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How to best manage input lag on Xbox Series X|S

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The best ways to lower input lag:

  • Always choose Game Mode on your TV (other modes can have more than 1/10 of a second of input lag)
  • If you’ve been having spikes of input lag that seem strange, switch to a wired controller
  • Microsoft optimized the official wireless controller for latency, but it can still be prone to interference
  • Choose Performance Mode over Quality Mode (30 FPS has double the input latency of 60 FPS)

I’ve had the Xbox Series X for about two years, and in that time it’s been mostly smooth sailing when it comes to input latency. There’s been a little weirdness at times (I’ll get to that below), but for the most part, responsiveness has come down to:

  • The display I’m using
  • The type of controller I’m using
  • The game I’m playing

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PC Gaming: is 60 Hz the same thing as 60 FPS?

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Getting right to the difference between refresh rates and frame rate…

60 Hz and 60 FPS (frames per second) are interrelated, but not the same thing. 60 Hz refers to the refresh rate of your display while 60 FPS is the number of frames per second rendered by your PC or console.

To put it another way, the frame rate determines how fluid any particular game is while the refresh rate of your monitor (or TV) will dictate how smooth a game will appear.

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Display essentials: do monitors affect fps?

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from hz to fps

Despite TV manufacturers catering to gamers, monitors largely remain a much better option in terms of faster response times. New TVs offer features like Auto Low Latency Mode and Variable Refresh Rate, but monitors have offered much better latency for over a decade.

While not important to all players, lower latency and higher fps means more fluid gameplay and a greater level of control. For those playing first-person shooters and fighting games, a better response time can mean a competitive advantage over those playing on laggy displays or lower specced machines.

Just how do monitors affect fps?

Technically, monitors only affect fps indirectly. They’re responsible for the visible frame rate that a player will see, and it’s the reason why those with powerful machines opt for 144Hz displays.

No matter the in game fps, a 60Hz display will only ever output 60 fps.

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Does PS5 have DisplayPort?

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One of the best aspects of the continuing evolution of consoles has been the methodical shift towards bringing PC like functionality.

From genres previously exclusive to the PC to added tools, systems like the PS5 show that we’re long past the days of being relegated to a slim subset of features.

A side effect of these blurred lines has been the increased usage of PC monitors to game on systems like the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Thankfully, this use case is as easy as ever and even more pronounced with added features to monitors such as HDR, high refresh rates, and increased resolutions.

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Is 4K gaming worth it without HDR?

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While the amount of households with a 4K TV has soared over the past few years, the process of upgrading is hardly cut and dry.

With technical jargon like Ultra HD, HDR, local dimming, and 10 bit color depth, it’s hard to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into, and whether or not the TV you’re about to buy is the right fit for your needs.

HDR, 4K’s partner in crime, makes things particularly puzzling for home theater setups – many TVs on the market lack HDR and those that do offer the new color standard often miss the mark.

If you’re someone just venturing into the land of higher fidelity, you might be wondering whether 4K, on its own, carries the same punch independent of all the developing TV tech.

Keep reading for a dive into what makes the jump in resolution worth it and whether it should be considered for gaming without HDR.

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