diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/hlsEngine.ts b/frontend/src/lib/hlsEngine.ts
index 89b91a53..42308f21 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/hlsEngine.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/hlsEngine.ts
@@ -31,10 +31,12 @@ export const RECLAIM_WINDOW_MS = 120_000;
 // less often, and says it cannot play only once the server has been away this long. It used to say
 // so at the first 502, over a picture still playing from the buffer, and never asked again.
 //
-// The absence ends when MEDIA arrives again (a fragment loads), not when a session request is
-// answered: a server that answers every session and delivers none of them is still not serving, and
-// ending the absence at each answer restarted the stream forever. The same window bounds a link too
-// slow for the stream (see `slowLink`).
+// Under hls.js the absence ends when MEDIA arrives again (a fragment loads), not when a session
+// request is answered: a server that answers every session and delivers none of them is still not
+// serving, and ending the absence at each answer restarted the stream forever. What hls.js does not
+// play (a direct file, HLS the browser plays natively) reports no fragments, so there the answer
+// ends it (`answered`); and the viewer trying again after the error starts a window of its own
+// (`start`). The same window bounds a link too slow for the stream (see `slowLink`).
 export const AWAY_WINDOW_MS = 180_000;
 const AWAY_RETRY_MS = [2_000, 4_000, 8_000, 15_000];
 const SERVER_AWAY = new Set([0, 502, 503, 504]);
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/plexStats.test.ts b/frontend/src/lib/plexStats.test.ts
index 9be7eb63..6e58b388 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/plexStats.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/plexStats.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   buildStatRows,
   createFragMeter,
   fmtBitrate,
+  fmtBitrates,
   fmtBufferSecs,
   fmtClock,
   fmtCodec,
@@ -28,6 +29,13 @@ describe("plexStats formatters", () => {
     expect(fmtBitrate(4_200_000, "hu")).toBe("4,2 Mbps"); // the UI language's decimal mark
   });
 
+  it("fmtBitrates says rates side by side in the unit the largest takes", () => {
+    expect(fmtBitrates([1_400_000, 800_000], "en")).toEqual(["1.4 Mbps", "0.8 Mbps"]);
+    expect(fmtBitrates([1_400_000, 800_000], "hu")).toEqual(["1,4 Mbps", "0,8 Mbps"]);
+    expect(fmtBitrates([900_000, 400_000], "en")).toEqual(["900 kbps", "400 kbps"]);
+    expect(fmtBitrates([2_000_000, 0], "en")).toEqual(["2.0 Mbps", DASH]);
+  });
+
   it("fmtBufferSecs shows one decimal, dashes negatives/non-finite", () => {
     expect(fmtBufferSecs(12.34, "en")).toBe("12.3 sec");
     expect(fmtBufferSecs(0, "en")).toBe("0.0 sec");
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/plexStats.ts b/frontend/src/lib/plexStats.ts
index b1000e7d..3c5fb3c8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/plexStats.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/plexStats.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,16 @@ export function fmtBitrate(bps: number | undefined, lang: string): string {
   return `${formatNumber(Math.round(bps / 1000), lang)} kbps`;
 }
 
+// Rates read side by side ("needs 1.4 Mbps, 0.8 Mbps arrives"): one unit for all of them, the one
+// the largest would take alone, so they compare at a glance — never "1.4 Mbps" beside "800 kbps".
+export function fmtBitrates(rates: number[], lang: string): string[] {
+  const largest = Math.max(0, ...rates);
+  if (largest < 1_000_000) return rates.map((bps) => fmtBitrate(bps, lang));
+  return rates.map((bps) =>
+    bps > 0 ? `${formatDecimal(bps / 1_000_000, lang)} Mbps` : fmtBitrate(bps, lang),
+  );
+}
+
 // Seconds of buffer ahead of the playhead → "12.3 sec" / "12,3 mp".
 export function fmtBufferSecs(s: number, lang: string): string {
   if (!Number.isFinite(s) || s < 0) return DASH;
diff --git a/frontend/src/modules/plex/PlexPlayer.hls.dom.test.tsx b/frontend/src/modules/plex/PlexPlayer.hls.dom.test.tsx
index 215097d4..33d6097d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/modules/plex/PlexPlayer.hls.dom.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/modules/plex/PlexPlayer.hls.dom.test.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,12 @@ vi.mock("react-i18next", async (importOriginal) => {
   const actual = await importOriginal<typeof import("react-i18next")>();
   return {
     ...actual,
-    useTranslation: () => ({ t: (key: string) => key, i18n: { language: "en" } }),
+    // The slow line's rates are shown with the key: they are what its test reads.
+    useTranslation: () => ({
+      t: (key: string, o?: { need?: string; got?: string }) =>
+        key === "plex.player.slowLinkRates" ? `${key} ${o?.need} / ${o?.got}` : key,
+      i18n: { language: "en" },
+    }),
   };
 });
 
