You take your gaming seriously; so, when lag disrupts your experience, you want to get to the bottom of the issue. One of the most common causes of lag in gaming is high latency resulting from a slow server. When you have a good understanding of what latency is and why it matters in gaming, you can make the right decisions to optimize your speed.
Why Low Latency Matters in Gaming
What is latency, and how does it alter your gaming experience? Specifically, latency refers to the amount of time your server takes to process a request. In the context of loading a website page, for example, high latency would mean that it takes a long time for the page and all of its contents (images, videos, etc.) to load. Low latency, on the other hand, means that the server is quick to respond.
In gaming, low latency is a must; however, some games have many “moving parts” that need to be constantly processed and loaded by the server itself. This can be difficult for servers that aren’t specifically built for gaming to handle, resulting in higher latency, lag, and other frustrating delays for players.
Understanding “Ping” vs. Latency
The terms “ping” and “latency” are often used interchangeably when referencing gaming and server speed. However, the two concepts are actually not the same. As mentioned above, latency refers to the amount of time it takes a server to process, retrieve, and load data and is often measured in milliseconds.
On the other hand, ping is a measurement that is used when a computer program sends out a test packet to a server. These “pings” bounce back and forth between the requesting device/computer and the server itself. From there, a report is generated that measures the minimum, maximum, and average “trip time” for each ping.
So, while they’re not quite the same thing, ping and latency are both essential factors that can affect the speed of a gaming server.
Time to Upgrade to a Dedicated Gaming Server?
If you’re experiencing issues with high latency in gaming, the best thing you can do is to upgrade your server. If you’re not already using a dedicated gaming server (for example, if you’re relying on your home Internet connection), you could be missing out.
A dedicated hosting plan for gaming ensures that all of your server’s resources (bandwidth, memory, processing speeds, etc.) are being allocated to your device, rather than shared with other users. This, in turn, can help to reduce latency and ping times so that you have the most seamless gaming experience possible. Meanwhile, dedicated servers for gaming give you the ultimate control and customization.
Are you looking for dedicated servers to suit your gaming needs? ReliableSite has you covered. Contact us today to explore our many dedicated hosting plans, including Rapid Deploy servers that can be ready for you in minutes.
We look forward to helping you take your gaming experience to the next level!