Why You Should Get a VPN for Your Xbox One or PS4
Resigned to the fact that my roommates and I love to joke, this is the “first Roku ever made” in the last few years, I recently decided to watch all of my videos via PlayStation 4 instead. The experience is a million times better (no more lag, random crashes, or app designs that haven’t been updated in years), but it also got me wondering if I could use a virtual private network (VPN) in my games. console to further improve the situation.
Turns out, getting a VPN up and running on your PS4 or Xbox One is actually pretty straightforward, and the benefits make it worth the minimum effort (and cost) required to get the job done.
Why do you need a VPN for your PS4 or Xbox One?
The reason for getting a VPN for your game console is the same reason you want it on your computer. VPNs allow you to spoof your location so you can watch a Canada-only movie or a sports game not available in your city on Netflix. They also hide your identity and encrypt your data, protecting you from hackers and government surveillance. All of this applies to your game console as well. So whether you’re streaming videos on PS4 or making a purchase through Xbox One, it’s worth having a VPN.
On top of that, you can find the best game deals by browsing PS4 and Xbox One digital storefronts around the world. You can even get early access to the new video if it’s released in some countries first.
Which VPN should you use?
BestVPN has separate guides for choosing and installing VPN on PS4 and Xbox One , but in both cases, the site recommends the same option: ExpressVPN. This service is a bit pricey at $ 6.67 per month with an annual contract (it’s even more expensive if you only pay for one month), but it has some nice benefits. ExpressVPN offers strong encryption, fast servers, and 24/7 live chat support. There is no free trial, but you can get a refund within the first 30 days if you change your mind.
If you’re looking for something cheaper, BestVPN offers around $ 3 per month. There are plenty of free VPNs out there as well, but most of them will likely limit your bandwidth – which is not ideal for online gaming – and may even show you ads.
How to install a VPN on your console
According to BestVPN, there are two ways to run a VPN on PS4 or Xbox One: via a router or via a desktop computer. The former takes a little longer, but the latter requires an Ethernet cable to connect the console to the VPN. You can find full instructions for PS4 here and Xbox One here .
The exact step-by-step process is slightly different depending on which console you have, but either way it shouldn’t take you less than half an hour to get the job done. Once you’re done, you can return to your console with all the added benefits of a VPN.