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Troubleshooting

What's a Good Ping? (Gaming, Streaming & Video Calls)

Ping is measured in milliseconds (ms). Lower is always better — but what counts as 'good' depends on what you're doing.

Updated 2026

  1. 1

    What ping actually measures

    Ping is the round-trip time between your device and a server — how long it takes for a packet to leave your device, reach the server, and come back. Lower = more responsive.

  2. 2

    Ping for gaming

    Under 20ms = excellent. 20–50ms = good. 50–100ms = acceptable for casual games. Over 100ms = noticeable lag in shooters and fighting games.

  3. 3

    Ping for video calls

    Under 50ms = smooth call. 50–150ms = slight delay. Over 150ms = noticeable lag in conversation.

  4. 4

    Ping for streaming

    Ping barely matters for streaming — Netflix buffers ahead. What matters is sustained download speed, not latency.

  5. 5

    How to lower ping

    Use Ethernet, connect to a closer server, close background apps, and reboot the router. See the full guide on reducing ping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 100ms ping bad?
For most online games, 100ms is at the edge of playable — you'll notice the lag in fast-paced games. For browsing and streaming it makes no difference at all.
Why does ping spike suddenly?
Spikes are usually caused by another device using the connection, WiFi interference, or a brief routing issue. QoS on the router can prevent other devices from causing spikes during gaming.