Is Virgin Media broadband good for gaming?
The cable broadband provider offers excellent speeds in a wide range, but speed isn’t the only thing that decides how games feel.
Good gaming depends on the quality of the connection rather than just speed, and higher upload speed and lower latency are important for better performance and that extra edge while playing.
Does Virgin Media broadband perform well in these areas?
We take a look at Virgin Media broadband plan by plan and check how each plan performs for modern games.
Quick verdict
In this guide:
Key Takeaways
Virgin Media is good for gaming in most homes, but it’s best to judge it on ping consistency, jitter and packet loss, not just download speed.
M125 plan (132Mbps download speed, 20Mbps upload speed) is suitable for one main gamer in a smaller home, especially if you avoid uploads during matches.
Upload is the weak point on Virgin plans. If someone uploads to the cloud while you play, you can get lag spikes, even when download speed looks fast.
M250 (264Mbps download, 25Mbps upload) is the better choice for most homes because the extra bandwidth helps when several devices stream and download at the same time.
M350 (362Mbps download, 36Mbps upload) and M500 are better suited to larger households where gaming, streaming and downloads happen together most evenings.
Gig1 (1,130Mbps download, 104Mbps upload) is ideal if you want the quickest game downloads and higher upload speed for streaming and sharing clips, but it won’t automatically reduce base ping.
If you’re getting lag on Wi-Fi, upgrading speed won’t fix it on its own. Ethernet, hub placement, and keeping uploads quiet during matches often makes the biggest difference.
Before diving into our detailed guide, here’s the glossary you need to know:
Latency / ping
This is the time it takes for data to travel between your device and the game server, measured in milliseconds (ms). Lower is better, especially for fast-paced online games.
Virgin Media offers 12 to 15ms latency on cable, which is good enough for gaming, while it offers better latency of 4 to 8ms in full fibre areas.
Jitter
This is how much your ping varies from moment to moment. Even if your average ping looks fine, high jitter can cause stutters, delayed actions and rubber-banding.
Packet loss
This happens when bits of data don’t reach the server. Even small packet loss can cause lag, hit registration issues and sudden disconnects.
Upload speed
This is how fast your connection sends data. Gaming doesn’t use huge upload speed, but upload affects voice chat, sending gameplay clips, and how your connection behaves when someone uploads to the cloud while you play.
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Game-by-game guide: playing popular games on Virgin Media (M125 to Gig1)
Most online games don’t need huge bandwidth during matches. What matters more is keeping ping and jitter low, with minimal packet loss. Where the plan choice starts to matter is when your home streams, downloads and uploads at the same time, especially during peak-time evenings.
One useful way to read the recommendations below is this: M125 speed is enough for gaming on its own, while M250, M350 and above mainly add extra bandwidth so your connection feels less cramped when other devices are busy in the background. Gig1 is the one you pick when you want the quickest game downloads and much higher upload speed for sharing clips and streaming.
A quick note on “simultaneous play”: the numbers below refer to how many people can game at the same time on the same home connection, assuming normal browsing and streaming in the background and no large uploads running.
Call of Duty (including Warzone and Black Ops 7)
Call of Duty is update-heavy and more sensitive to ping swings than most games. M125 is fine for one player, but it can feel frustrating if the home starts uploading to the cloud during matches or downloading large updates at the same time.
- Minimum recommended plan: M250 or above for peak-time play in a typical home.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 2), M250 (up to 3), M350 (up to 4), M500 (up to 5), Gig1 (5+).
- Our recommendation: M500 if you want comfortable peak-time gaming without constantly pausing other activity.
Fortnite
Fortnite usually runs well on modest bandwidth, but weak Wi-Fi can cause rubber-banding and delayed builds. If you play on Ethernet, M125 is often all you need. If the home is busy most evenings, the extra bandwidth from M250+ helps keep performance more consistent.
- Minimum recommended plan: M125 (Ethernet or strong 5GHz Wi-Fi); M250 if evenings are busy.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 2), M250 (up to 3), M350 (up to 4), M500 (up to 5), Gig1 (5+).
- Our recommendation: M250 for most homes, or M500 if several rooms stream and download during matches.
EA Sports FC 26
FC 26 uses very little bandwidth during matches. If your connection feels off, it’s usually Wi-Fi quality or peak-time congestion in the home rather than raw speed. M125 is enough for most players.
- Minimum recommended plan: M125.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 3), M250 (up to 4), M350 (up to 5), M500 (up to 6), Gig1 (6+).
- Our recommendation: M250 for a busy home, with M500 as the “set and forget” option.
Grand Theft Auto V (GTA Online)
GTA Online is generally fine on M125, but it can feel sluggish if the home is busy with downloads and uploads at the same time. It benefits more from a quiet network than a huge speed upgrade.
- Minimum recommended plan: M125; M250 if your home often streams and downloads while you play.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 2), M250 (up to 3), M350 (up to 4), M500 (up to 5), Gig1 (5+).
- Our recommendation: M350 if your home is a multi-device home most evenings, or M500 for larger households.
Minecraft
Minecraft online play is light on bandwidth, so M125 is usually fine. The plan choice matters more if you host worlds, have several people joining, or you play while other devices stream and download across the home.
- Minimum recommended plan: M125; M250 if you host worlds regularly.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 3), M250 (up to 4), M350 (up to 5), M500 (up to 6), Gig1 (6+).
- Our recommendation: M250 for hosting in a smaller home, or M500 if the home stays busy at peak times.
