What Is Ping In Gaming? Ping is a term gamers often use to describe the lag they experience when playing games. Ping times increase as you move further away from your gaming system and as more people share your home network.
This occurs because your data travels over the internet to its destination at speeds that are slower than you experience locally. To understand this better, let’s dive into our guide below.
What is Ping in gaming?
Gaming ping refers to the delay between inputs and responses from the server. Lag refers to the delay between a player’s input and the server responding. This delay is known as ping. A lower ping means a smoother gaming experience and less delay.
Ping is measured in milliseconds which can be shortened to ms. Anything above 15ms is considered to be excellent. Anything between 15 and 45ms is amazing, and anything between 45 and 100ms is acceptable. Pings of more than 100 to 250ms are often not playable. Anything above 250ms will be unplayable.
The level of play and type of the game will affect the playability of these pings. FPS games, for example, are more sensitive than others to ping. Most players notice the problem around the 50-90ms mark. RTS and MMO games are more sensitive to high pings than turn-based games.
How does ping work?
Ping works by sending an Internet Control Message Protocol Echo Request (ICMP) to a specific interface on the network and then waiting for a response. A ping command sends a signal to the specified address when it is received. Echo requests are sent to a target host when it receives them. The echo reply packet is sent back to the target host.
This method serves two purposes: it verifies that the target host can be reached and determines round-trip time (RTT) or latency.
RTT measures the time it took for a response to arrive. The process is measured in milliseconds (ms) and begins when a browser sends an email request to a server. It ends when the server has returned a response. RTT is a critical performance indicator for web applications.
By default, ping commands send multiple requests (usually four or five) and display the results. Echo ping results indicate whether a request received a successful reply. It also shows the number of bytes sent and the time is taken to reply.
Why is Ping Important?
Ping is essential because it allows inputs to register quicker and gives you better input and reaction time. Players with lower ping levels will experience more lag when communicating with the game. It is not usually noticeable, and players won’t be running in spots. These small timing differences can make a huge difference in performance.
The movement of your input from your hands to the game is illustrated in the above example. Your tech and connection are key factors in making this happen.
Gamers spend a lot to get a setup that reduces their reaction time by using a responsive mouse and a faster display. One thing that is missing from all of this is the communication part. While inputs from your mouse to the game quickly are great, they still depend on the signal being sent to the server.
This is why ping in gaming is so important. It determines how fast you can respond.
Read also: What Is Latency In Gaming? Things You Need to Know 2021
What counts as low ping?
Good question! You can see the graph below to find out where your ping response times fall on the scale. Keep in mind that ping can affect different games in different ways. Games that require precise inputs or reactions, such as MK11 and COD, will not run as smoothly with high-ping as less time-sensitive titles, such as Starcraft and Civilization.
- 20ms – This is the gold standard! This low ping will not cause lag or trouble in any multiplayer online game.
- 20-50 ms – This is an excellent amount of ping, but it will still guarantee smooth gameplay.
- 50-100 ms – This is an average ping time. While it doesn’t make games unplayable, you will likely experience some lag.
- 100-300 ms – This is where things get messy. Expect a decrease in performance, along with occasional disruptive lag spikes.
- > 300 ms – Gamers will have a hard time with this high ping and will need to contend against input delays and frustrating lag.
What is a good ping for gaming?
Ping is usually measured in milliseconds. Many online tools will help you determine your ping. This free ping tool allows users to analyze and test their internet connection quickly.
A perfect ping is a number less than 50 ms. This is especially important for competitive online gaming. A ping is a number between 50 ms and 150 ms. This attribute is generally acceptable and allows you to play enough games on most game servers.
Problems begin when the ping exceeds 200 ms. Server glitches are most common at this point. Server glitches, input delays, and communication problems can be expected when the ping exceeds 200 ms. If your ping exceeds this area, you could lose connection to the server.
The ping attributes can be affected by geographic location. A west coast player will likely have a higher ping to a server on the west coast than an east coast player. Major gaming companies have servers located in multiple locations around the globe to ensure there is always a server close to players.
How do I improve my ping?
Some gamers spend a lot on highly responsive mice and expensive internet packages to reduce their response times. This is something I do not believe in. You can find my top recommendations for reducing your ping online and getting a better internet experience here.
You should use an Ethernet cable. This advice is all over Reddit. But there’s a reason! A wired connection is more stable and direct than a wireless connection. It also doesn’t suffer the same packet loss that wireless connections, which can cause disruptions if there are multiple internet-enabled devices within the house. Ethernet cables come in a variety of lengths and are very affordable.
Schedule your updates – The last thing you need when gaming online is a random system update that hogs all your bandwidth. Your updates can be scheduled before or after gaming.
Check out what’s happening in the background. Take a look at the applications and processes that are running in the background. If they aren’t helpful immediately, close them. They can eat up valuable processing power and siphon your bandwidth. So can your roommates, family members, or friends streaming a Netflix marathon while you’re gaming!
If you can connect to multiple servers at once, it is a good idea to choose a server that is close to you. Your signal will travel further, so this can help reduce your ping.
Spring cleaning is a great time to clean out your router and give it some attention. You should also make sure your router doesn’t get stuck in a dark corner collecting dust.
Read also: What Is Packet Loss In Gaming? Things to Know 2021
FAQs
Is 0 ping possible?
Ping is the amount of time it takes for an internet packet to travel from one computer or server to another. Ping is typically measured in milliseconds, which are the smallest units that can be used to measure time. 0 ping is not possible because there is always some delay.
Will a gaming router reduce ping?
Yes. The primary function of a gaming router is to be a more reliable connection for online gaming. As a result, it also reduces the ping by providing a smoother connection. A gaming router can also prioritize bandwidth based on the connected device, which ensures that devices that need a stable connection for gaming will get it.
What is ping in Internet speed?
Ping stands for Packet Interval. Ping is a measurement of the time it takes for a packet of data to get from one device to another. The lower the ping, the better the connection.
What is a Good Ping for PUBG?
A good ping in PUBG would be below 60. Under 100 is ideal, but slightly higher is tolerable in this game. The connection speeds aren’t quite as competitive as with some games.
What makes a good ping for PUBG?
In PUBG, a good ping would be under 60. A ping of below 100 is best, though playing this game at a slightly higher level is possible. It isn’t as competitive as other games, but the connection speeds are still quite fast.
What makes a good ping for Apex Legends players?
A good ping for Apex legends is below 40. While 40-100 will be fine, they might struggle in highly competitive situations. You might notice a noticeable lag if you are over 100.
What makes a good ping for Call of Duty Warzone?
Warzone has a ping of around 40. Warzone is home to a large number of servers so that a lower ping can be achieved. While a ping below 100 is still possible, a ping under 40 is ideal for competitive play.
What makes a good ping for Valorant?
Valorant’s ping would be below 50. This game has issues with its servers, so higher pings should be expected. This game was launched in a larger beta during a pandemic. Don’t worry too much about Ping In Valorant yet. The game will have more servers when it launches fully.
Conclusion
You now know what ping is in gaming and how to reduce it. You want gaming to be enjoyable so you can reduce ping. Other latency types can also affect your gaming, but they are very rare. It is best to play on high-ping servers.
We are grateful that you have read this guide about ping in gaming. I hope this guide helped you! You are welcome to post any questions below.
Eyal Ephrat serves as the co-founder and CEO of medCPU.com, where technology is making significant strides in the field of medicine. Through his experience in purchasing PC and laptop equipment and various other tech products, Eyal Ephrat contributes valuable insights to medCPU’s mission.
