5 mbps internet speed: Everything explained

When going for a data plan you will chose for your cellphone or internet activity, speed and the allocated data matters most. Once the data plan has a very fast speed, internet will be so sweet and enjoyabl.

However, when the speed is very slow, one will be frustrated because it simply means slow downloading and too many m video buffering while streaming high quality videos.

This article covers all you need to know on 5 mbps internet speed, how good or poor it is, and internet experience using an internet speed of 5 mbps for my internet activity.

What is 5 mbps on internet?

5 mbps is an internet speed rate which helps a user to know how fast or slow it’s internet activity will be. When you see 5 mbps internet speed then be rest assured that this is the maximum speed your service network provider offered for that very data plan.

There are different types of internet speed offered by our service network providers, but in this article I will only focus on 5 mbps internet speed.

You ran an internet speed test on your cell phone or computer and what yoi saw is 5 Mbps speed test or probably the speed rate was offered to you along with a data plan and to which you would like to know if at all is 5 Mbps speed is good or not.

I will explain all you need to know based on the advanced on technology.

Let’s continue.

Is 5 mbps fast?

5 mbps is not necessarily fast especially in terms of live streaming of high quality videos, downloading and uploading of large files, but it is very much okay in opening web pages, chatting, making a video and voice call, watching YouTube videos and Netflix.

The truth here is that as we are in 2021 going to 2022 and with a 5G network, a 5 mbps internet speed is a complete trash as far as I’m concerned. And below are some of the major reasons why I said that.

5 mbps internet speed

1. 5 mbps internet speed can’t stream 4k videos

If to ask is is 5 mbps fast and your major internet activity involves streaming 4k or high quality videos online, please forget about it because you will find it a hard time streaming a 4k video with a 5 mbps internet speed. Definitely it won’t work as you will experience tons of buffering while streaming.

This gets worse streaming a live event or live sports on your cell phone or computer.

You probably get frustrated and annoyed once you can’t stream using a 5 mbps internet speed.

When it comes to streaming a 4k video, you need at least 15 mbps internet speed else yo will experience lots of buffering which will hinder you from streaming.

2. Quite difficult downloading a large file

If you are the type that loves to download files or large files on your phone or computer, you will have it a hard time downloading a file size of 10GB. I’m not saying an internet speed of 5 mbps can’t download A 10GB file size, but it will take up to 2 hours or more to completely download the file.

In general, 5 mbps internet speed isn’t good for downloading large files bases on my experience because you need to exercise lot of patience in order to have a 20GB file size to download complete.

3. Playing online game with 5 mbps internet speed is not enough

When i talk about playing online games with 5 mbps internet speed is not enough, I’m talking about ps4, ps5 games or pc games.

For mobile games, you can seamlessly use an internet speed of 5mbps to play online mobile games and it will flow very well. Where the problem lies is playing a high graphics ps4, ps5, or pc games with 5 mbps internet speed.

It is even more frustrating playing online games and same time streaming.

If you want to go into gaming, 5 mbps internet speed is quite awful and not fast enough for gaming especially when it comes to high quality graphics online games. You need at least 15mbps internet speed to properly enjoy online games.

4. 5 mbps not fast enough for uploading

Aside from downloading, you can use 5 mbps internet speed to upload files on the internet, but that will be small or medium file size.

If to say to upload a 15GB file size on the internet with 5 mbps, that will possible but it will a lot of time consuming.

For example, if it takes three hours to upload a file size of 15GB with an internet speed of 5 mbps, it will take just fifteen minutes to upload same file size with an internet speed of 80 mbps.

When it comes to 5 mbps internet speed, these are the major issues you will face especially streaming a 4k video, streaming live events, downloading and uploading of large files, streaming and playing online games.

is 5 mbps fast

What works best with a 5 mbps internet speed?

1. Watch Netflix videos

The minimum requirement to enjoy Netflix is 5 mbps so you shouldn’t think that a 5 mbps internet speed won’t work for Netflix because it does and you won’t experience any buffering or hanging of videos because of slow internet speed.

2. 5 mbps internet speed is fast enough for Youtube

Talking about YouTube and if at all is 5 mbps internet speed fast enough for Youtube, I tell you it is, even if you increase your Youtube videos to high quality you can still watch YouTube videos with a 5 mbps internet speed without experiencing any buffering.

3. 5 mbps internet speed is fast enough for whatsapp and video calling feature

Talking about whatsapp, the aspect I’m talking about is the video calling feature. If you have a poor internet connection on your cell phone, whatsapp video call won’t be clear enough as it will be blurry and same time hanging.

However, to enjoy whatsapp video calling feature you need to have a good internet connection and a 5 mbps internet speed is quite enough for whatsapp even when it comes to backing up whatsapp file.

Is 5 mbps fast enough for zoom

5 mbps internet speed is quite enough for zoom as long as there’s no other device’s connected to the 5 mbps.

Only once when i has a poor internet connection i tried using an internet speed 5 mbps on zoom and everything worked perfectly as the video was streaming without any buffering or hanging.

However, to be on a much better side when using zoom I recommend an internet speed of at least 10 mbps as it is a lot better compared to 5 mbps internet speed.

5 Mbps how many devices?

It is recommended to to use only a device for a 5 mbps internet speed because multiple devices will drastically reduce the speed level to beyond kbps which is extremely poor for internet activity.

You can only talk of connecting multiple devices when you have at least 20 mbps internet speed and your internet speed won’t be slowed down so much.

Please don’t think of connecting multiple devices to a 5 mbps internet speed cause it will be a lot frustrating for you unless it involves browsing web pages and chatting, with streaming and downloading restricted.

Is 5 mbps fast enough for downloading?

5 mbps internet speed is quite fast enough if it comes down to downloading small or medium file size, but for large file size it is not fast enough cause it will take a lot of time.

Like I said above, a 5 mbps internet speed will take up to two hours to download a file size of 10GB, while an 80 mbps will take just 10 minutes or less to download a 10GB file.

If your main internet priority is downloading of files from the internet, then you need something lot better than a 5 mbps internet speed. I recommend a minimum of 15 mbps internet speed rate.

5 Mbps speed is good or not?

5 mbps internet speed rate is good as you can use it to seamlessly browse web pages, make a video call and voice call, chat online, watch Netflix videos and YouTube videos, also download files.

Where I have problem with 5 mbps is when it comes to watching a 4k video which is a lot tiring, and also streaming live events like live football. It is quite difficult to flow very well because of too many buffering.

Also downloading of large files takes a lot of time and patience which can also be tiring if you have a number of large files to download.

Fact, if internet service provider offers a data plan with a 5 mbps internet speed, I won’t go for it cause it is way too poor especially now we have the 5G network.

At least 15 mbps internet speed rate is quite OK for streaming, downloading and uploading of files, etc.

Is 5Mbps slow?

5 mbps internet speed rate is not entirely slow but not very fast either especially now we have 5G network.

When browsing through websites, making a video call, watching Netflix videos and YouTube videos, you won’t feel any lagging or slow internet at all, but where you will feel and confirm that indeed 5 mbps isn’t fast enough is when it comes to downloading and uploading large files, streaming a 4k videos and streaming live events on your cell phone or computer.

Instead of asking is 5 mbps fast, I request you give it a try because internet speed differs from the network service provider we have. One may have a fast 5 mbps internet speed, while the other with a slow one.

About Kennedy

I'm Amaechi Uchenna by name, a mobile tech enthusiast who love writing articles about tips and tutorials especially relating to gadgets.

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