We’re now in Q2 2022 and we have a couple of games embracing system latency improvements with NVIDIA Reflex with the new Shadow Warrior 3 and Ready or Not. NVIDIA Reflex has come a long way since our first coverage of it back in 2020. We’ve since been covering some newer games that come up along with hardware. If you’re playing Valorant, Warzone or Apex Legends, and you’re on an NVIDIA GTX 900 or newer graphics card, chances are you probably didn’t even know you already have Reflex enabled.
But we can’t really talk about Reflex without talking about system latency. The article linked above plus my Reflex Latency Analyzer article goes over a lot of technical details regarding system latency. To make the comparison easier, a good thing to imagine is your internet connection: when you ping a server on the internet, the time it takes to answer back is the latency, network latency to be exact. Now in this journey of a single request, your ping has to travel from your PC, to the mode, the ISP, the another computer on the internet and finally to your server. Afterwards, it has to travel back to respond to you.
That same concept applies to system latency. The ping is the action and in gaming, all our inputs are the action. Whether its clicks, swipes or keypresses, those are all action. That action sends a signal to your PC which travels to your CPU and which your GPU has to render then output on the monitor. The time it takes for all that action to happen is called system latency. All of this happens in milliseconds. Even faster than the blink of an eye but this what the greatest moments in esports are made of. NVIDIA has put up a nice animation video to demonstrate system latency and how it works:
Esports has transcended social stigma and has become a huge part of bringing mainstream attention to gaming. Along with streaming, esports has created a large spectator market where gamers can become legends. Its hard to describe but that feeling when adrenaline is flowing thru your body during a clutch play is just intense but when the perception of time slows down for you, your system may not have the same response. Reducing system latency ensures that you get the fastest performance every single time.
But system latency isn’t just for esports. Any game can benefit from improved system latency. Whether it’s a first-person shooter or a MOBA or pretty much any genre, reduced system latency means a more responsive game.
NVIDIA Reflex helps in improving system latency by working with game developers into integrating Reflex directly into the game work in tandem with the GPU to provide better responsiveness by managing the render queue better. While its always nice to have a better GPU, sometimes having more frames getting into the render queue isn’t that great as its more work for the CPU. Reflex steps in and helps create a scenario where the game is much more responsive.
New Reflex Games to Look Forward To
There are now more than 50 games featuring NVIDIA Reflex from FPS games to third-person shooter and even action games like God of War. Joining these games is the 3rd installment to the Shadow Warrior series, Shadow Warrior 3. Shoot and slash your way thru your enemies with a wide array of guns and blades as you hunt down the dark beast and push apocalypse back again.
To compliment the fast paced gameplay of Shadow Warrior 3, developer Flying Wild Hog utilizes NVIDIA DLSS as well as Reflex to squeeze out all performance from NVIDIA powered systems even at 4k resolutions, driving up to 68% framerate improvement with DLSS and a 56% system latency reduction with NVIDIA Reflex.
Ready or Not is an early-access games that puts players in the boots of SWAT in modern America to uphold the law. This tactical shooter will have players performing lifelike SWAT operations to achieve their objectives in single player campaign, coop or PVP.
Featuring NVIDIA Reflex, Ready or Not guarantees more responsive gameplay, ensuring you have every advantage between taking down a hostage or being the next victim. Ready or Not is also equipped with NVIDIA DLSS for improved performance.
New Hardware for Reflex Ecosystem: Reflex Latency Analyzer Monitors and Mice
To get the most out of NVIDIA Reflex, a blend of hardware and software brings the best of the technology. For those really serious about the ultimate low latency experience, NVIDIA has partnered with monitor and mouse partners to bring the fastest and most responsive peripherals in the market. We’ve checked out some NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer monitors in the past and two more are joining them now with the Viewsonic Elite XG271QG and AGON AG254FG.
NVIDIA Reflex is a built-in tools in select G-SYNC monitors that allow the monitor to see actual system latency and report it to the user. This is key for getting the most out of any system or any game, Perhaps you’re playing Valorant and want the lowest possible system latency is the game. Using NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer can allow you to see the actual numbers while you tweak settings and perhaps overclock your GPU and CPU. Now that’s all and good but you have to repeat the process again for another game. NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer makes it easier to see the numbers at work and remove guess work. All while giving you the competitive edge.
Rounding out the system latency chain is where it all begins: the mouse. Gaming mice are the workhorse of any gaming PC and NVIDIA Reflex processes frames almost as you click. To get the best results in Reflex Latency Analyzer, you’ll need a NVIDIA Reflex-certified mice. The new Alienware AW320M and Roccat Kone XP joins the list along with our other favorite Reflex mice. You can still run with any of your mice, the Reflex system latency HUD will inform you that the result may be approximated or in some cases, your mouse latency is unknown.
You can check out a complete list of G-Sync Reflex Latency Analyzer monitors and gaming mice tested for NVIDIA Reflex at the link below:
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/technologies/reflex/supported-products/
Head on over to this guide to get started in using NVIDIA Reflex Analyzer and seeing first-hand the actual numbers behind system latency.
