Hong Kong CN2 CDN Recommendation | The Best Asia-Pacific Node Choice

Hello everyone,
I’ve been working in CDN services for 15 years, mainly optimizing Asia-Pacific nodes. Over the past six months, I tested 27 so-called “Hong Kong CN2 No-ICP CDN” providers. Today I’m ranking them based on real latency, stability, and price. Hopefully this helps. Stick around, because the last 7 providers come with some surprises. At the end, you’ll also find a comparison table for quick reference.

🏆 Top 3 Hong Kong CN2 Dedicated CDNs

1. CDN5

• Line Quality: Pure Hong Kong CN2 GIA. Ping from Shenzhen Telecom is steady at 26–32ms (within 40ms from Shanghai).

• DDoS Resistance: Last month, one gaming client survived a 780Gbps attack without packet loss.

• Caveat: Only subscription packages are offered—no pay-as-you-go. Painful for small sites.

• Recommendation: Perfect for projects constantly under attack or domestic game acceleration. Don’t be stingy here.

2. StoneCDN

• Speed: Hong Kong CN2 + BGP mix. Shenzhen latency 35–45ms (pure CN2 is 30% more expensive but only 5ms faster).

• Perk: If traffic runs out at the end of the month, just pay a small top-up instead of upgrading.

• Limitation: Best for gaming projects; not very friendly for other types.

• Who Should Use: Gaming sites and apps with high real-time requirements.

3. CDN07

• Node Strategy: Hong Kong CN2 + Tokyo AWS direct routing, boosting global access (20% faster for US/EU users).

• Unique Capability: Dynamic API acceleration, tested to be 3x faster (already deployed by a trading exchange).

• Price Tag: Custom solutions start from $5000.

🌍 Other 7 International CDN Players (Pros & Cons)

4. Cloudflare: Free users’ favorite.

• Truth: Hong Kong node often routes to the Philippines. China Mobile latency ~148ms (laggy).

• Catch: CN2 nodes hidden behind the $200/mo Enterprise plan.

5. Akamai: For the rich.

• CN2 Access: Requires annual contract of $120k+ for optimization. Standard plans use regular routes.

• Data: Aliyun HK routing through Akamai had 16ms higher latency than CDN5.

6. Fastly: Developer darling.

• API Acceleration: Blazing fast (<100ms vs CloudFront’s 220ms).

• Downside: Too few HK nodes, causing congestion during peak hours (7% packet loss).

7. AWS CloudFront: Convenient for EC2 users.

• Hidden Cost: China-bound traffic is billed double, effectively $120 per TB.

• Trick: Routes over PCCW instead of CN2, despite denials from support.

8. BunnyCDN: Budget choice.

• HK Test: Uses Zenlayer facilities, latency 68ms. Price is great ($9/TB).

• Fatal Flaw: DDoS protection useless—service shuts down under attack.

9. StackPath: Security guard.

• Strength: WAF rules update faster than Cloudflare, 0 false positives.

• Price: Extra security slows speed by 30%. HK → Shenzhen latency ~89ms.

10. KeyCDN: German provider.

• Strength: Real-time log analytics with pinpoint bottleneck detection.

• Weakness: Only 3 HK nodes; China Mobile often reroutes via Japan.

📊 Comparison Table

💡 Three Hard Lessons

1. Don’t believe the “all CN2” hype: 9/10 are exaggerating. Only trust real HK latency tests.

2. Watch out for traffic pricing traps: AWS/Cloudflare charge extra for China routes. Read contracts with a magnifier.

3. Testing Methodology:

   • Use Ping.pe for north-south China latency.

   • Use WebPageTest for HK→Shenzhen load speeds.

   • Try streaming 4K YouTube during peak hours.

🚀 Final Recommendations

• For high-budget players: CDN5

• For gaming acceleration: StoneCDN

• For global business: CDN07

Always test before subscribing—stick with what proves stable.