subscription is around $9. 96 per month, or $72. 33 per year. You can also usually save money if you purchase a longer-term subscription plan, but definitely try out the service on a short-term basis first to make sure it works for VPN services let you secure up to five devices simultaneously. If you’re looking at a service that offers fewer devices per subscription, it better offer something pretty impressive to balance that out. Keep in mind you’ll want one subscription to cover all of your devices.
Of course, not all devices can run a VPN client on their own. Smart home appliances certainly can’t, nor can many handheld or TV-connected game systems. For these devices, you can configure a router to give them VPN protection. This means all the traffic from all the devices connected to the router (generally every connected device in your home) is protected by the VPN. While companies have worked to make this process more streamlined, it is definitely more in the realm of a DIY project and probably more of a headache for the average are a few other things to consider when you’re shopping for a VPN subscription. The best services use a modern and secure VPN protocol to secure your connection. We prefer OpenVPN and WireGuard, because both have been examined by the open-source community for potential faults. It’s also a good idea to see how many servers and server locations a VPN company offers. More servers and server locations can mean better performance and more You Trust Your VPN? All security is built on trust, and VPNs are no different. That’s why we make sure to read the privacy policy for each service we review. A good, trustworthy VPN company clearly states what information it gathers, and why it does so. The best companies gather as little information as reviewing VPN services, we contact VPN companies to confirm basic information about their operation, policies, and how they respond to law enforcement. If you’re curious about a particular VPN’s privacy issues, be sure to look up its review here on PassagewaysIf any impact on your latency, download, or upload speeds is simply too much for your gaming experience, there are other options. TunnelBear and PureVPN, among others, include a split-tunneling feature. This means you can decide which applications send their data through the VPN’s tunnel and which send data outside the tunnel as normal. If, for example, you want to secure all your web traffic, but your game of choice can’t take the strain of a VPN, you can simply omit its traffic with downside is that this approach will not secure all of your information. You need to decide which information you’re comfortable transmitting without a VPN’s added protection and what you want encrypted. Having to make that choice is not ideal, but it is better than having no choice at Frog is unique among VPN companies for offering Outfox, a VPN service that’s designed with gaming in mind. We haven’t yet tested this service, but Golden Frog has a good reputation. A New Challenger AppearsSpeed isn’t the only issue for players. Some web services get confused or outright block VPN traffic. For example, Netflix blocks VPNs in order to enforce distribution deals that make different videos available in different countries. Anecdotally, we can say that some mobile games will not function properly if you’re using a VPN. This is likely because of matchmaking systems that use your IP address to pair you up with particular opponents or place you on a particular server. It could also be because of anti-cheating or anti-piracy measures. Regardless of the reason, the result is the same: using a VPN sometimes means that your game just won’t you encounter this particular problem, you might consider purchasing a static IP address or a personal VPN server from a VPN company. These are generally offered as add-ons to a standard VPN subscription, with prices varying by company and where the IP address or server is located. We haven’t tested either option for compatibility with games or Netflix, so proceed at your own risk. You might consider a short-term subscription for this kind of Most Dangerous GameVPNs are powerful privacy and security tools, which can protect your online activities from spies, advertisers, and everyone else, without breaking the bank or strangling your internet connection. There are drawbacks, however, and the particular requirements of video games mean that a slow, inflexible VPN simply won’t said, a VPN only makes a difference if you actually use it, and use it regularly. That’s why it’s important to try out several different vendors until you settle on one that fits your life best.
