Slow downloads and laggy matches on your PS5 can ruin a gaming session fast. The good news? You can test your PS5's internet speed in just a few steps and figure out exactly what's going wrong. This guide walks you through the built-in PS5 speed test, explains what the numbers mean, and shows you how to get faster, more stable connections for gaming.
How to Run a Speed Test on Your PS5
Sony built a speed test right into the PS5's settings menu. Here's how to find it:
- From the PS5 home screen, go to Settings (the gear icon in the top-right corner).
- Scroll down and select Network.
- Choose Connection Status.
- Select Test Internet Connection.
The test takes about 30 seconds. When it's done, you'll see several results: your download speed, upload speed, and NAT type. The PS5 doesn't show you ping or jitter in this built-in test, which is a big limitation if you play competitive online games.
Getting More Detailed Results
The PS5's built-in test is basic. It won't tell you your ping or jitter — two numbers that matter a lot for online gaming. For a more complete picture, open the PS5's web browser or use a phone or laptop connected to the same network and run a speed test on Speedtest.now. You'll get download speed, upload speed, ping, and jitter all in one go. You can also use the dedicated ping test to check your latency by itself.
What Internet Speeds Does the PS5 Actually Need?
Sony recommends a minimum of 5 Mbps download for online play, but that's bare minimum. In practice, you'll want much more — especially if other people in your house are streaming or browsing at the same time.
| Activity | Min Download Speed | Recommended Download | Recommended Ping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual online play (e.g., Fortnite, Apex) | 5 Mbps | 25+ Mbps | Under 50 ms |
| Competitive multiplayer (e.g., COD, Valorant) | 10 Mbps | 50+ Mbps | Under 20 ms |
| Game downloads and updates | 25 Mbps | 100+ Mbps | N/A |
| Streaming gameplay to Twitch/YouTube | 5 Mbps upload | 10+ Mbps upload | Under 40 ms |
| PlayStation Remote Play | 15 Mbps | 50+ Mbps | Under 30 ms |
A big PS5 game like Final Fantasy XVI or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III can be 80–150 GB. At 25 Mbps, an 100 GB download takes about 9 hours. At 300 Mbps, it takes around 45 minutes. Speed matters a lot for downloads.
Why Your PS5 Speed Test Results Might Be Lower Than Expected
It's common to pay for a 300 Mbps plan and see only 50–80 Mbps on your PS5. There are real reasons for this, and most of them are fixable.
Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet
The biggest factor is usually your connection type. The PS5 supports Wi-Fi 6, which is fast in theory — up to 1,200 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. But walls, distance from the router, and interference from other devices cut that number down fast. In real-world testing, most PS5 users on Wi-Fi get 40–60% of their plan speed. A direct Ethernet cable