Choosing the right home internet package can be tricky because the amount of speed needed varies by household, and getting it wrong means either a frustrating connection or overpaying for capacity that goes unused. Engadget sets out baseline guidance to help consumers match their needs to available ISP packages, explaining the difference between download and upload speeds, how these are measured, and why latency (ping) also matters, particularly for gaming and video calls.

Speeds are measured in megabits per second (Mbps), and since files are measured in bytes rather than bits, dividing Mbps by eight gives a more realistic sense of download times. Streaming services have modest individual requirements, such as Netflix's 15 Mbps for 4K and Zoom's roughly 4 Mbps for video calls, but households with multiple people and devices need far more combined bandwidth. The article recommends at least 100 Mbps for one or two people, 300 Mbps for larger families or frequent large-file users, and 500 Mbps or above for power users, noting that in 2024 the US Federal Communications Commission raised its baseline definition of "broadband" to 100 Mbps.