- MyRepublic
When it comes to online gaming, few things are as frustrating as lag. You line up the perfect shot, and it doesn’t register. Your screen stutters just as you’re about to make the game-winning move. Or worse, you get kicked out of the server altogether. But what exactly causes lag? And how are terms like “ping,” “jitter” and “latency” involved?
If you’ve ever been confused by these terms (or thought they all meant the same thing), you’re not alone. Here’s a quick breakdown of what they mean, and why they matter to gamers.
What is Lag vs Latency: Explained
Lag is what you feel. Latency is what causes it. Lag is the delay you experience in-game, while latency is the actual time it takes for your input to travel to the server and back. They’re connected, but not quite the same thing.
What is Lag?
Lag is the visible delay between a player’s action and the game’s response. It’s what you experience when you press a button, and something happens a second later. Or a minute later. (Or doesn’t happen at all).
Lag can be caused by a range of factors, which may include anything from a poor internet connection, to server issues, to hardware limitations or even game bugs. While lag is the symptom, it can be the result of high latency, poor ping, or inconsistent network speed, which leads to the next section.
What is Latency?
Latency refers to the time it takes for data to travel from your device to the game server and back. It’s measured in milliseconds (ms), and lower numbers are better. A latency of 20–50ms is excellent, 50–100ms is decent. Anything above 150ms can start to feel laggy.
Think of latency as the round-trip time your data takes to get to the game and return with a response.
High latency = slow response times.
What is Ping?
Ping is technically the measurement used to determine latency. It sends a test signal (or “ping”) to a server and records how long it takes to get a response.
In gaming, people often use “ping” and “latency” interchangeably. That’s understandable. After all, both refer to delay, and both are measured in milliseconds.
Here’s the main difference: ping is the test that checks your connection speed to the server, while latency is the result, or the actual time it takes for data to make that round trip.
So when gamers say they want “low ping,” what they really mean is low latency. Either way, the lower the number, the smoother your gameplay.
What is Jitter?
Jitter refers to the variation in latency over time. Even if your average ping is low, inconsistent timing between data packets can result in a choppy or unstable connection. In gaming, this might look like your character teleporting or your screen stuttering, even when your internet speed seems fine.
Jitter is especially noticeable in fast-paced games where real-time consistency is critical. Low jitter means your connection is steady and reliable. High jitter means your experience could be unpredictable, even if your latency is technically (or on average) low.
If you’re gaming on Wi-Fi, jitter can be caused by interference from other devices or networks. A wired connection usually helps reduce it.
Why does Lag, Latency and Ping matter for Gaming?
In fast-paced online games like first-person shooters, MOBAs, or battle royales, milliseconds can be the difference between winning and losing.
- High latency or ping means your actions are delayed
- Lag makes the game feel unresponsive or jittery
- You might miss crucial moments, like dodging attacks or timing abilities
- A slow or unstable internet connection
- Congestion on your network (especially if others are streaming or downloading)
- Physical distance from the game server
- Outdated hardware or Wi-Fi interference
How to Test Your Internet for Gaming
- A slow or unstable internet connection
- Congestion on your network (especially if others are streaming or downloading)
- Physical distance from the game server
- Outdated hardware or Wi-Fi interference
Before blaming the lag on your teammates (again), it helps to run an internet speed test to see where the problem really lies.
A good network speed for online gaming isn’t just about download speeds. You’ll also want to check your upload speed, latency, and jitter. These directly impact real-time gameplay.
There are plenty of free tools online that let you run an internet speed test. Just make sure you’re testing on the same device and network you’ll be gaming on, preferably over a wired connection.
PS: MyRepublic is the proud winner of the Ookla Speedtest Award as #1 Best Broadband in Asia. So if you’re looking for a solid benchmark for stable and low latency broadband, this might be a good place to start.
How to Improve Your Gaming Experience
- Use a wired Ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi
- Close other apps or downloads while gaming
- Choose game servers closer to your region
- Upgrade to a broadband plan optimised for gamers
- Enable custom network routing if your broadband provider supports it
Some ISPs offer custom routing paths that prioritise your traffic to reach game servers faster and more efficiently.
MyRepublic’s GAMER Broadband is designed to prioritise gaming traffic, reduce latency, and give you the smoothest experience possible, even in the most competitive matches.
Final Thoughts
Lag, ping, and latency might sound like jargon, but they all affect how smooth (or painful) your online gaming sessions are.
Now that you know what they mean, you’ll not only sound smarter in your squad chat, you’ll also know how to optimise your setup and connection for better gameplay.
Want to get serious about your game? Check out MyRepublic’s GAMER 3Gbps plan to level up your connection and say goodbye to lag for good.
