What is Latency? How it works in Gaming?

What is Latency

Being a gamer, you might be wondering what is Latency in gaming and how it affects the whole gaming scenario?

It can be described as a delay. This delay refers to the amount of time a signal (or data packets) takes to proceed information from one point to the next. If the signal takes more time to travel to its destination, then its Latency is high.

When a signal takes a short time to transfer data to its destination, it has low Latency. Low Latency is better because Latency is deemed a delay in response time, like when you give a command and when you get the response. 

Latency in Gaming

Most of the time, it could be a key element affecting your gaming experience. The system traffic has taken to pass a signal to the gaming server and get it back to your device. Latency is significant for a better online fast-paced gaming experience.

Latency is crushing online gaming. Online gamers mostly give up on the game if they encounter interest issues and delays of 500 milliseconds. 81% of internet users close a page or video if it does not load and start right away. 25% of google traffic drops down due to a 500ms slowdown.  

 High latency results in substantial delays between your input and the behavior (action) of your player. You might be already dead in simple words while striving to get off, but you don’t see it till your connection hooks up. Latency is the primary factor when playing games that need the server to respond rapidly and quickly.

Reasons for Latency in Gaming

What is latency

Latency doesn’t solely rely on the broadband connection; it also depends on the router, remote server area, and network hardware. Mostly, the info packets proceed from source to destination over a route. The nearer the router to your pc, the lesser is that the anticipated delay.

Good Latency for Gameplay

Latency calculated as ping includes the average all-out time that it takes your gaming gadget to send information to the game server and back to your device. This is estimated in milliseconds (ms), so if your ping is 100ms, at that point, it takes 100 milliseconds for your PC to react to an input from the game server.

For better gameplay and lag-free user experience, low Latency is ideal. When a ping is high, it will result in extremely slow gameplay. Moreover, racing games or other time-based games suffer a lot with high Latency. 

Because in those games, timing is the major success factor. For that reason, high Latency and time lag make the gaming experience less entertaining.  

Attain Low Latency 

 Most people think that quick network connection is a significant factor that keeps Latency low, but that’s not all. If you have the fastest internet connection and a speedy computer for playing online games, then again, you might face some issues. 

Therefore, it’s essential to do an internet speed test. “You can also measure your system’s latency outside of a game by using the ping command,” says Blake Sanders of Broadband Expert. If a ping value is 20ms, it means your latency rate is superb. It will boost your gaming performance where timing is crucial. 

In online gaming, to achieve the best performance internet connection above 3 Mbps is ideal. The routine internet using wireless connection and routers is fine, but they are not stable for online gaming.  

Ways to Reduce Gaming Latency

Latency can be reduced by taking the following steps:

  • For smoother gameplay, you need 15-25 Mbps internet speed. If you have more internet users at your home, you’ll experience Latency and lag while gaming. Make sure your internet package provides you enough bandwidth and speed to support your gaming.
  • You must check your Wi-Fi signal strength. If you face this issue, disconnect other devices attached to the internet and eat up bandwidth. Or get a high-tier internet connection that has solid signals and meets your requirements. If you are using wireless, then get close to the router for better signals and speed. 
  • You must use a hardwired connection. When playing online games, wireless connections are not stable. Because online games require firm internet speed, it’s essential to connect your gaming gadget right to the router with an Ethernet cable. 
  • For a high-quality gaming experience, use a router designed for gaming. If you are experiencing this and lag, these routers will assist you by providing adequate network and excellent features (better speed, Latency, and ping rates). 
  • While gaming, it’s necessary to detach the internet from all devices and keep your network free. Because too many connected devices could be the reason for lags. 
  • Do the latency test as it helps you to understand whether your system performance is well or not. 
  • It is recommended to disable all automatic updates during gaming and shut down other programs because it drains available bandwidth and slows the game.

Latency should not influence player performance. By considering these easy steps, you can reduce this delay, optimize your performance, and enjoy a smooth online gaming experience.

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