How Long Does It Take to Download a Game?
Quick Answer
10 minutes to 12+ hours depending on game size and internet speed. A 50 GB game takes about 1 hour on a 100 Mbps connection, 33 minutes on 200 Mbps, or over 11 hours on 10 Mbps. Use the table below to estimate your download time.
Typical Duration
Quick Answer
10 minutes to 12+ hours, depending on game file size and your internet speed. A 50 GB game — a typical modern AAA title — takes about 67 minutes on a 100 Mbps connection. Smaller indie games (1–5 GB) download in minutes, while massive titles like Call of Duty (over 150 GB) can take hours even on fast connections.
Download Time Calculator Table
This table shows estimated download times by internet speed and game size. Times assume consistent speed with no throttling.
| Game Size | 25 Mbps | 50 Mbps | 100 Mbps | 200 Mbps | 500 Mbps | 1 Gbps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 5 min | 3 min | 1.5 min | 45 sec | 18 sec | 9 sec |
| 5 GB | 27 min | 13 min | 7 min | 3.5 min | 1.5 min | 45 sec |
| 10 GB | 53 min | 27 min | 13 min | 7 min | 3 min | 1.5 min |
| 25 GB | 2.2 hr | 1.1 hr | 33 min | 17 min | 7 min | 3.5 min |
| 50 GB | 4.4 hr | 2.2 hr | 67 min | 33 min | 13 min | 7 min |
| 100 GB | 8.9 hr | 4.4 hr | 2.2 hr | 1.1 hr | 27 min | 13 min |
| 150 GB | 13.3 hr | 6.7 hr | 3.3 hr | 1.7 hr | 40 min | 20 min |
Formula: Time (seconds) = (File size in GB x 8192) / Speed in Mbps. Note: 1 byte = 8 bits, and ISPs advertise speeds in megabits (Mb), not megabytes (MB).
Why Downloads Are Slower Than Expected
Your actual download speed is almost always lower than your ISP's advertised speed. Common reasons:
- Overhead and protocol costs — TCP/IP networking adds approximately 5–10% overhead to every transfer
- ISP speed is "up to" — advertised speed is the theoretical maximum, not a guarantee
- Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet — Wi-Fi is significantly slower and less consistent than a wired Ethernet connection. Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) typically delivers 50–70% of your plan speed; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) gets closer to 70–90%
- Network congestion — peak evening hours (7–11 PM) see the most traffic in your neighborhood
- Server throttling — game platforms may limit download speeds during high-traffic periods
- Other devices — streaming, video calls, and other downloads on your network share the same bandwidth
Typical Game Sizes by Platform
| Platform | Small Games | Average Games | Large AAA Titles |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC (Steam/Epic) | 1–5 GB | 20–50 GB | 80–200 GB |
| PlayStation 5 | 5–15 GB | 30–60 GB | 80–150 GB |
| Xbox Series X/S | 5–15 GB | 25–50 GB | 70–150 GB |
| Nintendo Switch | 1–5 GB | 5–15 GB | 15–30 GB |
| Mobile (iOS/Android) | 100 MB–1 GB | 1–5 GB | 5–10 GB |
Notable Large Games
| Game | Approximate Size |
|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III | 150+ GB |
| ARK: Survival Ascended | 130+ GB |
| Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PC) | 150+ GB |
| Baldur's Gate 3 | 120+ GB |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 120+ GB |
| Starfield | 125+ GB |
Tips to Speed Up Game Downloads
Use a Wired Connection
Plug your PC or console directly into your router with an Ethernet cable. This alone can double your download speed compared to Wi-Fi. Cat 5e or Cat 6 cables support gigabit speeds.
Pause Other Network Activity
Pause streaming, video calls, cloud backups, and other downloads. On a 100 Mbps connection, a single 4K Netflix stream uses about 25 Mbps — a quarter of your bandwidth.
Download During Off-Peak Hours
Schedule large downloads overnight or during weekday mornings when network congestion is lowest. Most platforms (Steam, PlayStation, Xbox) let you schedule downloads.
Close Background Applications
On PC, close browsers, Dropbox, OneDrive, and other apps that use bandwidth in the background. On consoles, close running games — both PlayStation and Xbox prioritize game performance over downloads when a game is active.
Change DNS Servers
Switching to faster DNS servers (Google: 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4, or Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1) won't increase raw download speed but can improve connection reliability and reduce latency.
Enable Rest Mode Downloads (Consoles)
Both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S can download games while in rest/standby mode. This lets you start a download and walk away.
Change Steam Download Region
On Steam, go to Settings, then Downloads, then Download Region. Try switching to a nearby region that's less congested. Monitor the change — it doesn't always help.
Platform-Specific Notes
Steam (PC) — compresses downloads, so the actual download size is often 30–50% smaller than the installed size. Decompression takes CPU time after download.
PlayStation 5 — downloads are generally fast but the console must also "copy" files after downloading, which adds time. You can play some games before the full download completes.
Xbox Series X/S — supports downloading games to an external USB 3.0 drive to save internal storage. Quick Resume works even during downloads.
Nintendo Switch — download speeds are limited by the Switch's older Wi-Fi chip. Using a USB-to-Ethernet adapter on the dock can improve speeds significantly.