Slow performance when downloading from Steam
Slow performance when downloading from Steam
Hey everyone, I bought a few games on Steam and started downloading them. The total size is around 650GB. The download speed is stuck at a steady 1.2MB/s (about 9.8Mbps) in both directions—no progress at all. I ran a speed test and confirmed the connection is solid at roughly 998 Mbps going down and 985 Mbps coming up (around 1Gbps). I checked the router for any port restrictions, but found none. I looked through Steam settings and cleared the download cache, yet the speed remains unchanged. Since I’m using a PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 drive, it’s not the hardware issue. With this rate, I’ll have to wait until the end of the day to finish everything. P.S. Just checked—Cyberpunk 2077 from GOG Galaxy is downloading at 112MB/s (900Mbps), so the problem isn’t my internet connection.
It seems like Steam is just handling things in a way that feels normal. With my high-speed internet, it’s the same effect.
It might be a routing problem with your ISP or Valve. Try switching to a different download region.
Check the download server in Steam settings. Sometimes using a different country can boost speeds significantly—like getting 60MB/s from Hungary instead of the default 20MB/s from the Czech Republic. Restarting Steam is usually needed for changes to apply.
Speed is mainly influenced by the server, not your local connection.
Thanks for the tip about the region. I switched to Germany, restarted Steam, then changed back to Bulgaria (my default). After restarting once more, it functioned properly. Although I’m not reaching max speed again, 600Mbps is significantly better and more acceptable than 9.8.