What is Ping in a Video Game?

Ping, when gaming, refers to the time it takes for data to travel from your device to the server and back, measured in milliseconds (ms). Generally, it determines how fast your actions reach the game server and reflect back on your screen.

How it works?

You press a key or click a mouse, and the action travels to the game server. Then the server calculates the outcome, and the result travels back to your screen.

Ping in Video Games: Why It Matters?

Ping is one of the most important factors that influences your performance in video games.

• Ping influences how quickly your in-game character reacts after you press a key on your keyboard or click your mouse.

• Ping influences hit registration, leading to delayed damage, getting hit behind cover, and desync visuals and audio.

• Ping influences your actual location tracked by the game server, leading to rubberbanding (your character constantly moves backward or teleports around the map.)

What is a Good Ping for Gaming?

So what is a good ping in video games? Here we give a table that lists the ping range for reference. In summary, 0-20ms is a good ping for video games. Ping over 51ms is only playable for turn-based or strategy games. Ping over 100 is definitely bad for gaming.

What are the Reasons for High Ping in Video Games?

Check potential reasons for the high ping in games:

• Physical distance is far from the game server;

• The game server is crowded;

• Your internet is poor;

• Your Wi-Fi signals are blocked by walls or other interference;

• Your computer is download or streaming;

• Your computer has too many background apps running;

• The hardware is outdated;

• ISP limits your data (especially in peak time);

• You’re using a non-gaming VPN.

How to Lower Your Ping in Video Games?

Try the following fixes to lower ping in video games.

• Use Smart Game Booster: automatically boost games and experience reduced ping and improved FPS with third-party apps.

• Switch from Wi-Fi to Ethernet: Wi-Fi signals may be blocked or interfered by walls, electronic devices, and neighboring networks.

• Close unnecessary background app: Close programs like web browsers, Discord stream previews, or cloud sync services to reduce memory and GPU usage.

• Stop online streaming or downloading: Close streaming and downloading that hog massive amounts of your local network's bandwidth.

• Choose the closest game server: Choose a game server located in your region to make sure data packets travel the shortest physical distance and reduce ping.

• Update network drivers: Keeping drivers up-to-date helps to handle data packets efficiently and optimize network stability.