500 Mbps: How Fast Is It in 2023? [Complete Guide]
Internet speeds of 500 Mbps are indeed very fast. Super high-definition video can be streamed to a wide variety of devices with this.
But pay attention, not just on 7 or 8 devices, but on as many as 20 devices at once. Really? That’s lightning fast! Additionally, you will be able to do a lot more than just surf the web, view videos on YouTube, or participate in video chats.
You can also easily show it to your whole family without worrying about anyone having to pay extra for extra bandwidth.
But what can you do with all that speed? At what time do downloads occur? Is there any information on typical prices and service providers for 500 Mbps connections? To be honest, that is the extent of my talk for the time being.
Is 500 Mbps a Fast Speed?
Downloads can reach up to 62.5 MB/s with 500 Mbps. It means you can get 100 GB of data downloaded in about 27–35 minutes. It’s possible to download five full-length 4K movies in under 30 minutes, as each one typically runs between 20 and 22GB.
As fast as a 500 Mbps connection can go. 500 Mbps is a lot of bandwidth, and as you can see from the table, it’s possible to run as many as 100 devices on the same connection at once.
Connecting 200 devices for light use like web browsing and texting is possible in theory. But it would start to lag in practice.
The number of concurrent connections is the main cause, not slow internet speeds. Let’s examine what can be accomplished with 500 Mbps connectivity:
| Online Activities | Minimum Required Upload Rate | Upload Rate Prerequisites | Does it work with 500 Mbps? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Media (Facebook/Twitter /Instagram/Tiktok) |
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 |
| Google Meet Voice Call |
100 Kbps | 12.5 Kbps | Yes |
| Google Meet 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 |
Download Speeds for Various File Formats and Sizes Utilizing a 500 Mbps Connection
As an example of how fast 500 Mbps can be, downloading a full Blu-ray movie takes only a few minutes.
In the space of ten seconds, you can also download an entire album. With that speed, you could download a two-hour HD movie in about 10 minutes.
Examine the following table to get an idea of how long various file types will take to download at a speed of 500 Mbps:
One MegaByte is equal to eight Megabits, so you’ll want to know what the abbreviation Mbps means.
So you need to understand that this speed does not constitute that you can download 500MB of content in a second rather you need to wait 8 times to do that.
| Online Activity | Time To Download at 500Mbps |
|---|---|
| 4K Movie or 1080p 60FPS (10GB – 20 GB) | Approx 10 Min. |
| 480p Movie (Around 900MB) | Approx 1 Min. |
| 1080p Movie (2GB – 4GB) | Approx 3 Min. |
| High Quality Picture or Image (10MB) | Approx 5 Sec. |
| High-Quality Audio File (25MB) | Approx 5 Sec. |
| Latest PC Games or Xbox or PS5 Games (60 GB) | Approx 30 min. |
What are Some Uses for an Internet Connection Capable of 500 Mbps?
The following is a list of potential uses for 500 megabits per second internet speed:
- Zoom calls are taking place on 250 different devices.
- Zoom calls in high definition on 200 devices
- Netflix streams in 4K on 5 devices.
- Streaming high-definition videos from YouTube on 50 different devices.
- The ability to listen to music from Spotify on 900 devices
Is a Connection Speed of 500 Mbps Adequate for Streaming?
Common examples of content that can be streamed online include videos found on sites like YouTube, Prime Video, and Netflix, as well as music from services like Spotify.
Now you know that 500 Mbps WiFi is more than sufficient for streaming video games. On more than a hundred devices, not just five to ten. You only need about 5-10 Mbps for a regular HD Prime video.
Netflix is still the same in most respects when you get there. Amazingly, Netflix supports simultaneous Full High Definition (FHD) streaming on roughly 100 devices. In addition, up to 20 users can watch 4K videos at the same time.
A connection speed of 500 Mbps would be more than adequate for audiophiles who wish to listen to music online or download podcasts. In order to function normally, these tasks only need a speed of 0.5 Mbps.
