Not all Internet connections have the same Internet speed and it is a fact that sometimes we need to have a minimum capacity, be it download or upload. In this article we are going to talk about what we must take into account if we want to see 4K content without cuts . We are going to explain how the connection should be and also give some interesting tips to improve the quality of the signal, whenever possible.
Why a good connection is important
We can watch series and movies with very different resolutions. Logically, the higher the resolution, the higher the quality. But this also means that we will have to have a more powerful Internet connection, with greater capacity so that there are no outages.
Therefore, if we want to see a video in 4K , it is essential to have a good connection. It does not matter if we are connected by Wi-Fi or cable, it will be necessary to have a minimum speed so that the video can be played without the quality being reduced or even continuous cuts appear.
It is even more important if we consider how streaming services have increased in recent years. We have more platforms such as Netflix or HBO from which we will be able to watch our favorite series and movies anywhere, as long as we have a compatible device and an Internet connection.
But we return to the same thing: if we want it to be reproduced in the highest quality, it is going to be essential that the connection has a good speed.
How much speed do I need to watch 4K
So, what minimum speed do you have to have to watch a movie or series in 4K? We can say that the minimum advisable is 25 Mbps , although this may vary depending on the circumstances, as we are going to see. We can start from that base, since less than that speed we would have problems.
If we play a video in HD or even Full HD, having 5-10 Mbps should work. We would not have major problems to watch Netflix, YouTube or any platform configured with those resolutions. But if we want to opt for the highest quality , which is currently 4K, we would have problems with that speed.
Nowadays , fiber optic rates tend to be much higher than 25 Mbps. We are talking about the fact that it is standard to have 300 Mbps symmetrical. But of course, there are also rates that go from 50 Mbps. Even with more than 50 we could have problems, depending on the circumstances.
What do we mean by this? It is not the same to have a 50 or 100 Mbps connection, for example, and only use a computer or television to play Netflix in 4K, than to be using other devices at the same time to play, make video calls, download files, etc.
Anything we do on our network with other connected equipment is going to consume bandwidth. Therefore, we can start from the basis that from 25 Mbps we can watch 4K videos without major problems, but as long as we really have that bandwidth.
If you foresee that you are going to connect other equipment or there are more people using the Internet at the same time that you are going to watch series or movies in 4K, our advice is to hire a rate that has at least 300 Mbps so that there are no problems. Everything will depend on how we use it.
Tips so that videos are not cut off
We have explained that being able to watch 4K videos with our connection not only depends on the contracted rate, but on other factors such as the use we give it with other devices, the number of connected users or if we connect by cable or Wi-Fi. Therefore, we are going to give some tips so that it does not cut.
Improve coverage
The first thing we can do is try to get the best possible Internet coverage. If we browse Wi-Fi, it is common that sometimes we do not receive a good signal and the speed is very limited or cuts appear that prevent us from navigating correctly.
To avoid this, something that we can take into account is to use devices such as repeaters, Mesh or PLC systems. These devices help reduce problems with poor coverage and even bring the connection to dead zones where we cannot connect. This will come in handy to be able to watch 4K videos without cuts.
Avoid using other equipment
We must also take into account the possibility of concentrating the bandwidth on the equipment we are using. If for example we are watching Netflix on television, do not use other devices that can consume the Internet. Especially you have to avoid things like downloading large files from the cloud or the like, since that consumes a lot of resources.
This will also depend on the bandwidth we have, since a 50 Mbps connection is not the same as a 1 Gbps connection. In the latter case, it would be very difficult for reasonable use with other devices to affect the speed to play 4K videos.
Keep everything up to date
Of course, we must have everything properly updated to take full advantage of Internet speed. This includes the network card that we are using. In the case of Windows we have to go to Start, enter Device Manager, Network adapters and there we select the one we want to update and click Update driver .
But we must also update the applications that we use to watch series and movies. For example Netflix, YouTube, etc. In this way we will improve performance and correct possible problems that may exist with the programs that could prevent 4K videos from playing well.
Use the correct hardware
One of the problems that 4K videos can cut off is due to using poor network cables or not having a good Wi-Fi card. Therefore, what we must do is use the correct hardware at all times. Only then will we take full advantage of the quality of the signal.
If for example we use a Fast Ethernet network cable, the speed would be limited to 100 Mbps. Therefore, we should change it for a Gigabit Ethernet cable and be able to reach the maximum speed of 1 Gbps . This will help reduce connectivity problems and watch videos in the highest quality.
In short, having a good Internet connection is essential to watch 4K videos without cuts. The minimum advisable is to have 25 Mbps, although everything will depend on how we use the network and it may be necessary to have more. It is also important to have all the necessary hardware in good condition.
