What Causes Video Game Lag?
- The first area to check when experiencing lag is the local network that you are connecting to, in order to ensure that it is operating at a speed that allows you to participate in online gaming. If you are running many different programs that are using up bandwidth and making demands against your network, such as running torrents, streaming a video on a second monitor or downloading a large file, pause the other processes until after you are done playing your game, and see if your speed improves.
- It is possible that the reason you are experiencing lag online has nothing to do with your own computer, but instead is a result of the servers you are connecting to for online play. A server that has too many players participating in online games hosted on it will result in the server becoming overtaxed and leading to the players on it suffering from lag. If you continue to experience lag on this server, try playing on one of the other servers available for your game that may have fewer players and as such less lag.
- If both the network and servers are operating effectively, or if you are playing offline, it is likely that the problems are a result of your computer being unable to handle the demands of the game. The first reason a computer might struggle to play a game is a graphics card or processor that provides insufficient processing power for the game. Purchase a memory upgrade or an upgraded graphics card to, at minimum, meet the base requirements listed for your game.
- Even if your computer is physically able to meet the minimum requirements of a video game as listed in the manual for the game, it is possible that your computer is struggling to keep up with the game. If you are running several other programs at the same time on a system that barely meets the base requirements for the game you are running, you may experience lag. Turn off any extra programs running that you don't need to be running until after you have completed your game.