On the other hand, if you have a 500 Mbps connection, in theory, you could use 1,000 devices to listen to podcasts or stream music simultaneously.
Is a Bandwidth of 500 Mbps Sufficient for Gaming?
I am aware that consistent and fast Internet connections are necessary for playing games. Is 500 Mbps sufficient for online play?
I can tell you right now that if you have a 500 Mbps WiFi connection, you will never have any problems playing online games. Even at 3–5 Mbps, online games are playable, so just think how amazing a 500 Mbps connection would be for video gaming.
Even large games can be downloaded quickly. As an example, a game with a file size of over 100 GB like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare can be downloaded in under 30 minutes at that speed.
games like Battlefield and Minecraft, which aren’t particularly demanding, run without a hitch. In fact, a maximum of 100 devices can join in the fun at the same time.
Games of middle-tier quality, like CS: GO and Valorant, will run without a hitch and load quickly.
A gaming modem and a Wi-Fi 6 router will help you get the high speeds and reliable connection you need to play competitive games like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty.
You need only a 500 Mbps connection to play these games without interruption.
The Experience of Holding Online Meetings Using 500 Mbps
Attending a meeting via Zoom or Skype won’t be a problem at all with 500 Mbps, so don’t worry about that.
All of the aforementioned tasks can be performed while simultaneously making or receiving a voice call via Zoom or Skype. This is because the calling platforms in question place a greater premium on upload speed than download speed.
You can join a video call in 1080p resolution on as many as 100 devices with services like Zoom, Google Meet, and Skype.
However, if your upload speed is lower than 50 Mbps, the results will be less impressive. You can still use a respectable 15 devices at once to participate in video calls.
How Much Does 500 Mbps Cost?
A plan with 500 Mbps of internet speed is less expensive than one with 1000 Mbps. You can expect to pay between $39 and $80 monthly for a 500 Mbps connection.
But because these ISPs would operate only in certain areas, the plan’s price and availability could vary depending on where you live.
Here, then, are some ISPs whose packages top out at 500 megabits per second:
| Service Provider | Current Broadband Plans | Approx. Download Speed | Approx. Upload Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Internet 500/500 | Up to 500 Mbps | Up to 50 Mbps | $45 / Mo |
| AT&T | Fiber 500 Mbps | Up to 500 Mbps | Up to 50 Mbps | $65 / Mo |
| Spectrum | Ultra | Up to 500 Mbps | Up to 20 Mbps | $70 / Mo |
| Cox | Ultimate 500 | Up to 500 Mbps | Up to 10 Mbps | $70 / Mo |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs a 500 Mbps connection?
500 Mbps of internet speed is perfect for large households with many connected devices that all want to stream content at full high definition or 4K quality at the same time.
Can Netflix be streamed at 500 Mbps?
Using Netflix’s 4K streaming service on a few different gadgets is more than sufficient.
Are two people going to need more than 500 Mbps?
Two users can get by just fine on a 500 Mbps plan. Additionally, it works well for groups of 8-10 people using 10-15 devices. It has no trouble keeping up with everything from phone calls and text messages to 1080p video streaming.
When working from home, is 500 Mbps too much?
If you plan to do most of your work from home, you won’t need more than 500 Mbps. There would be no issues even if ten people were working remotely at the same time. However, if you’re living alone, 500 Mbps is probably too much for WFH. You can use Google Hangouts to hold group video conferences using either Zoom or Skype and even share documents from Google Drive.
Which is better, 500 Mbps or 1 Gigabit per second?
Netflix or Prime Video or Hulu can be streamed simultaneously on multiple devices in a home with 500 Mbps. Unless your job regularly necessitates downloading and uploading extremely large files, I don’t see the point in upgrading to a 1 Gbps connection.
Wrap Up
In conclusion, I would say that if you have an internet connection with a bandwidth of 500 Mbps, you are able to perform virtually any online activity with ease. Streaming in 4K resolution is possible on multiple devices, as are high-end gaming and the smooth downloading of large files.
Further Read:
