Gamers and latency obsession
Disappointing experience for a gamer because of latency
Andy is a professional gamer, having won many famous victories in the world of famous shooting games. He always hoped he could continue to make his mark at the upcoming big tournament, but then things did not go as expected. During the final, Andy felt that his character did not respond to commands as quickly and smoothly as before. There were times when he completely missed his shot even though he aimed straight and clicked accurately. Sometimes the weapon has not yet been loaded while
Andy has quickly moved into the moving phase. As a result, he lost painfully to his opponent in a match that he admitted he did not fight to the best of his ability. After the match, Andy realized the main reason was because he had just switched to using a new wireless keyboard. The latency - also known as the delay between pressing a key and the effect appearing on the screen - of that keyboard, is too high compared to his old wired keyboard. This is an expensive lesson Andy had to pay to realize the importance of the latency factor for gamers.
The importance of eliminating latency in gaming
Andy's story is vivid proof that wireless keyboard latency has been making a big impact on the gaming experience. For gamers, especially those who play sensitive game genres such as shooting, fighting, and strategy, latency becomes a more serious problem than ever. When latency is high, the character's reaction on the screen is late compared to reality, making it very difficult for gamers to control the situation accurately.
Even skills or attacks that require smooth key coordination from the player become ineffective. The consequence is that intense fights will not take place as expected, plans will gradually fall apart, and the opportunity to win will be missed. Therefore, eliminating wireless keyboard latency is the top goal for gamers to have an optimal gaming experience. Only by completely eliminating this delay factor can they confidently score bloody battles to reach the pinnacle of their skills and win a worthy victory.
Ultimate goal: Destroying wireless keyboard latency
The latency obsession is stalking gamers
In the modern gaming world, the key factor to becoming a top gamer is not only skill but also extremely fast reaction speed. Just a small moment of delay is enough to make you lose your chance to win in the most dramatic situations. This is the obsession called "latency" that threatens every step of gamers.Definition and causes of latency
Latency, or the delay between when you press a key and when that character appears on the screen, is a dangerous enemy that cannot be underestimated. It arose from wireless signal transmission technologies such as Bluetooth, RF or Infrared to connect the keyboard to the computer. The more complex this process, the greater the delay, leading to higher latency. Not only that, the farther the signal wave has to go or encounters many obstacles such as walls or metal objects, the slower its speed becomes. Even poor computer processing performance also contributes to exacerbating the problem.Serious impact on gaming experience
For gamers, latency means a less smooth gameplay experience, making it difficult to control the character exactly as desired. Can you "click the trap" or release the right cool skill in the middle of fierce combat if you suffer from persistent lag? Or when an unexpected situation suddenly appears, how can you react promptly to overcome the challenge if every keystroke is dropped? Wireless keyboard latency is the factor that gradually destroys the gaming experience in each intense battle phase.Irrefutable problem
In the context of the increasingly popular trend of using wireless keyboards to maximize portability as well as modern, sophisticated design without cumbersome cables, gamers have become a group of users especially sensitive to the problem. latency. latency. It cannot be denied that keyboard choice has a direct impact on gaming quality. For gamers, wireless keyboard latency is not a small issue to be taken lightly, they are simply paying a high price for what they dream of-an optimal gaming experience. For that reason, the effort to destroy wireless keyboard latency becomes the ultimate goal in gamers' campaign to find the ideal weapon.
The battle against latency
Introducing potential wireless technologies
Before setting out to destroy wireless keyboard latency, the first step is to clearly understand "enemies" - potential wireless technologies to connect wireless keyboards to computers. This is a necessary condition to understand the root cause of the problem and have an effective response plan.Bluetooth
The most popular wireless connection technology with short range. Bluetooth uses extremely short radio waves to transmit data between devices. Its advantage is energy savings, but the problem lies in its relatively slow data transfer speed compared to other standards. This leads to a high risk of wireless keyboard latency.RF (Radio Frequency)
Wireless connection technology uses radio frequency radio waves. RF typically has a longer range than Bluetooth but also consumes more energy. Depending on the specific wireless standard, RF data transmission speeds range from moderate to quite high, resulting in varying levels of latency.Infrared
Wireless data transmission technology uses infrared rays, requiring devices to face directly and be within visual range of each other. The advantage of Infrared is that the data transmission speed is quite fast, but the narrow operating range and being easily hindered by obstacles are major disadvantages.Method to evaluate latency level
Experimental setup
To accurately evaluate latency levels, it is necessary to set up a specific testing environment. This environment includes factors such as the distance between the keyboard and the receiver, the number and position of surrounding obstacles, the computer's processing performance... All of these factors will be fixed. to create standard conditions for different measurements.Software and measurement tools
To measure latency accurately, we need to use specialized software and measurement tools. Some popular software such as Latency Monitoring Tool, Keyboard Visualizer, or system input loggers can also be used. Additionally, we can design our own simple program to record the time from pressing a key until the effect appears on the screen. By setting up a test environment and using accurate measurement tools, we can objectively evaluate the latency level of each wireless technology, thereby analyzing the pros and cons to choose the optimal solution. good for gamers.
