Hey there, fellow gamers! If you‘re looking to take your gaming on the go with a Verizon mobile hotspot, you‘ve come to the right place. As an avid gamer myself, I know how important it is to have a fast, reliable internet connection for the best possible experience.
The good news is that it‘s definitely possible to get your game on using a Verizon hotspot device, especially if you opt for one of the carrier‘s top-rated options. But there are a few key things to keep in mind to ensure smooth, lag-free gameplay.
In this ultimate guide, I‘ll break down everything you need to know about using a Verizon hotspot for gaming, including:
- The best devices for the job, based on real-world testing
- Crucial settings to tweak for optimal performance
- How much data your favorite games actually use (and how long 10GB, 15GB or unlimited will last)
- What to do if a hotspot just doesn‘t cut it
By the time we‘re done, you‘ll be armed with all the knowledge you need to level up your on-the-go gaming. Let‘s get started!
Can You Actually Game On a Verizon Hotspot?
First things first: Is it actually possible to get a good gaming experience using a mobile hotspot on Verizon‘s network? The short answer is yes – but there are a few big caveats.
According to research from leading mobile analytics firm Opensignal, Verizon currently offers the fastest and most reliable 4G LTE network in the US, with average download speeds of 25.3 Mbps and availability over 90% nationwide. That‘s more than enough horsepower for gaming…in theory.
In practice, your mileage may vary significantly depending on a few key factors:
Location, location, location: While Verizon‘s 4G coverage is generally excellent, signal strength and speeds can dip in certain areas, especially rural regions. Gaming requires a strong, stable connection, so you‘ll want to double check Verizon‘s coverage map for your most frequent gaming spots. Even if you‘re in a well-covered city, certain buildings and other obstructions can weaken the signal.
Device and plan: Not all hotspots are created equal. The latest, greatest hardware will get you the fastest possible speeds, while some older or budget options may struggle with intensive gaming data demands. Additionally, you‘ll need an unlimited or high-allowance data plan for longer sessions – more on that later.
Type of game: As you might expect, not all games put the same strain on your hotspot. Casual puzzlers and turn-based titles tend to sip data, while fast-paced shooters, battle royales and MMOs are much thirstier. The genre and graphical intensity of the game has a big impact on your overall experience.
Bottom line: You can absolutely get your game on with a Verizon hotspot, but it‘s not quite as simple as plugging in and fragging. Let‘s take a closer look at the top devices and how to optimize them for the best results.
The Best Verizon Hotspots for Gaming
While you can use your smartphone‘s mobile hotspot feature in a pinch, a dedicated hotspot device will give you better battery life, signal strength and connection quality. Here are my top picks for gaming on Verizon:
1. Verizon Jetpack MiFi 8800L
For the ultimate gaming experience, it‘s hard to beat the Jetpack MiFi 8800L. This pocket-sized powerhouse boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon X20 chipset, capable of carrier aggregation for breakneck LTE Advanced speeds up to 450 Mbps.
It has a slick touchscreen display for monitoring your connection and data usage, plus a sizable 4400 mAh battery that can keep you gaming for 24 hours on a single charge. Dual-band WiFi support means less congestion and interference, especially in crowded areas.
The only real downside is the price tag – at $199 upfront or $8.33/month, it‘s one of the pricier hotspots out there. But if you‘re a hardcore gamer, the premium performance is well worth it.
2. Verizon Inseego MiFi M2100 5G
Got a 5G phone and live in one of the few dozen cities with Verizon 5G coverage? You can tap into the power of 5G with the Inseego MiFi M2100.
In testing by PCMag, this hotspot achieved jaw-dropping speeds up to 2 Gbps. That‘s fast enough to download a 50GB game in under 7 minutes! Low latency is clutch for gaming too, and 5G delivers in spades.
Beyond the blistering next-gen speeds, the M2100 packs a respectable 3500 mAh battery, USB-C charging, and support for up to 30 WiFi devices simultaneously.
At $399 or $16.66/month, plus requiring a pricey 5G data plan, it‘s a big investment. And 5G is only available in a handful of cities, with spotty coverage even there. But if you want a taste of the future of mobile gaming, this is it.
3. Verizon Ellipsis Jetpack MHS900L
Want a more affordable option that still delivers solid gaming performance? Check out the Ellipsis Jetpack.
No, it can‘t match the raw speeds or features of its bigger brothers. But it does pack a respectable punch with LTE Advanced support up to 150 Mbps, 2.4/5 GHz WiFi, and a 10 hour battery life.
At just $19 upfront or $0.80/month, it‘s a great budget pick. Speeds are likely to be more in the 25-50 Mbps range based on crowdsourced data from Speedtest.net – still plenty for most games.
Just be aware that this hotspot is a few years old at this point, so it may struggle with future network upgrades and the most demanding titles. But for casual gaming on a budget, it‘s a strong choice.
