Stuttering visuals, disrupted connections, and delayed responses – these are what nightmares are made of for passionate gamers. These transform a thrilling victory into a frustrating defeat.
If you are a serious online gamer, you’d agree that online lag is the bane of your existence. When playing games at a competitive level, even the slightest delay between sending information from your device to the game server and receiving a response can wreak havoc. This delay manifests as delayed actions, sluggish gameplay, and a disconnect between your actions and what unfolds on the screen.
There are several factors contributing to lag, such as:
- High ping – Ping is the time it takes for a data packet to travel from your device to the game server and back again.If you are experiencing higher ping, it means the lag is unimaginable!
- Distance to server – The physical distance between the game server and you can impact ping. It would help if you connect to a server closer to your location. Then, the latency will be lowered.
- ISP throttling – Don’t think your ISP is your friend. ISPs have a bad reputation for throttling bandwidth for gaming and other activities. This causes connection slowdowns and lags.
- Network congestion – During peak hours, heavy network traffic leads to congestion. This hinders data flow and causes lag spikes.
Don’t feel disheartened. You don’t have to game braving lags and high ping times. Have you heard of VPNs? VPNs or virtual private networks like Surfshark are surprisingly effective in reducing lag and improving the overall gaming experience. Continue reading to know more.
How Can VPNs Potentially Reduce Lag During Gaming?
No, we’re not saying VPNs are a miracle solution or a guaranteed lag fix. However, they have the potential to address some issues that contribute to online game lag. And therefore, reduce lag.
Let’s look at how this happens.
Server location optimization
The primary reason people use VPNs is their vast server network. As a gamer, you can leverage this by connecting to servers in various locations.
So, you can choose a server that’s closer to your game server, which will reduce the physical distance. Hence, ping is improved, and lag is not a cause for concern.
Bypassing ISP throttling
Do you know how your ISP is throttling your bandwidth? They are doing so by tracking your Internet traffic. If they notice you are gaming or streaming online, they purposely throttle your bandwidth to reduce network congestion.
VPNs prevent this from happening because they encrypt your Internet traffic. Therefore, your ISP is unable to identify and throttle your gaming activity.
Mitigating network congestion
Some VPNs offer features that allow users to route their traffic through less congested channels. This helps in minimizing lag spikes caused by network overloads.
Protects from DDoS attacks
If you are an avid online gamer, you must be aware of DDoS (distributed denial of service). This is a cause of heavy lag and sometimes even disconnects players from the game.
Using a VPN, you can protect yourself from such tragedies because your IP address is masked to augment your online security. Essentially, VPNs keep you safe from snoopers and DDoS trying to target your connection.
Are There Any Drawbacks To Using A VPN For Gaming?
If only life was a bed of roses without thorns!
VPNs are an effective tool in reducing lag and improving the overall gaming experience, along with ensuring your identity is secure. However, there are some potential drawbacks you cannot ignore:
- Additional routing distance – When you connect to a VPN server, an extra layer of routing is added. Sometimes, this might increase latency. The workaround is to choose a reputed VPN service provider with an extensive server network.
- VPN encryption overhead – Encrypting and decrypting data may add a slight processing overhead. It may cause minor lag for some users.
How To Use A VPN For Gaming?
Using a VPN for gaming isn’t a tough nut to crack. Just follow these steps:
- Choose a VPN that is best for gaming, such as Surfshark, NordVPN, Express VPN, and so on. You can compare the different VPN providers on the basis of their server network, subscription plans, and security protocols. But you must never settle for a free VPN, as that does more harm than good.
- Download the VPN on your device and complete the installation process. When prompted, create an account and pay the subscription fee by choosing your preferred payment method.
- Go through the list of servers and connect to the one that’s closest to your game server.
- You are all set to enjoy a lag-free gaming experience!
Final Word
VPNs might not be a magic bullet for eliminating lags during gaming, but they are not less than that either. They are the most valuable and effective tool when it comes to improving your online gaming experience. Choose the right VPN provider with a vast server network, and you will enjoy smoother gameplay and enhanced security.
What are your thoughts on using a VPN for gaming? Have you tried it? Share your experience in the comments below.