A higher server tick rate is generally better for responsiveness because the server updates the game state more often, reducing the wait for the next simulation update. But higher is not automatically better: it requires more server processing and may use more bandwidth, and its benefit depends on the game’s design and ability to sustain the rate. There is no universally best tick rate.
What does server tick rate mean?
Tick rate is how many times per second an online game server runs its simulation and advances the authoritative game state. It is measured in hertz (Hz). Respawn’s EA developer article defines it as “the number of simulations that the server runs per second.”
| Server tick rate | Approximate time between ticks |
|---|---|
| 20 Hz | 50 ms |
| 60 Hz | 16.7 ms |
| 128 Hz | 7.8 ms |
These intervals are arithmetic conversions, not measurements of total input-to-screen delay. An input may wait for a server update, but network travel, server processing, client rendering, and display behavior also affect when the result appears.
Tick rate is not FPS, refresh rate, or ping
- Server tick rate is how often the server simulates the game.
- Client frame rate (FPS) is how often the player’s device renders frames.
- Display refresh rate is how often the monitor refreshes its image.
- Latency and jitter describe how long network messages take to arrive and how consistent that timing is.
These measurements interact, but one does not substitute for another. Riot’s VALORANT netcode explanation treats server buffering and client rendering as separate contributors to how movement is processed and shown.
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Why can a higher tick rate feel better?
With more frequent simulation updates, there is less time to wait for the next server tick. That can reduce tick-boundary waiting and buffering, making the server’s view of the game more current and potentially improving responsiveness in timing-sensitive situations. Riot says high tick-rate servers and client optimization help reduce buffering and let players see a fresher view of the world.
The shorter interval is only one part of the path from input to visible result. It does not mean a 60 Hz server guarantees that an action takes 16.7 ms, or that the whole game has lower latency by a fixed amount.
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What are the costs of a higher tick rate?
A server has less time to complete each simulation step as tick rate rises. Running more updates can also increase processing demands and bandwidth use. The size of those costs depends on what the game calculates and sends during each tick.
Apex Legends illustrates why the costs vary
Respawn explains that Apex saves and replicates a detailed world snapshot each tick. In its Apex-specific example, moving from 20 Hz to 60 Hz would triple bandwidth; the article gives an approximate beginning-of-game example of 60 kB/s at 20 Hz versus 180 kB/s at 60 Hz. Those figures describe Respawn’s scenario, not a general bandwidth rule for games.
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The same article calculates an illustrative worst-case processing delay of 75 ms at 20 Hz versus 41.67 ms at 60 Hz, assuming 50 ms round-trip ping, no other delays, and its stated timing model. This is a game-specific calculation, not a universal benchmark or a promise about what players will experience.
Why advertised rates are hard to compare
Two games can perform different amounts of simulation and replication work in each tick. Respawn cautions that many games do not compute full world states every tick, so comparing games using only figures such as 20 Hz and 30 Hz can be misleading. A higher number is meaningful only in context: what work it represents, how updates are delivered, and whether the server can maintain it under load.
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What else affects responsiveness?
- Server capacity and stability: A nominally high rate is less useful if the server cannot sustain it during real gameplay. Riot’s discussion of load testing and server performance underscores the role of capacity.
- Client frame rate and rendering: Higher FPS can affect how quickly the client displays changes, but it does not raise the server’s simulation rate.
- Network conditions: A high tick rate does not eliminate high ping, jitter, delayed packets, or packet loss. Those problems affect communication between client and server independently of the simulation frequency.
- Game design: A tactical shooter may value precise, timely updates differently from a slower or larger-scale game. Riot’s rationale for VALORANT reflects that game’s design goals, not a rule for every genre.
How should players judge a game’s tick rate?
Use the rate as one clue about server update frequency, not as a stand-alone verdict on online performance. When comparing two games or server configurations, consider the work performed per tick, update delivery, and measured end-to-end behavior under comparable network conditions. Server CPU headroom and bandwidth under representative load also matter; keep client FPS and rendering conditions consistent when trying to isolate server-side differences.
For players, a low tick rate can contribute to less responsive updates, but it does not by itself explain every delay or guarantee that a higher-rate game will feel better on a particular connection. A PC, monitor, mouse, router, or cable does not change the game server’s tick rate; those components can affect other parts of the experience, such as rendering or network conditions.
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