Roblox
Roblox is normally fine on M125, which is why it’s popular in smaller homes. If the home is busy with multiple devices online at the same time, M250+ can keep performance more consistent during peak time.
- Minimum recommended plan: M125.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 3), M250 (up to 4), M350 (up to 5), M500 (up to 6), Gig1 (6+).
- Our recommendation: M250 for busier households, with M500 as the smoother option for peak times.
Rocket League
Rocket League is quick and timing-based, so jitter and packet loss matter more than download speed. If you can use Ethernet, M125 is fine. If you rely on Wi-Fi or your household is busy, moving up to M250+ can reduce slowdowns at peak times.
- Minimum recommended plan: M125 (Ethernet preferred); M250 if your home is busy in the evenings.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 2), M250 (up to 3), M350 (up to 4), M500 (up to 5), Gig1 (5+).
- Our recommendation: M250 for most players, or M500 if you want extra bandwidth for peak time.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Siege rewards consistent low ping, so it’s a good test of your setup. M125 can be fine, but you’ll get better consistency if uploads are quiet and you avoid weak Wi-Fi. If the home is busy most evenings, M250+ is the safer pick.
- Minimum recommended plan: M250 or above for peak-time play in a typical busy home.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 2), M250 (up to 3), M350 (up to 4), M500 (up to 5), Gig1 (5+).
- Our recommendation: M350 if you play competitively, or M500 for larger households at peak times.
Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals doesn’t need massive bandwidth, but it benefits from a consistent connection in busy matches. M125 is fine for one main gamer, while M250+ feels more comfortable if the home streams and downloads at the same time.
- Minimum recommended plan: M125; M250 if your home is busy most evenings.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 2), M250 (up to 3), M350 (up to 4), M500 (up to 5), Gig1 (5+).
- Our recommendation: M250 for value, or M500 for smoother peak-time play.
Apex Legends
Apex is usually fine on M125 for casual play, but it can feel frustrating if the home saturates uploads during matches. If you play most evenings while others stream and download, M250+ is the better route.
- Minimum recommended plan: M125; M250 if you often play at peak times.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 2), M250 (up to 3), M350 (up to 4), M500 (up to 5), Gig1 (5+).
- Our recommendation: M350 for a busy home, or M500 if you want extra bandwidth most evenings.
Counter-Strike 2 (PC)
CS2 is stricter than most games. Small swings in ping and jitter can feel significant, especially on Wi-Fi. M125 can be fine, but if you want consistent competitive play at peak times, M250+ is a better place to start.
- Minimum recommended plan: M250 or above for competitive play during peak times.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 2), M250 (up to 3), M350 (up to 4), M500 (up to 5), Gig1 (5+).
- Our recommendation: M500 for competitive play in a busy home, with Gig1 mainly for faster downloads and higher upload speed for clips.
PUBG: Battlegrounds (PC and console)
PUBG benefits from consistency more than raw speed. M125 is usually fine, but it can feel less consistent if your Wi-Fi is weak or the home is busy with uploads.
- Minimum recommended plan: M125; M250 if you play at peak times in a busy home.
- For simultaneous play: M125 (up to 2), M250 (up to 3), M350 (up to 4), M500 (up to 5), Gig1 (5+).
- Our recommendation: M350 for peak-time gaming, or M500 for larger households.
Which Virgin Media plan should you choose for gaming?
If you want a quick answer without overthinking it, use the guide below. It’s based on how many people game at the same time, plus what else usually happens on your home broadband during peak-time evenings.
Solo gamer in a smaller home
If you mostly game on one console or PC and the rest of your usage is normal browsing and streaming, M125 is usually enough. It also works well if you use Ethernet and keep uploads quiet while you play.
Our pick: M125
Upgrade if you often download big updates while gaming, or someone uploads to the cloud at the same time.
Two gamers at the same time
If two people game at the same time, M125 can still cope, but it starts to feel tighter when the household streams in 4K or downloads updates while you play. M250 gives you extra bandwidth so gaming feels more consistent during busy evenings.
Our pick: M250
Upgrade if you also stream in 4K on another device at the same time most evenings.
Family home and multi-device use at peak times
If your home often has gaming, streaming, video calls and downloads happening at the same time, M350 is the better step-up because it adds extra capacity and higher upload speed than M250. This is the point where the connection often feels more comfortable without constantly pausing other activity.
Our pick: M350
Upgrade if several rooms stream in 4K while one or two people game most evenings.
Heavy use with lots of devices active most evenings
If you have a busy home with constant streaming, downloads, gaming, and cloud syncing, M500 is the plan that usually keeps everything running smoothly without frequent slowdowns. It also has a stronger upload speed than M350, which helps when phones and laptops auto-sync in the background.
Our pick: M500
Upgrade if you want the fastest downloads and you also upload large files or share lots of clips.
Best for fastest downloads and higher upload speed
Gig1 is for people who want game downloads finished quickly and higher upload speed for streaming, sharing clips, or large uploads. It also gives you plenty of spare capacity, so busy-home activity is less likely to interrupt gaming.
Our pick: Gig1
Worth it if you regularly download large games, stream gameplay, upload clips, or your home stays busy all day.
Quick reminder: if your issue is Wi-Fi jitter or packet loss, upgrading speed won’t fix it on its own. Ethernet, hub placement, and keeping uploads quiet during matches often improves gaming more than moving from M125 to a faster package.