What are ping and latency, and why are they important for gaming?
Ping is a networking term that relates to the time it takes for data to be sent from its source to its destination. Latency is the term used to measure the time for that data to make a round trip back to the source. While they are technically different terms, they now tend to be used interchangeably.
In gaming terms, both these metrics can affect the response time of the action you see on screen. When you press a button or move a joystick, you want the associated action to take place instantaneously. If the ping speed of your NBN connection is high – it’s measured in milliseconds – then your games are going to be less responsive.
It also affects online gameplay. If your connection suffers from high latency (lag), then your in-game avatar’s actions in game can be delayed and slower compared to others on connections with lower latency.
Your connection type and the ISP you’re signed up with will play the biggest role in determining the ping speed and latency of your connection. The download speed of your NBN plan can also play a small factor (particularly if the connection is being used to near its maximum capacity), but the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission did say in its most recent report that “higher bandwidth/speed does not guarantee lower latency under load.”
Your router can also play a large role, with even the ACCC chiming in that “...the model and the configuration of the router can have a significant effect on the extent to which latency deteriorates under load.”
Therefore, investing in one of the best gaming routers could be one additional change that could help alleviate ping-related troubles.