Using a VPN for gaming is a great idea for security; with more and more instances of DDoS attacks taking place against competitive gamers, a VPN will help to increase your protection against these kinds of threats. But even more than that, a good VPN will help improve just about every aspect of your playing experience. For example, using a VPN to disguise your location makes it possible to play games that are geo-restricted. And if it’s set up correctly, VPN can even make your games more responsive and improve your connection speed. Surprised? Read on to find out more about why a VPN for gaming makes sense – and how to choose the right one.
The best VPNs for gamers
What to look for when choosing a VPN for gaming
When shopping for a VPN to use while gaming, look for one that offers a high number of servers. The more servers available, the greater your chances are of finding one that has a high connection speed.
Of course, speed should be a priority, as it’s no use having access to geo-restricted games if you’re going to be playing them at a snail’s pace. Be sure to check the latency rates that are listed in the reviews for any VPN you may be considering. To get the most impartial advice (besides reading this article), it’s worth having a look through some games forums where users share their experiences and address the pros and cons of each provider.
The next thing you’ll want to look for is VPN services that specifically market themselves toward gamers. This will be a pretty big selling point, so you shouldn’t have to do much digging to find out if a VPN is good for gaming.
Naturally, any providers who have good scores for customer care should be in the running, as you never know what problems you may come up against when gaming this way.
If you’re not planning on using your VPN full-time, you might want to consider providers that offer monthly subscriptions to save on costs. In many cases, providers will offer a free trial that allows you to get an idea of the kinds of speed and service you can expect once you become a subscriber.
One final consideration: Look at the bonus features offered by VPN providers- if they’re offering protection against DDoS attacks, for example, then it’s probably worth shortlisting them.
The best VPNs for gaming
All tried and tested by dedicated gamers, the following VPNs should be on your shortlist.
ExpressVPN
Boasting an incredible 145 server locations spread across 94 countries, ExpressVPN offers subscribers a good bang for their buck. With workaround solutions for any geo-locked content, this is a definite top choice of VPN.
What this means for gamers is that there are plenty of servers to play around with when trying to find one that is speedy enough to provide consistent and responsive gameplay. With a free month-long trial to try out the service, it’s well worth giving ExpressVPN a shot before committing to purchase.
NordVPN
A particularly suitable VPN for security-conscious gamers, NordVPN offers a service that can run your connection through an additional VPN to further isolate you from hackers. Of course, this process does mean that you risk a slower connection to a gaming server, but if it’s peace of mind you’re after, then you really do not need to look any further.
Just like ExpressVPN, Nord prides itself on having a considerable number of servers to choose from, and there’s no doubt that you’ll be able to find one with a high responsiveness for competitive play.
PrivateInternetAccesS
While this VPN service may not come with the shiny interface of the previous two on the list, PrivateInternetAccess has certainly enjoyed one of the greatest responses from gamers.
With more than 2,000 servers to choose from, you can expect a highly responsive gaming experience at a relatively low cost from this easy-to-use VPN provider.
Some nice extra features include a built-in ad blocker as well as a kill switch which ends your session in the event that the VPN drops out.
All in all, PrivateInternetAccess is a good one to start with if you’re just dipping your toes into the world of VPNs and don’t want to break the bank.
IPVanish
The perfect VPN provider if you want to know exactly which servers are performing well, IPVanish allows you to order their choices by latency rates. Also good for those after some tough security, you can also choose to have your IP address cycle at regular intervals to make you even more protected.
With monthly, quarterly, and annual subscriptions available, IPVanish is a good choice of VPN for gamers.
KeepSolid VPN
Renowned for being among the cheapest VPNs for gamers, KeepSolid offers an incredibly affordable lifetime subscription, a fact that makes it well worth a look. With the option to install it across five separate devices, it’s also a great VPN for any gaming households with multiple players.
Complete with a highly intuitive interface, KeepSolid has servers in a number of locations, meaning that you’ll be able to get around any nasty geo-locks you find out there.
VyprVPN
So far we’ve identified the cheapest, most secure, and highest rated VPN providers, but we’ve yet to look at the fastest.
This is where VyprVPN comes in.
While it may not afford the same privacy and security features as some of the others, VyprVPN provides the greatest responsiveness and connections.
Regularly beating other VPNs in terms of download and upload times, VyprVPN is the go-to service for gamers for whom dependably fast gameplay is the most important factor.
SaferVPN
We’ve now covered the VPNs that excel in each of the categories; but which is the best all-around choice?
SaferVPN offers gamers speed, security, and reliability, all at an attractive price. What’s more, the customer support team has received glowing reviews from the gaming community, making a subscription well worth the investment. With the option to connect up to five computers at once, SaferVPN is ideal for those living with other gamers.
The only real drawback of this service is that it does not have the same sophistication as some of the more expensive VPNs on the market. Of course, this doesn’t really pose any serious problems for gamers who aren’t looking to do too much else with their VPN.
So, there you have it: the ultimate list of VPNs for online PC gamers. Having weighed all of your options, all that remains is to sign up to the provider that best suits your needs and get gaming!
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