Can a VPN Reduce Ping? 5 Best Gaming VPNs – CyberWaters
If you play online multiplayer games frequently, you likely highly value stable network connections and low ping. The lower the ping, the lower the lag. In return, the smoother and more enjoyable your gameplay will be. But, maintaining low ping isn’t always so straightforward, as many factors can impact it. These include gaming server problems, local network issues, or even ISP bandwidth throttling. To bypass these issues, many gamers resort to using VPN you’re on the never-ending quest of always trying to lower your ping when playing games, make sure to read our detailed guide. We’ll answer the all-important question of “does a VPN lower ping”, share with you a few tips, and dispel a few myths on this topic along the way. Lastly, we’ll also discuss the five best VPNs for gaming to determine how VPNs affect ping when playing online a VPN Reduce Ping? Pros of Using a Gaming VPN to Lower PingAvoid Bandwidth ThrottlingStreamline Your Network ConnectionCons of Using a Gaming VPN to Lower PingSometimes a VPN Will Only Increase Your PingYou Can’t Game on Long-Distance ServersHow to Use a VPN to Reduce PingBest VPNs for Lower PingNordVPNPrivateVPNSurfsharkExpressVPNPrivate Internet AccessVPN Ping FAQsWhich VPN has the lowest ping? Does a VPN help with latency? Can I use a free VPN for gaming ping improvement? Can I use a VPN for Fortnite to reduce ping? What’s the best VPN server for low ping? Can VPNs Lower Ping – The Bottom LineDoes a VPN Reduce Ping? Yes, a VPN can undoubtedly lower your ping. It does so by sending data packets through more direct routes than they would otherwise travel through your connection. Reciprocally, the information will flow more freely and you can enjoy gaming with low you Google “does a VPN help with ping”, you’ll mostly come across decided no’s in the search results. But, if you follow the tips we’ll share with you on this page, you’ll effectively reduce ping. To best understand how a VPN affects your network, let’s take a closer look at both the pros and cons of using a gaming VPN to lower your of Using a Gaming VPN to Lower PingIf you properly set it up and follow all of the guidelines and tips we’ll share with you on this page, a gaming VPN can help lower your ping. Here are the most apparent advantages of using a VPN to lower your in-game ping:Avoid Bandwidth ThrottlingOne major reason why you might be experiencing high ping might be that your ISP is throttling your bandwidth. ISPs sometimes resort to this underhanded tactic to manage traffic flow on their servers. When you connect to a VPN server, you’ll effectively disguise your network and trick your ISP. If your internet provider has been lowering your speeds, you’ll notice a dramatic improvement right reamline Your Network ConnectionEven if your ISP isn’t throttling your bandwidth, a VPN can help make your connection more streamlined. Many ISPs try to save money by creating cheap and cost-effective connections. Unfortunately, this often results in data packet loss and slow data travel time due to indirect travel routes of information. When you’re connected to a VPN server, the VPN will pick better data routes than your ISP. In response, your lag and ping will automatically of Using a Gaming VPN to Lower PingA no lag VPN can certainly help improve your network latency and make your connection smoother and stutter-free. That said, using a VPN for gaming also comes with some drawbacks. And, for complete objectivity, we also have to take a look at the other side of the coin. With that in mind, here are the most significant cons of using a gaming VPN to lower ping:Sometimes a VPN Will Only Increase Your PingOn some occasions, you won’t be able to set up your VPN to lower your ping. This can be due to many reasons. Most often, it’s because the server is not close enough to you or is already overcrowded. When there are many users on the same VPN server, it can’t offer its maximum potential to all of those connected to it. While this certainly is a drawback, luckily, it is something you can work on. It’s often a trial and error process until you find what works best for you. You need to experiment with different VPN servers, protocols, and settings. This will allow you to find a combination that lowers your ping instead of increasing Can’t Game on Long-Distance ServersIf you’re looking for low ping and low latency, you’ll have to stick to local game servers only. When you connect to a remote VPN server to access the game in a different region, you’ll only increase your ping and lower your connection speed. This is an important fact to keep in mind. Some gamers believe that they can both access remote gaming servers and improve their network connections. How to Use a VPN to Reduce PingWith all of the above in mind, the pros of using a gaming VPN to lower ping heavily outweigh the cons. However, to make sure you take advantage of