Tips & Tricks to Optimize Your Hotspot
Even with a top-tier hotspot, there are a few settings and best practices you can employ to ensure the best possible gaming experience:
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Use 5Ghz WiFi if possible. The 5GHz band typically has less interference and congestion than 2.4GHz, especially in apartments or urban areas. Most modern hotspots and gaming devices support it.
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Enable manual DNS. By default, most hotspots use your carrier‘s DNS servers, which can be slow or unreliable for gaming. Manually setting your DNS to a fast, secure option like CloudFlare or Google can noticeably improve performance.
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Update your firmware. Hotspot manufacturers often push out software updates that can improve speed, stability and security. Check for updates via your hotspot‘s admin panel or companion app.
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Tweak QoS settings. If your hotspot supports it, you can prioritize gaming traffic using Quality of Service (QoS) rules. This ensures that your games get first dibs on bandwidth, rather than other devices or background downloads.
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Use external antennas. If your hotspot has ports for external antennas, investing in a high-quality set can significantly boost your signal strength and speeds. Look for MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antennas tuned for Verizon‘s LTE bands.
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Keep your hotspot cool. Like any electronic device, hotspots can throttle speeds or even shut down if they overheat. Make sure your hotspot has adequate ventilation, and consider a cooling pad if you‘re gaming for extended sessions.
How Much Data Do I Need for Gaming?
Another key consideration is data usage. Online gaming can be surprisingly demanding, especially for fast-paced genres like shooters and battle royales. Here‘s how much data some of the most popular games use per hour of gameplay, based on research from whistleOut:
- Fortnite: 100MB/hour
- Apex Legends: 500MB/hour
- PUBG: 40MB/hour
- Call of Duty Warzone: 300MB/hour
- Minecraft: 40MB/hour
- League of Legends: 45MB/hour
- Destiny 2: 300MB/hour
- World of Warcraft: 40MB/hour
Keep in mind that these are rough estimates – your actual usage may be higher or lower depending on game settings, patch downloads, and other factors. Voice chat can also add around 30-60MB/hour on top.
So, how far will different data allowances actually get you? Let‘s break it down:
10GB: With lighter games like Minecraft or LoL, you could squeeze out 200+ hours. But for data-hungry shooters, you‘re looking at more like 20-30 hours tops.
15GB: The extra breathing room means around 300 hours of casual games, or closer to 50 for intensive titles. Still easy to burn through in a couple weeks of heavy gaming.
Unlimited: The gold standard. With an unlimited data plan and a strong, uncongested connection, you can game as much as you want without ever stressing about overages or throttling.
Just be aware that all of Verizon‘s current unlimited plans impose some form of throttling, especially for hotspot data. For example, the entry-level Start Unlimited plan caps hotspot speeds at a measly 600 Kbps.
The more expensive Play More and Do More plans give you 50GB of high-speed hotspot data per month, while the top-tier Get More plan bumps that to 100GB. After that, you‘ll be throttled to 3G speeds around 1-3 Mbps.
So even with "unlimited" data, you‘ll want to keep an eye on your usage and consider upgrading if you‘re regularly pushing the limits.
When a Hotspot Won‘t Cut It
At the end of the day, even the best hotspot and unlimited data plan may not provide a seamless gaming experience 100% of the time. Mobile networks are inherently prone to blips and slowdowns that can send your ping skyrocketing.
If you‘ve exhausted all of the tips above and still aren‘t happy with your hotspot‘s gaming performance, you‘ve got a few other options:
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Tether via USB. Some newer phones support tethering a direct USB connection, bypassing the WiFi link. This can result in faster speeds and lower latency, but at the cost of mobility.
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Consider an unlimited data plan on your phone. If your cell plan includes unlimited data with no throttling, you may actually get better performance by gaming directly on your phone rather than using it as a hotspot. Just watch out for overheating.
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Upgrade to a 5G device. While 5G coverage is still extremely limited, it has the potential to revolutionize mobile gaming in the coming years. Verizon claims that its Ultra Wideband 5G network offers 10x the speeds and 5x the latency of 4G. If you‘re in a coverage area, it could be a night-and-day difference.
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Find a wired connection. When all else fails, nothing beats the speed and reliability of a hardwired ethernet jack. Look for coworking spaces, internet cafes, or other locations with public WiFi or ethernet ports that you can use in a pinch.
Happy Gaming!
So there you have it – the complete lowdown on using a Verizon hotspot for gaming in 2024. While it may not be as simple as gaming on a home network, with the right device, settings and expectations, you can absolutely pwn the competition from anywhere with a cell signal.
Just remember to keep an eye on your data usage, optimize your hotspot settings, and always have a backup plan for those times when the network gods aren‘t smiling on you.
Now get out there and get your game on!
