200 Mbps internet is not as fast as 400 Mbps but is an ideal service package for small workplaces having 8-10 employees. It can handle most day-to-day activities quite easily and is good for working from home as well.
With this speed, you can stream Netflix videos in HD quality, do video and audio calls, share and download large files and upload YouTube videos as well. It is definitely above the average internet speed in the US. So, is 200 Mbps fast enough for all your needs?
What are the real upload and download speeds? Can it handle gaming, streaming, and other bandwidth-intensive activities? What plan to subscribe to? To answer all such questions, I tested Internet 200 Mbps plan by CenturyLink for three weeks. Here is what I found:
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How Fast is 200 Mbps?
Almost 8 devices can share the 200 Mbps internet speed to carry out huge data-related tasks like uploading videos and downloading large files. Have a look at the following table to have a better idea of this plan.
| Activities | Required Download Speed | Required Upload Speed | Can 200 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 | Yes |
| Online Gaming | 3-4 Mbps | 300 - 400 Kbps | Yes |
| Streaming Audio Music | 400 Kbps | 50 Kbps | Yes |
Time Taken to Download Different File Types & Sizes with 200 Mbps Connection
With the 200 Mbps internet speed, you can play up to 15 games online. Zoom HD calls or Netflix HD videos can run without any lag with this plan. Also, Spotify lovers can stream up to 300 songs at the same time with a 200 Mbps download speed.
| Type & Size of File | Download Duration |
|---|---|
| Apps and Games [Up to 40 GB] | 25-30 Minutes |
| Email Attachments [Up to 25 MB] | 1 Second |
| HD Movies [Up to 3 GB] | 2 Minutes |
| HD Music Album [Up to 500 MB] | 20 Seconds |
| 1080p Videos [Up to 1.5 GB] | 1 Minute |
What Can You Do with 200 Mbps internet?
The internet speed of 200 Mbps is said to be an ideal throughput for families.
1. Streaming
Is 200 Mbps good for streaming? Well, data usage in streaming depends on the quality of videos you are watching. For example, streaming 4K videos need a speed between 25-50 Mbps. This means you can stream up to 8-16 4K videos with 200 Mbps internet.
And, is 200 Mbps fast enough for Netflix? Well, for Netflix HD videos, you need a bandwidth between 5-7 Mbps. So, approximately 28-40 devices can share the 200 Mbps WiFi simultaneously. This speed is more than enough for a family or even small workplaces.
YouTube standard videos require a download speed of 0.5 to 1 Mbps. Doing the maths, you can play more than 300 videos at the same time. For HD videos, this number will reduce to 80-100 devices, which still is fast enough for the majority of households.
Audio streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple music require 0.4-0.6 Mbps internet speed. With this plan, you can stream more than 300 songs at the same time.
2. Gaming
Is 200 Mbps good for gaming? Well, average online games need a download speed of up to 5 Mbps. And 1.5-5 Mbps of upload speed. So, the 200 Mbps WiFi can be shared between almost 30 devices at the same time.
But you are likely to get an upload speed of 20-100 Mbps with this plan, so only 4 games can be played in the worst-case scenario. And for higher throughput and low-ping, you should have a gaming-friendly modem.
Another aspect of 200 Mbps internet for gaming is updating and downloading the games. With the 200 Mbps connection, it might take some time to download high-end games. For example, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare for PC has a huge size of 231 GB. It will take approximately 3 hours to download this game.
In that case, you need to be patient. Downloading mid-end and low-end games, however, is a matter of seconds, literally. Call of Duty: Mobile is of 1.95 GB and can be downloaded in just 2 minutes or less.
3. Video Conferencing
Zoom calls need a download speed of up to 3 Mbps and an upload speed of 3.8 Mbps. So, ideally, with the 200 Mbps speed, you can make up to 60 Zoom calls. But upload speed with this plan varies from 20-100 Mbps. So, in reality, you can make 5-20 Zoom HD calls.
This is good enough for family or houses but not enough for office. Likewise, Skype calls need 1-3 Mbps of bandwidth. So, almost 40-50 Skype calls can be made with this plan. Similarly, you can make approximately 100-150 WhatsApp voice calls while 7-25 WhatsApp video calls.
The Cost of 200 Mbps Internet
How much you need to pay for the 200 Mbps download speed depends upon the plan and region you are subscribing to. On average, the price ranges somewhere between $30-$60/month depending on the internet provider.
Internet Providers with 200 Mbps Plan
| Internet Provider | Service Plan | Max Download Speed | Max Upload Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WOWWAY! | Internet 200 | 200 Mbps | 10 Mbps | $30 / Mo |
| Mediacom | Internet 200 | 200 Mbps | 10 Mbps | $40 / Mo |
| Breezeline | 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps | 10 Mbps | $40 / Mo |
| Windstream | Kinetic 200 | 200 Mbps | 10 Mbps | $37 / Mo |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 200 Mbps speed is excellent for working from home. The bandwidth allows you to do crystal clear video calls and internet calls, download email attachments, and surf the web and social media easily.
It totally depends upon the usage. With a download speed of 200 Mbps, almost 8 devices can steam ultra HD videos at the same time, and approximately 100+ devices can surf social media simultaneously.
Internet speed between 100-200 Mbps is good enough for most households having general usage like streaming videos, doing video calls, surfing the web etc. But if you are more into online gaming, an internet speed of 400 Mbps is much better. Before deciding on any plan, you must consider the number of people and devices using it.
100 Mbps speed is good for 1-2 users sharing the same plan. But if your requirement is more, like 7-8 users, 200 Mbps is the ideal speed. With this internet speed, you can carry out your day-to-day internet-related tasks much more easily.
Conclusion
The internet speed of 200 Mbps is pretty quick in carrying out your most work. However, continuous data-intensive tasks like uploading videos on YouTube or playing heavy online games, dealing with clients on continuous video calls, etc., on multiple devices might require higher internet speeds such as 300 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and 1000 Mbps.
In that case, you need to see how many devices and users are sharing the plan. So, before subscribing to any plan, you must have clarity on this aspect.
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