VPN for Gaming: Do You Really Need One?

Nowadays, the average gaming PC costs between $700-1000. When you factor in costs like a couple of displays, accessories, and the prices of games themselves, it’s easy to spend $2,000 or more to get your system running. 

Of course, it’s easy to justify such a cost. Your gaming PC can be a complete home entertainment hub and do everything you need to work from home and more. 

With so much invested, it only makes sense to spend a few bucks each month to reduce your risk of cyber attack and enhance your gaming experience. And that’s why more gamers than ever have installed a VPN for gaming on their machines. 

Learn the benefits of a VPN for gamers and whether one is the right call for you below. 

Why a VPN for Gaming? 

You’re likely already familiar with VPNs. If not, a VPN stands for a virtual private network. It not only encrypts your internet connection but also hides your IP address. 

You might be thinking — why should I hide my IP? Well, there’s a lot of reasons for that. Your IP address is essential for connecting you to the internet. But it also identifies your device. 

In the worst-case scenario, angry gamers have tracked down people in real life via the IP address. While this is unlikely to happen to you, that small potentiality alone should convince of its merits. 

But that’s not all. All gamers know that ISPs can and do throttle games, which can significantly reduce your in-game performance. You might have limited access to gaming content or servers, depending on your location. 

Then there is the number one threat to online gamers—hackers. Whether they target you through a game or your email, you should do everything you can to prevent a cyber attack against you. Fortunately, few steps are more straightforward than using a VPN. All you do is run one at all times in the background to enhance your security. 

Perks of Using a VPN

You’re not just getting better security and bypassing ISP throttling by using a VPN for gaming. You’ll also be able to enjoy your games more with a better performance. The best VPNs allow you to wave goodbye to ping times, meaning you can use the fastest gaming servers from anywhere in the world. 

And whether you have a terrible ISP or annoying network admin, you’ll be able to bypass restrictions to get the best speeds possible. 

Proxy Sites vs. VPNs

The easiest way for the average person to hide their IP address is either via proxy and VPNs. While you find a large selection of free proxies on the internet, the old saying “there is no such thing as a free lunch” should come to mind. 

Since proxies are relatively unsophisticated, many servers can recognize and reject the connection. At best, you’ll only be unable to access the website. At worst, your account may get banned altogether. 

The same also goes for free VPNs. Free VPNs are a little better, but they don’t give you the performance you need to game like a pro. 

You’ll experience terrible lag, network disconnections, and other problems that will take the fun of gaming in no time. 

How to Choose a VPN 

For gamers, the number one factor is performance. Using a VPN can reduce your speed. But high-quality options have a massive number of servers spread out in many locations while using the latest VPN technologies. The result is minimal reduction in speed while getting all the benefits described above. 

So, do you really need a VPN for gaming? For most gamers, the answer is yes. And you’ll not only be able to use it on Steam or anywhere else, but in everything else you do online, from safer social media to more streaming content options and a lot more. There are a few ways to protect and get the most out of your gaming PC, take advantage of free trial offers to find the best VPN for you.