Posted on November 10, 2023
What is a Good Ping for Gaming?
In online gaming, latency (ping) is king. Find out what ping you should be aiming for to get a competitive edge.
In fast-paced online games, every millisecond counts. High download speed is great, but a low "ping" is what separates victory from defeat. Ping, or latency, is the reaction time of your connection—how quickly your actions are registered on the game server. A high ping means lag, which is the frustrating delay between your input and the on-screen response.
Ping Benchmarks for Gaming
Here's a general guide to what ping values mean for your gaming experience:
This is the ideal. Your gameplay will be incredibly smooth with no noticeable delay. Perfect for competitive, professional-level gaming.
Very good for most online gaming. You're unlikely to experience any significant lag that affects your performance. The sweet spot for most players.
Acceptable for many games, but you might notice a slight delay. In highly competitive games like shooters, this can be a disadvantage.
At this level, you'll experience noticeable lag that will significantly impact gameplay. It's time to troubleshoot your connection.
How to Lower Your Ping
While you can't change the physical distance to the server, you can take steps to improve your latency:
Use an Ethernet Cable
A wired connection is more stable and faster than Wi-Fi, which can significantly lower your ping.
Close Background Applications
Downloads, streaming, and even browser tabs can consume bandwidth and increase latency.
Choose a Closer Game Server
Always select a game server that is geographically closest to you to reduce the travel time for data.