How Fast is 5 Gigabit Internet Speed and Is It Worth It?

Blazing 5 gigabit per second internet sounds amazing. But with up to 5,000 Mbps download and upload speeds, is this new tier of broadband overkill for most homes today? Let‘s dig deep into real world 5 gig performance to see who can truly benefit right now and whether it‘s worth the upgrade cost.

In simple terms, a 5 Gbps connection is lightning fast – around 5 times quicker than standard gigabit service. You can download movies in seconds, stream high quality 4K video to multiple devices, and enjoy ultra responsive online gaming. 5 gig internet brings broadband closer than ever to instantaneous data transfer.

Who is 5 Gigabit Internet Best Suited For?

With great speed comes great responsibility…to have devices that actually use all that bandwidth! To fully utilize these bleeding edge speeds, your hardware needs to be up to par:

• Gaming Rigs: High end GPUs, quick response displays and wired connections to keep latency near zero.

• AV Gear: 4K/8K TVs, surround sound systems to immerse you in streaming media.

• Phones & Computers: Newer devices with WiFi 6 capability, 10G ethernet ports, and SSD drives.

Without the proper equipment, 5 gigabit speeds will be bottlenecked. It‘s overkill for email and social media browsing. To gain an edge, 5 gig shines for users with advanced digital demands like:

Cutting Edge Gamers

With online multiplayer games requiring split second reaction times, 5 gigabit offers the ultimate low latency advantage. Top rated wired connections ferry data at warp speed for that clutch headshot or race win.

Creative Media Pros

Video editors working with 4K, 8K or VR footage need massive bandwidth to stitch together huge files and preview edits smoothly. 5 gig has the throughput to cut and render video faster than ever.

Smart Home Hubs

Connecting and managing a home full of smart devices takes more and more bandwidth. Security cameras, video doorbells, thermostats – 5 gig has capacity to smarten up your entire house.

Work From Home Warriors

Your home is now your office. With 5 gigabit at your fingertips, you can effortlessly hop on corporate VPNs, crunch data in the cloud, and video conference in 4K quality.

Speed Comparison: 5 Gig vs 1 Gig vs 5G

To put the extra speed into perspective, here are some real world examples:

• 1 Gigabit – Download a 2 hour HD movie in 36 seconds.

• 5 Gigabit – Download that same movie in just 7 seconds!

• 1 Gigabit – Stream 5 4K videos simultaneously with no buffering.

• 5 Gigabit – Stream 20 4K videos simultaneously without breaking a sweat.

As you can see, 5 gigabit offers a huge boost but gigabit is still fast enough for typical needs. 5G maxes out around 500 Mbps in ideal conditions but averages nearer to 100 Mbps for now.

Is 5 Gig Worth the Current Cost?

The catch with bleeding edge internet speeds is the price tag. Where gigabit plans start around $60 – $80 monthly, expect to pay $150 or more for 5 gigabit. Is it worth it?

For households with several heavy users of bandwidth intensive applications, 5 gig can definitely turbocharge their connected experiences. But for general web browsing, streaming and working from home, most users will be satisfied with a gigabit or mid-tier plan.

As broadband analyst Jack Gold of J.Gold Associates states: "Only folks who have specific needs for high bandwidth such as very heavy gamers or 4K/8K video editors or people with many IOT devices really need 5Gbs speeds right now."

Additionally, be aware that 5 gigabit service has limited availability so far. It exists in select neighborhoods in a handful of cities across the US. Even if you want 5 gig speeds, you may not be able to get it yet. The technology is still ramping up.

Tips to Boost Speeds on Current Broadband Plans

While 5 gigabit deployment spreads, here are some ways to maximize performance from your current internet speeds:

• Upgrade to a WiFi 6 router – Latest standard supports faster speeds and more simultaneous connections.

• Position router properly – Centrally locate on main floor away from interference.

• Add mesh WiFi extenders – Blanket whole home with strong signal.

• Use Ethernet connections – For stationary devices, wired is faster/more reliable than WiFi.

• Check modem capabilities – Upgrade to DOCSIS 3.1 model if needed.

• Split network bands – Keep 5Ghz for high-performance devices only.

• Check with your provider – Discuss options to upgrade speed tier if needed.

The Future is Fast

If current trends continue, 5 gigabit and even 10 gigabit home internet will spread to more areas over the next several years. With connected technologies like 4K/8K TVs, streaming game services, and virtual reality going mainstream, demand for ultra high speeds will likely grow.

But for now, weigh your home‘s usage carefully when considering the premium price of a 5 gig service. It provides an amazing experience for those who can fully utilize the extra bandwidth – not just bragging rights on speed tests!

For most general users, however, current generation gigabit plans or adjusted mid-tier speeds of around 100 Mbps up to 500 Mbps should more than handle typical needs for high quality video streaming, low latency gaming, and juggling numerous devices at once.