What Causes Gaming Lag?

One of the worst issues that gamers have to deal with is lag. Lag can be a minor annoyance if it is not too much. However, it may cause you to lose more matches. Lag can also ruin the experience of gaming if it is too high. To help you avoid it, here is our take on all the causes of gaming lag.

Key Takeaways

• The number of gamers in the world is generally increasing, with a slight decrease in 2022 likely due to Covid lockdowns being lifted in most countries.
• While some people may believe that gaming is dying due to factors such as age and a lack of enjoyable new games, the industry is not dying and will likely continue to thrive as new technology emerges and attracts players.
• To keep gaming alive and thriving, the industry must continue to innovate and create new gaming experiences that appeal to a wider audience, while also combatting toxicity and harassment within the gaming community to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all players.

What Is Lag?

When you play video games, you send inputs to your computer, like pressing keys on your keyboard or moving your mouse around. After that, you get a response in the form of output. There is a delay between the input and output. If this delay becomes noticeable, it is called lag, hardware lag, to be specific.

When playing online games, your computer sends data to the game server you are connected to, and the server sends data back to your computer. There is also a delay in this process. If this delay gets noticeable, it is called network lag.

Underpowered Hardware

If your computer doesn’t meet the system requirements of the game you want to play, you will get a low framerate which causes tons of hardware lag. To reduce hardware lag, you need to upgrade the hardware or lower the graphics settings. To get the most impact on your framerate and lag, try lowering the resolution.

V-Sync

V-Sync is a technology that removes screen tearing from video games. Screen tearing causes gameplay to look as if it is cut in half from the center, with the top part misaligned from the bottom part. However, V-Sync induces tons of input lag or hardware lag. For this reason, it is better to turn V-Sync off while playing games.

Wifi Connection

Wifi connections are unstable, and we don’t recommend you use them for online gaming. Wifi connections can not only cause lag, but they also cause ping spikes, packet loss, and even rubber banding. If want to remove network lag, you should get an ethernet connection to connect your PC to the internet.

Bandwidth Congestion

Even if you have an ethernet connection, you will face lag if you don’t get rid of bandwidth congestion. Bandwidth congestion is when there is too much load on your bandwidth, which causes packet loss and lag.

It happens when multiple users use the same network as you or if you have too many downloads running in the background. You should always ensure you aren’t downloading anything in the background while playing online games. Also, you should try getting a separate internet connection.

Low Bandwidth

Another thing that causes lag is low bandwidth. Even if you get a separate connection and ensure that you aren’t downloading anything while playing online games, you may experience lag if your bandwidth isn’t sufficient. The only fix for low bandwidth is to improve it by contacting your ISP. Fortunately, you don’t need much bandwidth for online gaming without lag.

Selecting The Wrong Server

The speed of the data traveling from your computer to the game server and back to your computer doesn’t change. It means if the distance between the server and the computer is high, the delay will also be high, which will cause network lag.

Video games allow players to select the server they want to play the game on. If you choose a server that is too far away, you will experience network lag. For this reason, make sure you select servers closest to your region.

Conclusion

There are multiple causes of lag, like underpowered hardware, high graphics settings, poor internet connection, wifi connection, bandwidth congesting, and more. Try out the solutions mentioned above according to the causes and see if your gaming experience can get better.

FAQ

What is gaming lag?

Gaming lag delays or slows down a video game’s response time, resulting in a poor gaming experience.

What causes gaming lag?

Various factors, including hardware and software issues, network problems, and game settings, can cause gaming lag.

How can I fix gaming lag?

To fix gaming lag, you can optimize your game settings, update your hardware and software, close other programs running in the background, or improve your network connection.

How can I optimize my game settings to reduce lag?

You can optimize your game settings by lowering the graphics quality, disabling unnecessary features, and adjusting the resolution and screen refresh rate.

How can I update my hardware and software to reduce lag?

You can update your hardware and software by installing the latest drivers, updating your operating system, and upgrading your CPU, GPU, or RAM.

How can I close other programs running in the background to reduce lag?

You can close other programs running in the background using the task manager or a third-party program like CCleaner.

How can I improve my network connection to reduce lag?

You can improve your network connection by using a wired connection, reducing congestion, or upgrading your internet plan.

Are there any other tips for reducing gaming lag?

Other tips for reducing gaming lag include using a gaming VPN, optimizing your router settings, and ensuring that your game runs the latest version or patch.