@@ -281,6 +286,37 @@ describe("an HLS segment that never arrives (a fatal 404)", () => {
 });
 
 describe("the slow-connection line", () => {
+  it("says both rates in one unit, so they compare at a glance", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers({
+      shouldAdvanceTime: true,
+      toFake: ["Date", "setTimeout", "clearTimeout", "setInterval", "clearInterval"],
+    });
+    try {
+      const session = mount();
+      session.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        mode: "hls",
+        url: "/hls/A/index.m3u8",
+        start_s: 600,
+      } as never);
+      await waitFor(() => expect(hlsInstances).toHaveLength(1));
+      // 1.05 MB of a 6 s fragment (1.4 Mbit/s) that took 10.5 s to arrive (0.8 Mbit/s): under a
+      // megabit, which on its own would read in kbps.
+      act(() =>
+        hlsInstances[0]!.emit(Hls.Events.FRAG_LOADED, {
+          frag: {
+            type: "main",
+            duration: 6,
+            stats: { total: 1_050_000, loading: { start: 0, first: 10, end: 10_500 } },
+          },
+        }),
+      );
+      act(() => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(5_100));
+      expect(screen.getByText("plex.player.slowLinkRates 1.4 Mbps / 0.8 Mbps")).toBeTruthy();
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    }
+  });
+
   it("measures only the stream being asked for, not the one before it", async () => {
     // A restart that a direct file answers builds no hls.js, so a meter reset only there kept the
     // slow HLS session's numbers on screen under the next stream.
diff --git a/frontend/src/modules/plex/PlexPlayer.tsx b/frontend/src/modules/plex/PlexPlayer.tsx
index a43e98d7..575a4e11 100644
--- a/frontend/src/modules/plex/PlexPlayer.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/modules/plex/PlexPlayer.tsx
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ import ClipPanel, { ClipCropFrame, type ClipCrop } from "../../features/player/C
 import { markInAt, markOutAt, openAt, type ClipRange } from "../../lib/clipRange";
 import { PlexPlayerSettings } from "./PlexPlayerSettings";
 import { PlexStatsOverlay } from "./PlexStatsOverlay";
-import { createFragMeter, fmtBitrate } from "../../lib/plexStats";
+import { createFragMeter, fmtBitrates } from "../../lib/plexStats";
 import { episodeLine } from "../../lib/plexDetail";
 import { HlsEngine } from "../../lib/hlsEngine";
 import { createHlsPort } from "../../lib/hlsPort";
@@ -309,6 +309,9 @@ export default function PlexPlayer({
   const slowRates = useSlowLink((!ready || buffering) && !loadError, () =>
     slowLinkRates(fragMeterRef.current.bitrate(), fragMeterRef.current.arrival()),
   );
+  const [slowNeed, slowGot] = slowRates
+    ? fmtBitrates([slowRates.need, slowRates.got], i18n.language)
+    : [];
   // Refs for values read inside stable callbacks / the keyboard handler (avoid stale closures).
   const barAutoHideRef = useLatest(prefs.barAutoHide);
   // The two language prefs are read only at ITEM LOAD (the detail effect below), so they go through
@@ -1352,10 +1355,7 @@ export default function PlexPlayer({
                 <>
                   <span>{t("plex.player.slowLink")}</span>
                   <span className="text-xs text-white/70">
-                    {t("plex.player.slowLinkRates", {
-                      need: fmtBitrate(slowRates.need, i18n.language),
-                      got: fmtBitrate(slowRates.got, i18n.language),
-                    })}
+                    {t("plex.player.slowLinkRates", { need: slowNeed, got: slowGot })}
                   </span>
                 </>
               ) : !ready ? (