I have been dealing with what feels like roughly half a second of delay in online games, especially CS2, even though my ping stays around 40 ms or lower and my FPS and on-screen performance look normal. For example, I may see myself peek at about 210 ms and fire after seeing an enemy at around 440 ms, but the server appears to register me peeking around 340 ms and shooting around 570 ms. When the round ends and all movement freezes, my character snaps back to where the server saw me roughly half a second earlier. I have replaced nearly every part of my computer, including the CPU, GPU, RAM, motherboards, storage, power supply, case, monitor, mouse, keyboard, cables, and electrical outlet. I have also reinstalled or reset the system and tested several different homes and internet connections, but the behavior remains the same. I use Windows 11 and normally connect through Ethernet. Cloud gaming feels responsive, which makes my physical PC setup seem like the likely source. What could cause this kind of consistent delay when ping, FPS, hardware, and internet connections appear normal?
1 Answer
It may still be worth checking the router configuration, even though your tests make a simple internet problem seem unlikely. Some routers' QoS or game-acceleration features can limit or prioritize traffic in unexpected ways. Try testing with QoS disabled, and compare IPv4 with IPv6 disabled. If you ever test over Wi-Fi, use a dedicated band instead of a combined network, but Ethernet is preferable for troubleshooting.
I have already tested the computer in another home with a completely different connection, and the same delay happened while the other person had no such issue. I always use Ethernet, so I am not convinced the connection itself is the cause, but I will still compare the router settings and make a video showing the behavior.