Is 20Mbps fast enough for Netflix?

20Mbps is fast enough for streaming Netflix because the minimum required speeds are 3Mbps,for streaming the standard definition quality; individuals streaming in HD quality will require up to 5Mbps and 25Mbps for 4K. Important to note is that the above speeds can only be used to watch Netflix meaning that if other applications must run, then more bandwidth will be necessary.

Netflix internet speed recommendations

How to tweak Netflix quality settings on your device

A user’s internet speeds offer different viewership quality on Netflix, so the more the bandwidth the better the speeds. However, when you first open the Netflix application on your Smart Tv or PC the application automatically streams on its highest quality. And this is where many users fail to understand how their data is used.

So to make it easy for their clients Netflix allows users to set a maximum fixed stream quality, and which they can do through their account settings. The customization of the particular settings will vary with regards to the device being used to stream Netflix.

For example, if you stream Netflix through your PC, you will simply click on your profile icon usually located at the top right of the Netflix window, and then click on my account option. Still, under my profile, you will click on the playback settings, then select the quality of stream that you want.

Streaming Netflix from the phone as it turns out is the better option because the customizable options are significantly many. For example, did you know that you could control how your mobile data is used when streaming Netflix and customize the quality settings, if you didn’t then check the outlined procedures below?

Netflix streaming speeds per hour

How to tweak Netflix quality settings on a mobile phone

Once you have logged in to the Netflix application, you will tap on the menu icon that is usually located on either the top right or the top left corner. Proceed to the App settings, then click on the option Cellular data usage. From the above, you should be able to choose the quality of stream that suits your viewership.

How to Control your Netflix mobile data usage

If you will be streaming Netflix from your mobile phone then you have the liberty to control how the data will be used; to which end Netflix has provided its clients with up to four mobile data usage settings that they can customize.

So to tweak the mobile data settings, you will open the application on your phone, and click on your profile or the “More” option, then move to the App settings, and under the Video playback option, click on the cellular data usage option, and from here you can select the setting that suits you best.

Netflix mobile data usage

Logging into the Netflix application from your mobile phone consumes less data when compared with watching via Wi-Fi. For this option, therefore, there are a variety of quality settings that Netflix customers will have to choose from. Users who opt for the Auto stream quality will need up to 250Mbp of data per hour, and which is about 3.8GB on a monthly basis.

We then have the save data option for the mobile users, where they will use or must have up to 170MB per hour and up to 6.2 GB in one month. The last option is the Maximum data stream quality, and which will consume up to 3GB per hour and about 45GB on a monthly basis. Maximum data is the highest and comes highly recommended for use by individuals who can get unlimited data plans.

Despite the above, Netflix does run one sweet spot where it allows individuals to save the content of their favorite movie episodes on their phones and view it later either when offline or when the last watching date for the particular program has reached.

Conclusion

20Mbps is more than enough for streaming Netflix but remember your internet speeds will determine the viewership quality. So if you are on a budget and don’t plan on missing your favorite show on Netflix you can stream from as low as 0.5Mbps per second. For improved quality such as SD, you will need about 3Mbps, 5Mbps for HD, and about 25Mbps for 4K content.

FAQ’s

1. Can 20Mbps stream 4K?

The best speeds for 4K are 25Mbps

2. Is 25Mbps enough for streaming 4K and browsing?

25Mbps is not enough for streaming 4K especially if other devices will also be occupying your bandwidth