all of these benefits, you need to know how to properly use a VPN to reduce ping. In this regard, these pointers will help you make sure you set up your gaming VPN the proper way:Pick a Low Latency VPN – The first and most important thing is to make sure you pick a low-ping VPN service. It should have a solid network of fast servers, so you never have to worry about connection clogs and speed dropdowns. The five best VPNs on this page meet all of these criteria and are very adept at lowering your gaming a Suitable Server Location – The best way to ensure a fast connection is to connect to a nearby VPN server. This will shorten the connection signal travel time, as network data won’t have to travel far. If your primary goal is to reduce lag and ping, you should always connect to a server that’s geographically close to you. Optimize Your VPN – The five VPNs we’ve featured on this page are all very customizable. They allow you to optimize your settings to favor certain performance characteristics. For example, if you want better speed, you can tailor settings and switch for a lighter and faster VPN VPNs for Lower PingNordVPNIf you’re searching for the best VPN for low ping, look no further than NordVPN. This VPN provides over 5, 300 servers in 59 countries. But, when you look past the great numbers and into the service details, you begin to notice just how great NordVPN is. Its NordLynx protocol is capable of supporting the fastest network connections, with minimal lag and service offers you apps and extensions for all major platforms and devices. NordVPN’s apps are very stable and reliable. Not only will you get lower latency and ping, but you can expect minimal connection drops and an overall very safe and user-friendly service. It includes characteristics like DDoS protection, split tunneling, and a kill rdVPN is also known for being a very privacy-conscious VPN service. It’s based in Panama and regularly undergoes independent audits. NordVPN also employs only RAM-based servers. On top of all of this, it is very transparent in its privacy policy and maintains a 100% no-logs practice. 5200+ global servers in 59+ countriesCyberSec malware and ad-blocking protectionNext-generation encryption with double VPN serversObfuscation technology that masks VPN trafficStrict no-logs policyWorks with Netflix and good for streamingLightning fast with P2P support30-day money-back guarantee PrivateVPNIf you’re looking for a convenient gaming VPN with reliable ping lowering capabilities, PrivateVPN is a very respectable choice. It’s a very simple and streamlined service that makes VPN use easy and enjoyable. Still, it comes with a lot of helpful information on your connections. This makes it convenient and easy to find the right combination that maximally lowers your ping. Moreover, there’s a solid server selection globally, ensuring lag-free gaming no matter your ’s not the fastest VPN around but is very capable of maintaining stable, above-average connections. It allows you to use up unlimited bandwidth and simultaneously connect up to six devices. This means you can easily game and enjoy lower ping on all gaming devices in your household. Plus, since it has an impressive uptime of 99. 98%, it’s a great VPN for gaming in general. Server locations in 60+ countriesZero data logging policy2048-bit encryption with AES-256Unlimited bandwidth and great speedsSupports anonymous torrenting / P2P friendly30-day money-back guaranteeAllows port forwarding SurfsharkAs one of the fastest VPNs around, Surfshark is a prime choice for lowering in-game ping and lag. The service provides over 3, 200 servers worldwide, so you have plenty of options to choose from. All of its servers come with private DNS and a strict no-logs policy. You can also choose between a variety of protocols. This includes the top-performing WireGuard protocol and Surfshark’s in-house Shadowsocks rfshark allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously. Going by the overall price and value of all combined characteristics, Surfshark offers you arguably the most for your money. This especially shows through the VPN’s very reasonable and affordable long-term price plans. 3200+ global servers in 60+ countriesCleanWeb ad-blocking featureSecure and strong encryption with OpenVPNWhitelister, Multi-hop VPN and kill switchNo-logs policyWorks with Netflix and good for streamingGreat speeds30-day money-back guarantee ExpressVPNAs one of the most sophisticated services in the industry, ExpressVPN is a perfect VPN to reduce latency. It offers fast and reliable connection speeds. The service comes with over 3, 000 servers in 160 locations across 94 countries. Equally as important, all servers are RAM-based, guaranteeing maximum privacy and safety. Outside lowering your gaming ping, you can use ExpressVPN for many other online purposes. It’s excellent for torrenting and performs superbly on all major content streaming platforms. Accordingly, it also comes with one of the most expensive subscription plans. Still, it’s a premium VPN that can reduce ping very efficiently and is worth every penny. 