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How to reduce lag when gaming
Whether you’re mastering Minecraft or conquering Call of Duty, lag can ruin your game at the crucial moment. Find out how to reduce lag so you can enjoy great gaming.
What is the difference between lag, latency and ping?
Lag. Latency. Ping. They’re all linked but how? In short, high latency leads to a high ping rate which can mean you experience lag. Let’s look at each one in a bit more detail.
Latency is the time between action and response. It tells you how long it takes for information to go from your system (your PC or gaming console) to the gaming server, then back again to your system. It’s crucial for a great gaming experience, especially for games that require rapid responses from your server.
Ping is how we measure latency. It tells you how long it takes for your computer to respond to a request from the game server and is measured in milliseconds (ms). Let’s say, for example, you have a ping rate of 150ms and you’re playing Call of Duty – when you press the space bar on your keyboard to open your parachute during infiltration (highly crucial to survival), it will take 150 milliseconds for you to see it happen on screen.
If you do a ping test, remember that a low ping is better than a higher ping as it shows data is being sent quicker.
Lag is caused by high latency and/or high ping rates. Decreased speeds and delays, the game responding to your actions slowly – that’s lag in action. Graphics lag essentially means your system can’t produce enough Frames Per Second (FPS). And it can be really frustrating, especially if you’ve spent a long time making your way through the levels of a game.
How to improve latency and lag
Most people think bandwidth is what makes or breaks a great online gaming experience. But there’s far more to it. Good latency is crucial for gaming. So by addressing that, you’re likely to improve any problems you may have with lag.
Try our top tips for improving latency, reducing lag and ensuring an altogether smoother experience while gaming on your PC. There’s only one problem – if you lose, you can’t blame it on a poor internet connection anymore!
First thing’s first - check your stats! Gaming gurus recommend a download speed of 25Mbps and an upload speed of 3Mbps. To make things easy, Virgin Media has a free online speed test. It opens up in your web browser and is really simple to use. By checking your internet connection speed, you’ll notice any performance issues. We offer superfast speeds of 100Mbps and above, so if you need to upgrade to a higher-tier package, find out more. With Virgin Media you can enjoy lightning fast, lag-free internet speeds that are perfect for gaming.
Using a WiFi connection for gaming but experiencing lag? Try checking your signal strength. There may be a weak signal in the part of the house where you’re playing. Consider moving your PC to a different room for a stronger WiFi signal and see if this fixes your lag. If that’s not feasible, don’t panic as it’s not the only thing you can try. Another option is to use a wired connection. Connecting your computer to your home network using an Ethernet cable should help to reduce lag and ensure a smooth experience when gaming. No more slow speeds or stuttering – winner!
If you’re experiencing poor performance (out of sync audio, freezing graphics) you might think to check the web browser, your graphics card or even the game’s settings. But there could be another less obvious issue causing lag – your router.
An old router can cause lower internet speeds and poor connection strength. That spells big problems for gamers. A new router – like the ones you get with Virgin Media’s broadband packages – could be the solution. Not only will you get a more reliable WiFi connection but it should also ensure better gameplay thanks to faster speeds, lower ping rates and improved latency.
Ever noticed that you have the best gaming experiences when you’re the only one home? Not just because there are fewer people to distract you at that crucial moment in Call of Duty (although that helps) but because there’s a better connection, with less lag.
You may notice poorer gaming performance when others are using the WiFi at the same time as you. It can impact things like lag, latency and ping rates, particularly if other users are downloading things or streaming shows on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. These activities take up a lot of bandwidth which can interfere with your gaming. Likewise, we recommend closing all websites or stopping downloads on your PC while playing video games. Having these applications running in the background may be what’s causing the lag.
Luckily, waiting for an empty house before playing your favourite online games isn’t your only option. There’s a far easier solution. Sign up for one of Virgin Media’s broadband packages. We offer the superfast speeds and better bandwidth you need to enjoy uninterrupted gaming, even when the rest of the house are on their devices too.
