What Is Input Lag in Computer Monitors?

May 6, 2021

Have you heard of input lag? It’s a common problem from which many computer monitors suffer. With input lag, your computer may appear to be slow. In reality, though, the problem is attributed to your monitor and not your actual computer. For a better understanding of input lag, keep reading.

Overview of Input Lag

Also known as display lag, input lag is a phenomenon in which a computer monitor experiences a noticeable delay. In other words, computer monitors suffering from input lag don’t immediately display the appropriate images. You may click an icon using your mouse or enter a command using your keyboard, but your monitor won’t immediately display the appropriate images. Rather, it will experience a delay, which is known as input lag.

What Causes Input Lag

There are several possible causes of input lag. If you use a display resolution for your monitor that’s different than the source resolution, for instance, you may experience input lag. With two different resolutions, your monitor must convert the source resolution to the display resolution. This can take time, so you may notice a delay that’s synonymous with input lag.

Some monitors are also designed to minimize input lag, whereas others are not. If you have the wrong monitor, you may experience regular instances of input lag.

Tips to Prevent Input Lag

You can often prevent input lag by choosing a high-quality monitor. Choosing a monitor with a high frame rate, for example, is an easy way to prevent input lag. Frame rate is the frequency at which a monitor can change its image. It’s typically measured in frames per second (FPS). A 30-FPS monitor is capable of changing its image 30 times per second.

Monitors with a high frame rate are better protected against input lag than those with a low frame rate. A high frame rate means that a monitor can quickly change its image. As a result, it often eliminates problems like input lag.

Don’t forget to check your monitor’s settings as well. As previously mentioned, using a different display resolution than the source resolution can cause input lag. Using a “native” resolution setting will prevent this from happening. Native means the display resolution is the same as the source resolution.

Some monitors have a energy-efficient mode. While using this mode can conserve energy, it may contribute to input lag. If you experience input lag while using your monitor in energy-efficient mode, consider disabling this feature.

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