5 Mbps = 5 megabits per second. Is it fast? Well, the answer is NO. An internet speed of 5 Mbps can hardly carry out the daily data needs of a single user. So, you can imagine how it will be with multiple users!
5 Mbps internet is slow, giving you a max upload speed of 1 Mbps and a download speed of 610 Kbps. You cannot download large files or make HD video calls. The only thing achievable without difficulty at this speed is surfing the web.
If you’re a student or a sole practitioner, I recommend you go with at least 10 Mbps internet speed. But if you are low on budget or keen to know how good is 5 Mbps in real-time, stick around, as I shall cover everything you need to know!
How Fast is 5 Mbps Internet?
Ideally speaking, 5 Mbps is not fast enough. It is good only for single users with fewer data needs. Sharing this plan with multiple users will leave you frustrated and struggling even if you optimise your router for improved speeds.
Look at the table below to understand the bandwidth requirements of different activities & if 5 Mbps can support them:
| Activities | Required Download Speed | Required Upload Speed | Can 5 Mbps support it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Media | 500 - 2000 Kbps | 200 - 300 Kbps | Yes |
| Messaging & Email | 100 Kbps | 12.5 Kbps | Yes |
| Web Browsing | 100 - 1000 Kbps | 12.5 - 125 Kbps | Yes |
| WhatsApp Voice Call | 100 Kbps | 12.5 Kbps | Yes |
| WhatsApp Video Call | 2-3 Mbps | 250-300 Kbps | Yes |
| Skype HD Call | 1-3 Mbps | 125 - 300 Kbps | Yes |
| Skype Group HD Call | 4-5 Mbps | 500 - 600 Kbps | Yes |
| Zoom HD Call | 3.5-4 Mbps | 400 - 500 Kbps | Yes |
| Zoom Group HD Call | 4-5 Mbps | 500 - 600 Kbps | Yes |
| Watching YouTube Videos [480p] | 500 - 1000 Kbps | 200 Kbps | Yes |
| Watching YouTube Videos [1080p] | 2-3 Mbps | 250 - 300 Kbps | Yes |
| Streaming Netflix [720p] | 1.5-2 Mbps | 250 Kbps | Yes |
| Streaming Netflix [1080p] | 5-7 Mbps | 600-800 Kbps | No |
| Online Gaming | 3-4 Mbps | 300 - 400 Kbps | Yes |
| Streaming Audio Music | 400 Kbps | 50 Kbps | Yes |
Is 5 Mbps Good for Streaming?
You might wonder, is 5 Mbps good for streaming? If you are the only person using this plan, you can watch 720p YouTube videos without facing the buffer. For watching 1080p videos, you might get stutters, especially if you’ve other devices connected to the network.
Coming to your next question, is 5 Mbps fast enough for Netflix? Technically no! Netflix’s 4k videos have a bandwidth of 25 Mbps, so let’s not go there. Regular HD videos have a minimum requirement of 5 Mbps. So, with this plan, you can stream HD videos on Netflix. But only when the single device is connected to the network.
On the other hand, audio streaming platforms require much less bandwidth, as low as 0.4 Mbps. So, with the 5 Mbps internet plan, almost 12-13 people can stream music through Spotify or Apple music.
Is 5 Mbps Good for Gaming?
Online gaming performance is determined by throughput and latency. In general, online games have a download speed of 3-5 Mbps and an upload speed of 0.5-1 Mbps.
You can have one to two gaming sessions. Going beyond that, you will start facing lags and delays even with a modem good for gaming.
Another point in gaming is downloading. Low-end mobile games like Modern Sniper has a file size of 9.8 Mb. It will take almost 15 seconds to download with this plan, which is fair. Similarly, mid-end games like Fruit Ninja have a file size of 151 MB. It can be downloaded in 4 minutes, which is also acceptable.
But downloading will feel like an eternity for high-end games like Quantum Break. The file size of Quantum Break is 178 GB. With the 5 Mbps internet, downloading the game will take almost 3 days. By no means it sounds practical.
Is 5 Mbps Good for Zoom?
As stated in Zoom bandwidth requirements, A 1:1 720p call requires 1.2Mbps upload/download. But with 5 Mbps internet, you will get an upload speed of at max 1 Mbps. This means 1080p HD calls are out of the question here.
While 720p group video calls need an upload speed of 2.6 Mbps and a download speed of 1.8Mbps, which is again not achievable.
Basic quality calls with Zoom require a download and upload speed of 600 Kbps. Hence, with the 5 Mbps plan, you can make at least one standard-definition Zoom call. WhatsApp calls have better chances here. The bandwidth is fairly less, so almost 3-5 devices can make calls simultaneously.
In summary, with 5 Mbps internet speed, single users can have one HD Netflix stream, almost two gaming sessions, and one standard Zoom call. Let us understand this better in the following sections.
Time Taken to Download Different File Types & Sizes with 5 Mbps
Depending upon the file size, the downloading duration can vary from seconds to days with the 5 Mbps WiFi. I would not suggest going for heavier file downloading with this plan. For example, the PC game “Gears of War 4” has a file size of 112.3 GB. It will take almost 2 and a half days to download the game. Not at all worth it!
| Type & Size of File | Download Duration |
|---|---|
| Mobile Apps & Games [Up to 40 GB] | Approximately 18 Minutes |
| HD Movies [Up to 3 GB] | 1 Hour 30 Minutes |
| Email Attachments [25 MB] | 40 Seconds |
| HD Music Album [Up to 500 MB] | 13 Minutes 33 Seconds |
| High-Quality Photograph [Up to 10 MB] | 16 Seconds |
Frequently Asked Questions
A 5 Mbps internet speed can work fine for 2-3 low data-hungry devices for basic tasks like surfing the web or playing music. More than that, the internet won’t work properly, resulting in delays and lags.
With the 5 Mbps internet, single users can stream 720p YouTube videos without facing a buffer, but for streaming 1080p videos, you need to disconnect every other device connected to the network.
No, you need at least 10 Mbps download speed, and 1 Mbps upload speed for working from home. Having 5 Mbps internet is not going to help you.
Online learners need a minimum internet speed of 1.5 Mbps to take online classes. With the 5 Mbps internet, students can watch smooth 720p videos.
Working with the 5 Mbps speed is similar to using a 1 Mbps speed. You will face a lot of lag and buffering when playing games or watching HD videos. Also, heavy data-related tasks like uploading videos or downloading large files will appear next to impossible with this speed. Hence I recommend you opt for a more balanced 20 Mbps internet.
