Input Lag vs. Network Lag: Spotting the Difference

Local vs. Remote Delay

It's vital to distinguish between the two so you don't fix what isn't broken.

Input Lag (V-Sync, Mouse, GPU)

This is when you move your mouse, and the camera turns slightly later. It feels "heavy" or "floaty." caused by V-Sync being ON, low FPS, or slow monitor response time. This happens even in Single Player.

Network Lag (Ping, Jitter)

This is when you click, the gun fires instantly (client-side prediction), but the bullet hole appears on the wall half a second later. Or enemies teleport. This only happens in Multiplayer.

Check out our guide on Mouse Latency to fix your input lag.