Do you ever feel like your games aren‘t responding properly to your controller? Like your inputs are somehow getting lost between your hands and the screen? Chances are you‘re dealing with input lag – one of the most frustrating issues for gamers.
But don‘t worry, in this comprehensive guide I‘ll arm you with all the knowledge you need to reduce input delay on your television. You‘ll be blown away by how much more responsive your games feel after a few quick tweaks!
Understanding What Causes Input Lag
Input lag refers to the delay between pressing a button on your controller and seeing the corresponding action happen on screen. This delay is typically measured in milliseconds (ms).
The higher the input lag, the more sluggish and unresponsive your games will feel as you play. Lower input lag means much tighter control.
Display Response Time
One factor is your TV‘s display panel response time – how quickly the individual pixels can change color. LCD panels struggle here, often having response times of 8-15ms. Newer OLED and QLED panels reach as low as 0.1ms, yielding much lower lag.
Display Processing
Modern TVs also apply lots of processing to the video signal before displaying it:
- Scaling: Converting lower resolutions to fit the screen.
- Noise reduction: Removing graininess from low-quality video sources.
- Motion smoothing: Interpolating extra frames for a fluid look.
These enhancements add to the input delay – especially motion smoothing which can add over 80ms of lag on its own!
Game Settings
Using the wrong settings is another key input lag culprit. Most TVs toggle extra processing features on by default, but these can be disabled for gaming.
Connecting your console through an AV receiver also piles on extra lag. Connect directly to your TV instead.
Resolution/Frame Rate
Pushing high resolutions like 4K/1440p and high frame rates forces your TV to work extra hard to process the video signal.
Lower resolutions like 1080p will yield much lower input lag, especially at 60 FPS or lower.
Effective Tips to Reduce Input Lag
Armed with an understanding of what causes lag, here are tips to reduce input delay for a more responsive gaming experience:
Enable Game Mode
Game Mode is your #1 solution for reducing input lag on modern TVs. This dedicated setting streamlines processing to focus on fast response times. For example, it will disable motion smoothing interpolation.
You‘ll typically find the Game Mode option buried in your TV‘s Picture settings menu. Turn it on to slash input delay by up to 50ms.
Disable Post-Processing Effects
For even lower lag, you can manually turn off specific processing effects:
- Noise Reduction
- Motion Interpolation
- Auto Contrast Enhancement
Keep your TV‘s picture settings basic with minimal processing enabled.
Lower In-Game Resolution
If possible, lower your console‘s resolution output to 1080p or 1440p. This allows your TV to process the video signal faster before displaying it.
Higher resolutions like 4K/1440p force TVs to work harder, creating extra input lag. The difference can be anywhere from 10-30ms.
Use a Gaming Monitor
Dedicated gaming monitors offer huge input lag advantages over mainstream TVs:
- Very fast response times of 1ms.
- Higher refresh rates up to 360Hz.
- Features like DyAc/MPRT to sharpen motion.
- Solid lag even at 4K resolutions.
Large high-end gaming monitors still cost a premium, but deliver the absolute lowest lag if competitive play matters.
Go Wired
For consoles, a wired gamepad eliminates the minor lag of wireless transmission for instant controls.
Direct HDMI Connection
Using an AV receiver introduces extra input lag. For the most responsive setup, plug your consoles directly into your TV‘s HDMI port.
Stop Worrying About These Minor Factors
When troubleshooting lag, don‘t waste time on:
HDMI Cables
Despite myths about "slow" HDMI cables, even cheap HDMI cables have negligible impact on input lag.
An Amazon Basics HDMI 2.1 cable performs just as well as a $100 "premium" model. Focus on HDMI 2.1 cables only if you need higher bandwidth for 4K/120Hz gaming.
Wireless Controllers
Modern wireless gamepads using Bluetooth or Xbox Wireless add less than 10ms of input delay – an imperceptible amount.
Unless you game competitively, wireless gamepads pose no noticeable disadvantage compared to wired.
Ideal Input Lag Goals for Gaming
For optimum responsiveness, aim for:
- Competitive gaming: Less than 20ms total input lag
- Casual gaming: Less than 50ms input lag
Going below 10-15ms typically requires expensive 360Hz+ gaming monitors. For most gamers, staying under 30ms will still feel responsive.
Best Low Lag Gaming TVs
| TV Model | Input Lag |
| LG C2 OLED | 5ms @ 4K/120Hz |
| Samsung QN90B QLED | 9ms @ 4K/120Hz |
| Sony X90K LED | 14ms @ 4K/120Hz |
| Hisense U7H ULED | 15ms @ 4K/120Hz |
Newer OLED and QLED TVs perform best thanks to lightning fast response times under 10ms. Always check input lag measurements for your exact resolution and frame rate.
Best Gaming Monitors for Competitive Play
| Monitor Model | Input Lag |
| ASUS VG259QM | 2ms @ 280Hz |
| Acer Nitro XV252QF | 3ms @ 390Hz |
| LG 27GN950-B | 5ms @ 4K/144Hz |
| ViewSonic Elite XG320U | 3ms @ 4K/144Hz |
High-end monitors with 360Hz and 480Hz refresh rates drop input lag to imperceptible levels under 5ms. Esports pros demand these lightning reflexes!
Fixing Input Delay: Final Tips
Congrats, you now know exactly how to troubleshoot and reduce input lag for smoother gaming. To recap:
- Enable Game Mode and disable supplemental processing.
- Lower in-game resolution/graphics settings if needed.
- Use monitors for competitive play, TVs for casual gaming.
- Focus on response time, refresh rates, and input lag measurements.
With the right display tweaks and settings, you‘ll be blown away by how much more responsive your favorite games feel. No more lag holding you back!
