A lagging controller is the worst thing that can happen to you during your gaming sessions. PS4 is mainly used to play games professionally and a gamer knows what a lag means while playing the game even if its duration is around 2 to 3 seconds. PS4 controller input lag is very common now and many people are worried about it. The lag can happen due to a number of reasons.
A lag generally happens when you input some command into your DS4 controller, it will either completely fail to register it or it will register it with a delay of 2 to 3 seconds. In simple words, your controller will not be able to register these commands timely causing the lag that will eventually lead to lagging in your game and overall PS4 usage experience.
Now, there are some different kinds of lags on PS4 and you need to diagnose first what type of lag you are experiencing.
What exactly is PS4 Input lag?
An input lag happens between your PlayStation controller and the screen. You need to clear one thing about the input lag that it has nothing to do with your internet. There are different ways with which you can test if what you are experiencing right now is input lag or not.
- Play without the internet: You can test it by going to your favorite game’s main menu and choosing a game that does not have internet Now, use your controller to play the game, there should be no delay at all. If it works fine without the internet, you are having an input lag.
- Disconnect your PS4 from the internet: this method requires you to disconnect your PS4 completely from the internet. Now choose a game to play that is local. There should not be any lag between your controller and the screen.
Now, after trying both these methods, you need to be sure of the fact that what you were experiencing was online lag and not the input lag. On the other hand, if you did experience lag while testing with the help of these examples, you are definitely experiencing the input lag and we will share some fixes how you can clear out the input lag.
Tips to improve the PS4 Input lag issues:
There are a few tips to improve your input lag issues easily:
Check your environment:
The very first thing that you should check after you have confirmed that you are experiencing the input lag issue is to look for the environment where you have placed your PS4 and at how much distance you are from your device.
You need to make sure that PlayStation is in an open area and there is nothing in between that is blocking your way. In addition, the proximity between you and your PS4 also affects and contributes to the input lagging. The PS4 uses a Bluetooth signal to connect and communicate with the PS4 controller. When you are playing online games or even normal games, you need to make sure that there is nothing possible in-between that is blocking the PS4 signal. In case you are using a wireless PS4, you want to make sure that there is no boundary between your controller and PS4.
Communication Method:
The ideal thing to do is to plug your PS4 into the controller all the time. There is also an update available in the settings of your PlayStation that allows you to change the way your PS4 is communicating with your controller. You need to go to the menu setup for devices and change the signals from Bluetooth to wired USB. This is the most reliable way to reduce the input lag in your PS4 as normally all technical devices work better with a wired connection as compared to the wireless connection.
Note: It is unfortunate because the older PS4 cannot have this update. If you want to be able to use your PS4 controller as a USB controller instead of a Bluetooth controller, you will require a next-generation PS4; like Dualshock 4 CUH-ZCT2.
HDMI Cable
The next way to get rid of the PS4 input lag or the display lag is concerned with your HDMI cable. We already know that our PlayStation does connect with the monitor or TV with the help of an HDMI cable. There is a possibility of error in your HDMI cable and it is quite safe if you replace this cable with a possibly shorter and new cable in order to get rid of the display lag on your PS4.
It is highly recommended to choose the HDMI cable which is not too long and is of the right size; it must reach from your PS4 console to your Television and that should be it; nothing more and nothing less.
This is the easiest method and probably should be the very first one that you should try to eliminate the display or input lag from your PS4.
Lookout for your Controller
All technical things have a life and it ends eventually, sometimes it lasts longer than you would expect, and most of the time it ends before you imagined. However, in most cases, it really depends on how you have been using them. You need to check if your controller is fine or it has completed its life already.
If your controller has been thrown around, dropped, and worn out. It will not perform well. So, in case if your controller is old and dingy and needs a quick replacement, you should do it as soon as possible.
Device settings
If you are not very familiar with the TV or Monitor that you have been using, there is a high possibility that it requires some settings. Go to the settings of your TV and search for an option called ‘Game Mode’. Make sure that you switch over to that option on your device.
Lastly:
The controller lag can be due to hardware or software issues. Whichever the case is, it requires solutions for both of them. You need to determine first the lag you have been facing.
