Game Download Time Calculator
Estimate how long a game will take to download from file size and connection speed.
Compare Wi-Fi and wired Ethernet and see the impact of network overhead.
Download time is determined by dividing the file size by your available download speed — but the unit mismatch between file sizes and speed ratings is a common source of confusion.
The bit/byte distinction — critical:
- Internet speeds are measured in megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits (Gbps)
- File sizes are measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB)
- 1 byte = 8 bits, so you must divide speed by 8 to get bytes per second
Download time formula:
Time (seconds) = File Size (MB) × 8 / Speed (Mbps)
Time (minutes) = Time (seconds) / 60
Speed to MB/s conversion table:
| Advertised Speed | Real MB/s | 50 GB game | 100 GB game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Mbps | ~1.1 MB/s | ~12.5 hrs | ~25 hrs |
| 25 Mbps | ~2.8 MB/s | ~5 hrs | ~10 hrs |
| 50 Mbps | ~5.6 MB/s | ~2.5 hrs | ~5 hrs |
| 100 Mbps | ~11.2 MB/s | ~75 min | ~2.5 hrs |
| 200 Mbps | ~22.5 MB/s | ~38 min | ~75 min |
| 500 Mbps | ~56 MB/s | ~15 min | ~30 min |
| 1 Gbps | ~112 MB/s | ~7.5 min | ~15 min |
Real-world speed note: Advertised speeds are theoretical maximums. Real download speeds are typically 60–80% of the advertised rate due to:
- Network overhead and protocol headers
- Server-side throttling (game servers limit download speeds)
- Wi-Fi vs. wired connection loss
- Congestion on shared cable infrastructure (especially evenings)
- Router/modem limitations
Common game download sizes (2025):
| Game | Approximate Size |
|---|---|
| Indie / 2D game | 200 MB – 3 GB |
| Standard AA title | 10–30 GB |
| AAA base game | 50–80 GB |
| AAA + Day 1 patches | 80–120 GB |
| AAA + all DLC | 120–200 GB |
| Modern Warfare series | 150–250 GB |
Pro tip: Pause other internet-heavy activity (streaming, cloud backups) during large downloads to maximize available bandwidth for the game client.