Get the Right Internet Speed for Amazon Prime Video

The amount of internet speed you need for Prime Video depends on the devices you use and how many of them access the service simultaneously. Some devices support 4K Ultra HD playback, while others are locked to HD content. We’ll help you decipher everything so you can get the best experience in streaming Prime Video.

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Prime Video speed basics

You don’t need a lot of bandwidth to stream 4K Ultra HD content from Prime Video. We know this from watching our wired Xbox Series X game console use up to 18Mbps to stream M3GAN in 4K Ultra HD (2160p).

So, based on that number, if we have five consoles streaming the same movie simultaneously, they would only use 90Mbps. Double that number to give every streamer breathing room, and you still only use up 180Mbps.

Live streams are a different story. Amazon states you need a minimum download speed of 5MB per second for HD broadcasts, which converts to 40Mbps. That’s 200Mbps total if five people watch live content simultaneously—double that to 400Mbps for breathing room.

But let’s get real here, folks. The chances of five common household members streaming 4K content or watching live events simultaneously are slim at best. Plus, not every device supports 4K playback, which we’ll get to in a bit.

Here are your minimum speed needs for Prime Video

Amazon doesn’t list recommended minimum speeds for content playback. Instead, it provides multiple support articles listing platforms with specific resolution limits. But we also discovered they’re not quite on the mark, as Amazon says web browsers support HD content but we can clearly stream movies in Full HD.

That said, the best we can do is decipher Amazon’s video quality settings based on its stated resolution limits to get an idea of the speeds you need. The only minimum speed requirements we actually dug up are for live broadcasts.

What do you need to stream 4K Ultra HD content on Prime Video?

First, let’s start with your internet speed. Based on our tests, a 4K video in Best mode streams at up to 18Mbps. If you have five people streaming simultaneously, that’s 90Mbps. Double that number to 180Mbps just in case.

But there’s more to the equation than choosing a fast internet plan. Web browsers don’t support Prime Video’s 4K playback. The Prime Video App for Windows, MacOS, iPhone, and several other platforms doesn’t support 4K video playback either. It’s all a little confusing honestly, even more so with Amazon’s Best/Better/Good Video Quality modes thrown into the mix.

Also, you need a Wi-Fi router that can handle multiple devices simultaneously. If it can only download chunks of video to a few devices at a time, imagine the traffic jam if you have five. Generally, local congestion and Wi-Fi range are your big streaming bottleneck, not your internet plan. We tested and listed the best Wi-Fi routers for streaming to give you some ideas.

Get fiber internet or a fast cable plan for the best 4K performance

We already suggested you should have at least 200Mbps if five people stream Prime Video in 4K simultaneously. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to go a little higher, especially if someone needs to download a 10GB file quickly.

Fiber internet is the best connection you can get, but you don’t need gigabit internet—sorry, but that’s just overkill for most homes. Honestly, as a homeowner with five streamers and gamers in the house, 500Mbps internet fits the bill just right.

Best internet plans for 4K video streaming

What if you have slow internet? Never fear—you can still watch Prime Video

Five people streaming 4K content simultaneously use around 90Mbps. That’s not a lot, but we like to double that bandwidth just in case. You can feasibly get by with a 200Mbps plan, but you may want to factor in other things that will use your total bandwidth, like silent device downloads and so on.

Best internet plans for budget Prime Video users

Yes, you can stream Prime Video over a satellite internet connection, but do so sparingly since data is limited. Prime Video automatically adjusts the resolution and quality in most cases based on your device, screen, and connection, but you can manually adjust the video quality in a web browser and on some platforms.

Here’s how to adjust the video resolution for Prime Video

Despite what you may read elsewhere, you can’t adjust the video resolution. Switching the stream between the four quality modes doesn’t convert a Full HD video into an HD one. You’re definitely not going to squeeze out 4K streaming by selecting the Best video quality mode on a device or screen that only supports Full HD. Nope. Not happening.

For example, when we tested M3GAN playback on an iPhone (which has a weird 2,778 x 1,284 screen resolution), the movie remained in HD resolution no matter what visual quality setting we used—even when we disabled the Use Highest Quality on Wi-Fi feature. But we did notice a clear drop in the stream’s framerate and fidelity.

In other words, the Best mode produced a sharp image and fluid motions, while the Data Saver mode was less sharp and movements were less smooth. But you’ll never see a higher video resolution until Amazon updates the Prime Video App with support for Full HD video playback or better.

In most cases, you can’t manually adjust the video quality anyway (despite what other guides tell you). We noticed a few exceptions, however, in desktop web browsers and the apps for iPhone and iPad. We presume Amazon is quietly removing the video quality setting on devices that don’t use cellular data.

In a web browser:

Step 1: Start the video.

Step 2: Move the mouse cursor over the video to activate the overlay.

Step 3: Click on the Gear icon.

Step 4: Select Best, Better, or Good on the drop-down Video Quality menu.

In the Prime Video App:

Step 1: Tap on your profile icon.

Step 2: Tap on the gear icon.

Step 3: Tap on Streaming & Downloading.

Step 4: Tap on Streaming Quality.

Step 5: Select Best, Better, Good, or Data Saver*.

* The Data Saver mode presumably only appears on devices that use cellular data, like smartphones and 5G-capable tablets.

Choose the best Prime Video plan

You can get Prime Video two ways: for free if you subscribe to Amazon Prime, or as a standalone streaming service if you don’t.

The chart is based on streaming and downloading content from one account. Here are the major differences between the full Standard and Mobile plans:

Mobile Edition subscribers can upgrade to the full Standard Edition plan to stream and download more content. Currently, Prime Video Mobile Edition is not offered in the US.

FAQ about Prime Video

Disclaimers