22 inch LCD monitors: the 3rd wave! (page 2: Input lag in games)

Input lag in games

If you didn’t already know, almost all LCD monitors have a small delay in display. To measure this, we photograph a chronometer which is precise to 1/1000th of a second displayed in clone mode on our reference CRT and the LCD we are testing. We take 12 consecutive differences, eliminating the two extremes and then find the average delay. The most reactive model measured up until now is the 22 inch Iiyama ProLite E2201W, which had no delay on our 12 measurements. Normally, we find a delay between 10 and 30 ms on most screens.

For this test, we deactivate graphic card / screen synchronization to capture a more precise result instead a value that is rounded to the nearest image. For this reason, the resulting measurements are not dependent upon the fps value. An LCD functions at 60 Hz (even those that claim 75 Hz) and so 17 ms equals an average delay of a single image. In the same way, 33 ms equals 2 images. This may not seem like much, however, to an on-line gamer it could make a world of difference. For example, an adversary with an LCD or CRT will see his character two images before him. This can be compounded by the fact that the mouse can add another 1 to 8 ms (except very poor ones), and the graphic card adds a half image delay (at best and actually this can be 5 to 50 ms). More specifically in our research, we found that this can be a cumulative delay of 110 ms or 6.5 images. In this case, it is indeed noticeable and even bothersome for some gamers. For more details on this subject, see our article on LCDs images delayed compared to CRTs? Yes ! ..

TN 2 ms : Asus PG221

TN 5 ms : Belinea 2230 S1W

TN 2 ms : Iiyama ProLite E2201W

TN 2 ms : LG Flatron L226WTQ

TN 5 ms : Nec LCD225WXM

TN 2 ms : Samsung SyncMaster 2232BW

TN 5 ms : Samsung SyncMaster 225UW

TN 2 ms : Samsung SyncMaster 226CW

TN 5 ms : ViewSonic VX2255wmb
We can distinguish three categories of screens in this group:

delay of 0 ms: there are those monitors (which are unfortunately too rare) that have very little or no input lag. The best of all is the Iiyama. It’s even the first one to have no delay since we’ve started this test. The Samsung 226BW S series is part of this group even if its lag isn’t exactly zero.

16 ms : Nec et ViewSonic. These screens oscillate between delays of 0 to 2 images. On average, there will be a one image delay between the sound and what is displayed but this is something you shouldn’t notice.

more than 30 ms : Asus, Belinea, LG, Samsung (x3). These six monitors have an input lag of 2 to 3 images. Here, this is close to being a product defect especially for gamer screens. Why implant 2 ms panels if behind this there will be a 30 to 50 ms delay? Of course, this is not related and the two characteristics are independent. Either way, if they are trying to offer users good reactivity, adding a 2 to 3 image delay on the action in an FPS isn’t a good thing!

Note that for the 2232BW, we only carried out this test on the models with the Samsung panel as we did not have enough time with the CMO screen lent to us.