Virtual private networks (VPNs) are used for various purposes, like strengthening online privacy and streaming. While using a VPN, apps and websites don’t see your actual IP address, instead viewing the location of the server you’re connected to. For instance, you may be in New York City, but with a VPN on a London server, apps and websites see your traffic as coming from the UK. A virtual private network could improve your gaming experience by lowering your ping (latency) for more responsive online play, mask your IP address and prevent throttling. But there are downsides to using a VPN for gaming — notably, slower connection speeds and possible terms of service (ToS) violations.
Here at CNET, we’ve spent years meticulously testing VPNs to cut through the marketing braggadocio and help you pick the best software for your needs. While curating the top VPNs, we mainly considered…
