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Internet speed test for streaming

Buffering ruins movie night. Use the numbers below to validate that your connection can handle simultaneous Netflix, YouTube, or live TV streams without stutter.

Recommended speeds by resolution

  • SD (480p): 3 Mbps per stream.
  • HD (1080p): 5-8 Mbps per stream.
  • 4K UHD: 25 Mbps per stream, plus 5 Mbps headroom for overhead and smart home devices.

Troubleshooting buffering

  • Run SwiftSpeedTest near your streaming device to baseline your speed.
  • Restart your modem/router weekly and enable Quality of Service (QoS) rules for streaming devices.
  • Prefer Ethernet or dedicated 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands for TVs and streaming sticks.

When to upgrade

  • Households with 4+ concurrent UHD streams should target 300 Mbps download plans or better.
  • If your upload is below 10 Mbps, expect slow smart TV app updates and issues with live streaming.