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To successfully play and win in online games, it is important to achieve maximum responsiveness and fluidity of the picture. The feeling of playing depends entirely on several factors independent of each other. These include hardware performance, system and user input latency (i.e., the time from clicking a mouse button to displaying a shot on the screen), and the quality of the network connection. To get the perfect response, you need to optimize each of these points.
Within the framework of this material, we will not talk in detail about the need for powerful hardware - this is understandable. The more FPS the game gives out, the better. If you have performance issues, check out our guides: How to speed up a weak or old PC for gaming and What to do if your games slow down . If there are no performance problems and, for example, CS: GO produces good FPS, you can move on.
How to reduce system latency (input lag)
System delays are the time that elapses from pressing a key to displaying the result on the screen. If we simplify it as much as possible, then this is an input lag. However, the matter is not limited to input delays. System delays also depend on the features of the PC components and the speed of the monitor.
Use a wired keyboard and mouse. The wire connection will always be faster and more stable. However, there are also wireless gaming models, but they are more expensive than wired counterparts.
Turn off the picture processing (noise reduction, float, etc.) or switch the picture mode to game mode. If you are playing on TV, then this is especially true. But the monitor may also have a mode switch. For example, MSI has a special game mode called Zero Latency. To understand if this mode is on your monitor model, refer to the instructions or the manufacturer's official website.
Set the display refresh rate as high as possible. Some displays may not support more than 60Hz at maximum resolution, in which case it is worth dropping to 1080p. For example, this is how PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles work with TVs that only have HDMI 2.0 input. In compatible games, this way you can set the 120 Hz mode. In addition, some monitors may run at an increased frequency, even if it is not officially supported. For example, the BenQ GW 2470 monitor can run at 75Hz if you set a custom image mode in the video card drivers.
Disable vertical sync in the game settings. Because of this, the picture may be less pleasant, as there will be frame breaks - the so-called tearing. However, responsiveness may increase. Please note that if your monitor and video card have VRR, G-Sync or FreeSync features, there should be no gaps.
Turn on NVIDIA Reflex technology. To reduce latency on the user side, it is worth enabling NVIDIA Reflex technology, which is supported by many online games. It works on all GeForce 900 series and up. In addition, it does not require special equipment such as a monitor and mouse. The technology gives the greatest effect at high graphics settings.
Turn on low latency mode. You can also enable low latency mode in the NVIDIA Control Panel. It is similar in effect to NVIDIA Reflex, but only works in DirectX 11. AMD graphics cards have a similar feature - Radeon Anti-Lag, which can also be enabled in the driver settings.
How to reduce network latency
Another type of delays is network delays. The quality of the connection mainly depends on your ISP. First of all, such an indicator as ping is important here.
Important! High ping and unstable connection are two different things. If some of the packages are lost, then this significantly affects the gameplay. For example, you are thrown back or the game world freezes for a while. With poor ping, as a rule, there are no such problems, but there is a noticeable delay in actions. Roughly speaking, you will be killed before you can react.
How to check ping
You can check the ping using specialized sites or mobile applications. One of the most popular is speedtest.net . However, this tool is better suited for measuring speed. It is better to check the ping using the standard means of the Windows operating system.
Using the example of European Fortnite servers, this can be done as follows. Open a command prompt. To do this, press Win + R and enter CMD. In the window that appears, type the command ping qosping-aws-eu-west-3.ol.epicgames.com -n 50 and press Enter. The program will transmit 50 packets and show your minimum and maximum ping. Please note that after the ping command, you can write any address, for example, vgtimes.ru.
Configuring the network adapter
If you are having problems with ping, it is worth configuring your network adapter. Go to device manager and find your network adapter. Typically, these are Realtek, Intel, Qualcomm, Killer, or another. Also on the list may be a wireless Wi-Fi adapter.
Go to adapter properties and go to the Power Management tab. Uncheck "Allow device to turn off to save power". Next, go to Advanced and disable the following items:
- Advanced EEE;
- Gigabit Lite;
- Power Saving Mode;
- Wake on magic packet (needed for remote access);
- Auto power off gigabit speed;
- Large frame;
- Green Ethernet;
- Flow control (it is also possible to disable all items of the checksum unloading);
- Interrupt moderation;
- Energy efficient Ethernet.
The transmit and receive buffers should be set to the maximum value - 128 and 512, respectively. The maximum number of RSS queues should be set to the maximum available. ARP and NS offloading must be enabled.
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| The quality of the connection also depends on the Wi-Fi adapter. Better to choose models with external antennas |
You can also configure the Wi-Fi adapter if you use it for games. First, you also need to turn off "Allow the device to turn off to save energy" and then go to the "Advanced" tab. Here you also need to disable the settings related to energy saving. For MIMO Power Save Mode, select No SMPS. Disable also:
- Waking up when the pattern matches;
- Wake on magic packet or Magic Packet;
- Combining packages;
- Increased throughput.
Ping reduction software
There are many ping reduction programs on the net. The essence of their work can be reduced to the choice of the optimal connection route, due to which the delay is reduced. One of the popular programs is ExitLag . It is paid, but there is a free three-day period for the test. You shouldn't expect miracles from it, and if you already have a good ping, then the program is unlikely to significantly reduce it. However, it's worth a try. In the program settings, you need to select the game and the server region for which optimization is required.
General Tips
If it's not about the ISP, there are still some things you can do to reduce latency. Typically, connection problems are related to the router.
Go to the 5 GHz band. Many modern routers operate in two bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The latter is more advanced. It is resistant to interference and works better in apartment buildings, where each apartment has a router. If your equipment supports 5 GHz, try switching to that frequency. Please note that the signal receiver must also support this standard.
Change the Wi-Fi channel. With the free utility WifiInfoView, you can check how busy the different Wi-Fi channels are in your home. In the settings of the router, you should select the least loaded channel.
Update your router's firmware. It is also worth updating the router's firmware. If you bought a new device, this is the first thing to do. Go to the manufacturer's official website and find the latest firmware for your router model. Please note that you need to find out exactly the model of the device, including revisions. Probably the best option would be to install third-party firmware. If your router model has a powerful community, you should look for information on specialized forums.
Change the DNS server. You can also try changing the standard DNS server from your provider to an alternative one from Google. The preferred server is 8.8.8.8, the alternative is 8.8.4.4.
Reboot your router. If you have any problems with your router, you should reboot it. Perhaps after that the problem will go away by itself.
Connect to the router over a wire. If the placement of the router and your PC allows you to connect via wire, then this is exactly what you should do. The wired connection is the most stable.
In addition, do not forget about commonplace reasons why the network may perform worse - using a VPN, high network load by other users or devices, automatic background updates, etc. Also in network games, choose the server closest to you.
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