Latency
The time it takes for a data packet to travel from your device to a server and back, measured in milliseconds.
What latency means
Latency is the time it takes for a piece of data to travel from your device to a server and back. It is measured in milliseconds (ms). The lower the latency, the faster your connection responds to your actions. Latency is often used interchangeably with ping, though technically ping is one method of measuring latency.
Every action you take online involves at least one round trip of data. When you click a link, your browser sends a request and waits for the server to respond. That waiting time is latency. On a 10 ms connection, the round trip is nearly instant. On a 200 ms connection, there is a noticeable delay before anything happens.
Latency is determined by the physical distance data must travel, the number of network hops between you and the server, and the quality of the infrastructure along the way. Fiber connections generally have lower latency than cable, which has lower latency than satellite. Related: ping and jitter.
Why latency matters for your connection
For activities that require constant back-and-forth communication, latency is often more important than raw download speed. Online gaming is a clear example: a gamer with 200 Mbps and 80 ms latency will have a worse experience than one with 50 Mbps and 15 ms latency. The same applies to video calls, live streaming, and any interactive web application.
Satellite internet is a good illustration of why latency matters. Geostationary satellites orbit at about 35,000 km altitude, and data must travel to the satellite and back. This creates latency of 500-600 ms, which makes real-time communication painful regardless of how high the download speed is.
Latency at a glance
| Latency | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 ms | Excellent | Competitive gaming, all real-time uses |
| 20-50 ms | Good | Casual gaming, HD video calls |
| 50-100 ms | Acceptable | Streaming, general browsing |
| 100-200 ms | Noticeable | Basic browsing, not gaming |
| Over 200 ms | Poor | Basic tasks only |
Common questions about latency
Not necessarily. Latency depends on the type of connection and the distance to the server, not just the speed tier you pay for. Fiber connections typically have lower latency than cable or DSL at the same speed. Upgrading within the same technology rarely changes latency much.
For competitive games, under 30 ms is ideal. Under 60 ms is acceptable for casual play. Above 100 ms, you will notice lag that affects gameplay. Anything above 150 ms makes fast-paced multiplayer games difficult to enjoy.
Use a wired Ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi. Connect to game servers in your region rather than distant ones. Avoid heavy background downloads during gaming sessions. If your ISP's infrastructure is the bottleneck, switching to a fiber provider, if available, can reduce latency significantly.
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