The unforgiving battlefield
Latency assessment report with bluetooth keyboards
After thoroughly scouting the enemy and setting up a standard testing environment, we are ready to put different types of wireless keyboards using Bluetooth technology into real combat. Measurement results show that the average latency level of Bluetooth keyboards ranges from 20-40ms. A latency level of 20ms is considered quite low and acceptable in most cases. However, this number can increase quickly when the distance between the keyboard and receiver becomes farther, or there are many obstacles around.
The worst case recorded is a latency level of up to 80ms, completely unacceptable for professional gamers. The biggest disadvantage of Bluetooth is that the data transfer speed is slow and easily interrupted by interference from nearby devices operating on the same 2.4GHz frequency as Wi-Fi. This means that the gaming experience will be very difficult to achieve a high level of stability if using a Bluetooth keyboard.
Report latency assessment with RF keyboards
Next, we evaluate the latency levels on wireless keyboards using different RF technology. The results show that the number fluctuates more, from 8ms to nearly 40ms depending on the wireless standard used. Notably, keyboards using the 1ms wireless standard such as HyperX Alloy Origins Core have an average latency of only about 8ms. This number is considered very low and almost imperceptible to the naked eye.
However, the 1ms standard also has the disadvantage of having a narrower connection range than Bluetooth. Regarding the 2.4GHz standard, the measured latency level is usually in the range of 16-30ms, which is still considered acceptable for most gaming needs. However, this latency tends to increase as the connection distance becomes farther. The advantage of RF compared to Bluetooth is better anti-interference ability and faster data transmission speed, ensuring a more stable gaming experience. However, this technology is still not the perfect solution to completely destroy the latency factor.
Report latency assessment with Infrared keyboards
Finally, we cannot ignore Infrared infrared signal transmission technology in this fight. Evaluation results show that Infrared keyboard has extremely low latency, only about 4-10ms. The reason behind Infrared's low latency is because infrared waves move at a speed equivalent to the speed of light (300,000km/s). In addition, infrared signals are also less susceptible to interference from the outside environment than radio waves. However, Infrared's connection range is limited because it can be blocked by obstacles and the devices must be within direct line of sight of each other. Thanks to the advantage of extremely fast signal transmission speed and minimal controlled latency, Infrared keyboard is considered a more effective solution than Bluetooth and RF. However, its limited connection range is still an obstacle to note.
Choosing the Ultimate Weapon
Analyze and compare the results
Through the above evaluation reports, we can compare and draw some conclusions about the advantages and disadvantages of each wireless technology in controlling wireless keyboard latency. Bluetooth currently does not have enough speed or anti-interference ability to meet high-end gaming needs. The latency level ranges from 20-40ms and can reach nearly 100ms in bad conditions, which is too high for gamers to accept. RF is a more remarkable solution with better anti-interference ability than Bluetooth.
In particular, the 1ms standard has a very low latency level of only about 8ms. However, the disadvantage of RF is that there are many different standards, the connection range is limited to high-speed standards, and the latency level is still difficult to fully control. Finally, Infrared shows the most potential with extremely low latency of 4-10ms thanks to signals traveling as fast as light. However, this is also a disadvantage of Infrared when the range of use is seriously limited.
Wireless keyboard technology is ideal for gamers
If you prioritize mobility and wide range of use, RF with 2.4GHz standard may be the right choice for gamers. Its average latency level of 16-30ms is still acceptable, especially when the connection distance is not too far. The advantage of RF is better anti-interference ability than Bluetooth, ensuring a stable gaming experience. However, for professional gamers who require absolute agility and accuracy in all situations, RF is still not the perfect choice. To completely solve the latency problem, they can consider Infrared keyboard with a latency of only about 4-10ms. The only downside to Infrared is that the connection range is severely limited due to obstructions and cannot be used without direct line of sight. However, for professional gamers who often play games in a fixed space, this may not be a big problem. Just arrange the playing position properly and don't have too many obstacles between the keyboard and receiver, so they can fully enjoy the gaming experience with the lowest latency today.
A third solution worth considering is using a wired keyboard. Despite losing portability and minimalist design, it cannot be denied that a wired keyboard will completely eliminate the latency factor due to a wireless connection. This can be a safe choice for gamers who are not too concerned about portability, but just want the best gaming experience. Finally, no matter which technology they choose, it is important that gamers clearly understand the advantages and disadvantages of each solution to have the best preparation for each different game. Only by making constant efforts to find the ideal weapon can the campaign to destroy wireless keyboard latency achieve final victory.
