PC Input Latency: A Practical Checklist

Input responsiveness is affected by the entire path from your mouse or keyboard to the rendered frame. Start with the basics before using advanced tweaks.

Last reviewed: September 2026 · PCTweaker Editorial

Use the monitor's intended refresh rate

Confirm Windows is configured for the refresh rate your display supports. A high-refresh display cannot deliver its intended experience if Windows is running it at a lower rate.

Understand V-Sync and frame caps

V-Sync, frame caps and the rendering queue interact. The right combination depends on your display, GPU headroom and whether you prioritize latency, tearing control or consistency.

Check mouse polling

Use a polling rate supported reliably by your mouse and game. Extremely high polling settings can increase CPU work on some systems without producing a meaningful improvement.

Keep drivers official

Use official NVIDIA or AMD drivers and document driver changes when troubleshooting. Avoid unknown driver packages that promise instant latency reductions.

Measure consistently

Latency claims should be tested with the same hardware, game scene, display mode and FPS conditions. Subjective feel is useful feedback, but it should not be presented as a universal measurement.