Short answer: Low-latency cloud gaming means keeping the total delay between your input and the picture on screen low enough that a remote game feels local. The biggest factor is your round trip to the data center: under 30 ms is ideal and under 40 ms is a strong target for most games. After that, a steady frame rate, a native streaming client and a wired connection make the difference.
New to cloud gaming? Start with how a cloud PC works. This guide covers only latency: where it comes from, how much is acceptable and how to cut it.
Your latency budget: where each millisecond goes
| Stage | Typical delay | What controls it |
|---|---|---|
| Mouse, keyboard or controller | 1–8 ms | Polling rate; wired vs Bluetooth |
| Network round trip to the data center | 10–60+ ms | Distance to the region, ISP routing, Wi-Fi quality |
| Rendering each frame | ~4–17 ms (240–60 FPS) | GPU and CPU headroom, in-game settings |
| Video encode and decode | ~5–15 ms combined | Server encoder, your device's decoder, browser vs native client |
| Your display | 1–5 ms on a monitor; 10–20 ms on a TV in Game Mode, often 50 ms+ without it | Display type, Game Mode, refresh rate |
The network round trip is the largest and most variable stage. It's also the one you control most, through the region you choose and how you connect. These are typical ranges; your own mix will vary.
What ping do you need for cloud gaming?
| Round trip to the data center | How it feels | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 ms | Close to a local PC for most players | Everything, including competitive shooters |
| 30–40 ms | Responsive in nearly all games | Action, racing, sports and most online play |
| 40–60 ms | Playable; fast aiming can feel slightly delayed | RPGs, strategy, MMOs and single-player games |
| Over 60 ms | Noticeable input delay | Turn-based games; otherwise switch to a closer region |
The "ping" in most speed tests is round-trip time, so you can compare it directly with this table. Consistency matters as much as the average: jitter (variation in ping) and packet loss cause stutter even when average ping looks fine. Aim for a few milliseconds of jitter and no packet loss.
Browser vs Performance Mode on SensePC
| Browser session | Performance Mode | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in | A desktop browser (Chrome or Edge recommended) | The Amazon DCV native client on Windows, macOS or Linux |
| Maximum frame rate | Up to 60 FPS | Up to 220 FPS on supported Xtreme configurations |
| Network path | Standard web connection | Optimized UDP path when available |
| Best for | Quick sessions and slower games | Competitive and fast-paced games |
To switch, launch your PC in the browser, open the session panel on the right and select Performance Mode. Higher frame rates cut delay directly: at 120 FPS a new frame is ready about every 8 ms, versus about 17 ms at 60 FPS.
8 ways to reduce cloud gaming latency
- Build in the closest region. SensePC runs in New York, California, London and Berlin. Distance is the biggest single lever, and it matters more than a higher tier.
- Use Performance Mode for fast games. You get native input, the UDP path and up to 220 FPS on supported Xtreme setups.
- Go wired. Ethernet is steadier than Wi-Fi. If you must use Wi-Fi, use 5 GHz or Wi-Fi 6 near the router.
- Fix bufferbloat. Bufferbloat is ping that spikes when your connection is busy. Run a latency-under-load test. If ping jumps while something downloads, enable QoS or SQM on your router, or pause heavy traffic while you play.
- Hold a steady frame rate. Lower the settings that cause spikes (shadows, volumetrics, ray tracing) and cap FPS at a level the PC sustains. A steady frame rate feels better than a higher, uneven one.
- Choose the Fast stream preset in browser sessions. It trades some image quality for responsiveness. Use Visual for slower, cinematic games.
- Tune your display. On a TV, turn on Game Mode. Inside Windows on your SensePC, select the NVIDIA display and the highest refresh rate your setup supports.
- Use wired input. A wired mouse or controller avoids Bluetooth delay. On a Mac in Performance Mode, press Control + Shift + Fn + F8 to toggle Relative Mouse Position for mouse-look games.
How to check your latency
- Before you build: from the network you'll play on, run a speed test for ping and jitter, plus a bufferbloat test.
- During a session: in Performance Mode, the Amazon DCV client's streaming metrics show frame rate, network latency and bandwidth.
- By feel: in a game you know well, make fast camera turns. If the view trails your hand, try a closer region, Performance Mode or a lower resolution.
When cloud gaming isn't the right fit
- Your nearest SensePC region is more than about 60 ms away.
- Your connection drops packets or spikes under load, and you can't fix it.
- You compete at a level where every millisecond counts; a local PC with a high-refresh monitor has no network round trip at all.
- Your main game's anti-cheat blocks virtual machines.
Does a higher frame rate reduce cloud gaming latency?
Yes. At 120 FPS a new frame arrives about every 8 ms, instead of every 17 ms at 60 FPS. On SensePC, frame rates above 60 FPS require Performance Mode.
Related: 4 ways to play PC games in the cloud · Setup walkthrough · Data center locations