160+ locations and 3000+ serversStrict No-Log policyUnlimited streaming (Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer)Strong military-grade AES 256-bit key encryptionKill Switch, Split tunneling and RAM-disk servers30-day money-back guaranteeWindows, MacOS, iOS, Android and Linux supportFast speeds and reliable connections Private Internet AccessPrivate Internet Access has long been one of the premier gaming VPNs around. With over 35, 500 servers in its network, it’s an excellent choice for everyone looking for a better ping with a VPN. All of its servers support the extremely fast WireGuard protocol. Besides having the largest server base in the industry, PIA also allows its customers to purchase a dedicated ’s very fast, provides unlimited bandwidth, and has a zero-logs privacy policy. Moreover, PIA is also one of the most complex VPNs around. It includes features like custom DNS configuration and custom proxy preference settings. You can also custom set both the encryption standard and the type of handshake. This allows for great flexibility in tailoring your network safety and pports WireGuard on all platformsCurrently WG is in Beta testing phaseNo Traffic or Request logsCan be used with 10 devices simultaneouslyUnlimited Bandwidth and good speeds3200+ Servers in 29 Countries30-day money-back guarantee VPN Ping FAQsWhich VPN has the lowest ping? The five VPNs on this page are all very proficient in offering low ping and improved latency. That being said, if you’re looking for the best fast ping VPN on the market, we recommend NordVPN. It’s guaranteed to provide stable and low latency connections, no matter your worldwide a VPN help with latency? Yes, a VPN does lower latency if you set up your service following the guidelines we shared with you on this page. The results can vary, and you need to find the correct server depending on your location. So, if it doesn’t help lower your latency at first, don’t get discouraged. Simply switch up servers and try I use a free VPN for gaming ping improvement? No, we strongly advise you against using free VPN services for gaming purposes. This is because these free VPNs are often heavily limited in all important aspects. They’re not as fast, often overcrowded, and usually have bandwidth limits. With all of these issues, a free VPN will only worsen your lag and ping I use a VPN for Fortnite to reduce ping? Yes, you can use a gaming VPN to improve latency and ping on Fortnite. We’ve covered this in a separate and detailed Fortnite VPN guide. But, not only does a VPN lower ping in Fortnite, it can do so for any other online game. For more comprehensive info, check out our VPN guides for LoL, Valorant, and PUBG ’s the best VPN server for low ping? The answer to this VPN ping question depends on your location and the servers you’re connecting to. If you’re not sure, the best way to go about it is to connect to the closest server to you. This will minimize the connection travel time and ensure low VPNs Lower Ping – The Bottom LineHopefully, with the extensive information we’ve shared with you on this page, you’ve learned how a VPN can reduce ping. Not only this, but a VPN is beneficial for many other reasons we didn’t even highlight on this page. It protects your private information and protects you from any hacking or DDoS attacks. It allows you unrestricted online access anywhere in the a VPN when gaming is undoubtedly a smart and advantageous move. And, with the five top-quality VPNs we’ve discussed above, you have no shortage of options. Still, if you can’t decide which service is best for you, we recommend NordVPN. It’s the best VPN for low latency on the market. Plus, it offers a fantastic 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.
Frequently Asked Questions about vpn when gaming
Is VPN good for gaming?
A virtual private network, or VPN, can be a powerful tool for securing your internet connection. But even the best VPNs can interfere with your connectivity, sometimes to the point where your favorite PC game becomes laggy or even unplayable. Some games may even block you from using a VPN altogether.
Do VPNs help with gaming ping?
Yes, a VPN can undoubtedly lower your ping. It does so by sending data packets through more direct routes than they would otherwise travel through your connection. Reciprocally, the information will flow more freely and you can enjoy gaming with low ping.Sep 6, 2021
How do I use a VPN for gaming?
How To Play Origin Games with a VPNSign up for a VPN service, like VyprVPN. … Download VyprVPN and launch the application on your preferred device(s).Choose a server location. … Click Connect and connect to your VPN.Reduce latency during game play, and speed up your connection when playing Origin games.