Duration: 12:35

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Be sure to check out our companion article on GrowingUpOtaku.com for screen captures direct from the raw footage at http://www.growingupotaku.com/2011/08/onlive-speed-test-quality-versus.html

We throttled our own connection in an attempt to finally answer the question: How much bandwidth do I need to run OnLive? Why are my controls spotty? Where is the best video quality?

It bears repeating that even this test was very subjective. I didn't go nuts counting frames (Fraps is unreliable while recording anyway), I didn't kill every background task on my PC, I didn't film my hand and the screen to measure the exact control latency, etc. This is just a quick batch of personal observations. Differences will still occur based on connection latency (like using WiFi) or your proximity to an OnLive data center. What I can guarantee though is that these are rock solid bandwidth numbers, throttled by the router firmware and confirmed via Speedtest.net.


I also only tested a single game. Split/Second was chosen for several reasons: It was a game I was familiar with; It was easy to get repeatable results; It is fast; It features many graphical effects; and its just plain fun to watch. I did run a full race at during each speed test, but edited it down for this video.

If there is enough interest, I'll look into testing another game.