- Change theme
Best VPN for Streaming 4K Content
Virtual private networks, or VPNs, are services that allow users to use the Internet more privately and securely.
13:47 06 August 2019
They work by routing the user through servers that they operate and encrypting their activity. The user's Internet Service Provider is unable to see the specific activity and behavior of the person, and government agencies that censor and control Internet usage are not able to see what these people are doing. Another reason to use a VPN is to get around geoblocked content, which is media that is blocked in a particular country. VPNs have servers around the world, so they can choose a server that is not blocked and use that to access the streaming content. However, it's important to look for VPNs that are geared towards high-performance and high bandwidth, as streaming videos require a lot of speed to show them without any stuttering or buffering. This is particularly important for people who want to stream 4K content. Here are the best performance-oriented VPNs.
Express VPN
ExpressVPN has a massive amount of servers spread throughout 160 locations. Geoblocking is not a problem when users have access to that many geographic locations for the server, as it's simple to switch between them. It's also an excellent option because it supports many types of devices, although it sadly doesn't support more than three connections at a time. It has a range of features that power users are going to love, as they can set up the software on their router to make it seamlessly operate through the user's network. Since ExpressVPN has a performance-centric design and features, it's possible to get the speeds necessary to watch 4K content. It's not the most budget-friendly of VPNs, but it has a lot to offer for the price.
CyberGhost
Cyberghost VPN is a service that is more security minded than the typical VPN. It has a strict policy against logging user activity, so even if law enforcement or a government agency, they won't be able get anything usable. It has 3,700 servers that are spread throughout 60 countries. While it doesn't offer as many countries as some other VPN services, it makes up for that by the sheer amount of security features that are available for each account. The performance levels are excellent and it has straightforward functionality. 4K content that is on Netflix is the best option for this service, as it's optimized for Netflix, but people outside of the EU may find issues with the speeds if they use other services. It also provides support for P2P torrenting, unlocking region locked games and even streaming sporting events. The price is reasonable and the user-friendliness makes it a good option for people who are new to VPNs.
Surfshark VPN
Surfshark offers an excellent free trial VPN that is well-suited for streaming 4K content and other types of Internet usage. This VPN supports Amazon Firestick, FireTV, Linux, Windows, Android, Mac OS, iOS, Chrome and Firefox, so users can access the VPN no matter where they want to watch their content. The CleanWeb feature blocks invasive advertising and trackers that make it difficult to enjoy the web browsing experience. It also stops malware and phishing attempts before they can cause issues with the device. Whitelister can route some web traffic around the VPN, in the event that a website blocks VPNs of all types. For example, mobile banking is a common type of website that stops VPN traffic due to concerns about fraud.
Surfshark keeps no logs, so users can rest assured that the content they access is completely private. Even if someone demanded access to that information, it's not available. A kill switch stops all Internet activity if the VPN drops and could potentially expose someone's Internet usage. Camouflage mode stops the Internet Service Provider from knowing that someone is using a VPN. This feature is particularly useful in countries that have government-run ISPs or that try to block all VPN traffic from going through their servers. Multi-hop is another great feature that improves protection and security by routing traffic through multiple countries. Surfshark VPN even has a No Borders mode designed to thwart the efforts of restrictive countries that block Internet resources. It's an all-around great VPN for watching 4K content and browsing websites, and it has an affordable price as well.
IPVanish
IPVanish has more than 1,200 servers located across 60 countries, with more being added on a regular basis. It offers powerful performance with unlimited bandwidth, which means that streaming 4K content isn't going to be a problem at all. It also supports using it on up to 10 devices, so everyone in the house can access streaming video services through this VPN. It has broad support for a range of devices, so it's easy to make available no matter what users want to watch their videos on.
NordVPN
NordVPN has 5,300 servers in more than 60 locations, and they support up to six devices per connection. The performance is known to be excellent and the service concentrates their servers in locations that have wide accessibility to content. It's an expensive option but it has a lot of security features and a user-friendly interface that makes it simple to set up and use. The support options are also extensive, so if anyone is having a problem, then they can reach out to the technical support to get assistance.
PureVPN
PureVPN has a strong performance focus that's designed specifically for high-speed video streaming. 4K content plays reliably through this service, as well as other content that requires more bandwidth than typical Internet usage. Up to five devices can connect at the same time and more than 2,000 servers are available for users.
VPN services are a great way to access geoblocked 4K content, but it's important to choose the right one to get the performance necessary to keep up with the demands of 4K content. As this quality becomes more prevalent, the user's VPN service needs to be ready to keep up with these content.