How much internet data does Gears 5 use?
Gears 5 includes multiplayer modes that let players compete against each other or team-up to fight battles together, but these modes use internet bandwidth. If you use an installed mobile broadband or mobile hotspot connection, playing online games in multiplayer modes can cut into your available online data and even push you over your monthly data limit.
To see if you’re in danger of using too much mobile data on Gears 5, let’s take a closer look at the size of the game download, the size of game updates, and the amount of data you use per hour playing the game. As you calculate your data use, remember that the easiest way to stay under your monthly data limit is to switch from a limited to an unlimited mobile data plan.
Data use downloading Gears 5
The initial game download uses much more mobile data than updating or playing the game. Here are the recent file sizes for Gears 5 on Windows 10 and Xbox One. Keep in mind that the download size is smaller than the file size (since it’s compressed), but that the file size increases over time as developers release patches and updates for the game.
| Platform | File size |
| Windows 10 (Ultimate Edition) | 52.76 GB |
| Xbox One (Ultimate Edition) | 58.73 GB |
If you’re worried that you don’t have enough mobile data to download the game on your current data plan, there’s an easy way to avoid using a lot of data on the download. Instead of downloading the game online, simply purchase the physical disk and install the game offline.
Data use updating Gears 5
Epic Games occasionally releases patches and updates for Gears 5, which you can keep track of in the patch notes. These updates vary in size, but can hover around 1 GB. If you’re worried about updates pushing you over your monthly data limit, turn off auto-updates and manually install updates when you have extra data.
Data use playing Gears 5
First- and third-person shooters like Gears 5 typically use around 50 MB of data per hour, which is about average for a newer online game. The exact amount of data you use playing the game depends on the number of players in your game mode, your frame rate, whether or not you use voice chat, and the tick rate of your server:
- The more players in a game, the more data your internet network has to communicate with other players’ networks to share information like stats and location. Gears 5 includes up to three players in a campaign. If you’re playing with two other players, you’ll use more data than if you’re playing with just one other player.
- A higher frame rate refreshes the game more often, which makes it run faster. A lower frame rate saves you data, but makes it harder for you to react quickly in the game. You can adjust your frame rate (measured in FPS) in your game settings. To change your frame rate, you’ll need to disable vertical synch (V-Synch).
- If you use voice chat, expect to use a lot more data during gameplay. Without voice chat, an online game like PUBG uses less than 30 MB of data per hour. With voice chat, it uses more than 50 MB of data per hour.
- The tick rate of your server also affects your data use. A 128-tick server, which refreshes the game 128 times every second, uses about twice as much data as a 64-tick server, which refreshes the game 64 times every second.
Upgrade to unlimited 4G LTE
If you want to play Gears 5 without thinking about your mobile data use, consider switching to an unlimited 4G LTE connection with no monthly data limit and no bandwidth throttling (no matter how much data you use in a month). Call 866-439-6630 to find out more about our unlimited data plans for online gamers.
