Xfinity's New Ultra Low-Lag Internet Could Be Big For Gamers. Here's Why
Xfinity Internet is available to more than 63 million homes nationwide. A spokesperson from Xfinity tells CNET that working latency was reduced by 78% after trials on this new technology.
Xfinity's launching of a new open standard technology means that it will be for public use, but it may take some time before it's fully integrated and available across the country. According to a company press release, this new technology will significantly lower users' latency, which will be optimal for a smoother online and gaming experience.
In most markets, Xfinity users can expect maximum download speeds of 1,000 or 1,200 megabits per second, which is plenty for the average American household. But speeds aren't everything.
'Modern applications are real-time and interactive and require more than just fast speeds. Xfinity Internet's lower lag times will be a differentiator for Comcast,' Emily Waldorf, senior vice president of consumer products for Comcast Connectivity and Platforms, writes in a company press release.
As you've heard from CNET time and time again, fiber internet is generally our top pick due to its fast, symmetrical speeds and overall value for your service. But Xfinity's cable internet also features solid speeds and a wide variety of plan selections. This launch of its low-latency technology could significantly enhance its cable internet service. According to the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission, Xfinity's cable internet offerings are available to over 34% of the country, so this impacts approximately one in every three households. But why is Xfinity's new working latency so important in the first place?
This is not to be confused with traditional or 'idle latency,' which measures how fast data is transferred from one point to another on the network. Working latency measures a connection's actual lag or delay under normal circumstances. For example, working latency is the delay you may experience while using multiple applications simultaneously. In other words, this technology could benefit videoconferencing, online gaming and virtual reality.
The higher the latency, the more lag gamers can experience throughout a game. If you're playing a game with high stakes, your latency can make or break your gaming experience. According to a recent report from Liquid Web, over a thousand gamers were surveyed on the effects of latency and 95% complained about experiencing latency issues while gaming. These gamers were reported to play games on PC, Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo.
Here are some of the key findings from that report that provide a better picture of how important latency is:
78% of gamers rage quit due to latency issues while gaming, with Xbox gamers the most likely to do so at 85%.
58% of Call of Duty gamers are most likely to rage quit due to latency issues, followed by Fortnite at 43% and Counter-Strike 2 at 42%.
16% of gamers report that latency issues lead to lingering frustration or anger outside of gaming, lasting for an average of 19 minutes afterward.
It's safe to say that a low latency can benefit many gamers, ensuring less frustration and a better overall gaming experience.
Apple: Your FaceTime calls will be better supported on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro.
Meta's mixed reality headsets: A lower latency could enhance your immersion experience for mixed reality headsets like Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S.
Cloud-based gaming: Low latency will best serve cloud-based gaming platforms like Nvidia's GeForce Now, allowing you to stream games on many devices.
Valve's Steam games: A lag-free gaming experience is preferable for avid gamers. This means you don't have to pause your game for Half-Life: Alyx or Portal 2.
This new technology will be available for different Xfinity gateway router models, such as the XB6, XB7 and XB8. But it won't be rolled out to all Xfinity cities immediately. Once this software has been fully integrated, all other modems will be equipped with this technology down the road.
Residents in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Philadelphia, Rockville, Maryland, and San Francisco will soon have access to this new software upgrade. Comcast writes in a company press release that they plan on 'deploying [this technology] in more locations across the country rapidly over the next few months.'
This is a new software upgrade available to Xfinity home internet users. This technology significantly lowers network latency and can improve the quality of gaming, streaming and even FaceTime calls. According to Xfinity, this technology can benefit Apple, Meta, Nvidia and Valve Steam users the most.
Xfinity's new Ultra Low-lag technology deals with working latency, which measures a connection's actual lag or delay under normal circumstances. For instance, working latency can show up as the delay between a user's action and the results on a system. On the other hand, traditional or "idle latency" measures how fast data is transferred from one point to another on the network.
At first, only a select few US cities will be able to access Xfinity's new software upgrade. Xfinity will deploy this technology first in these cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Philadelphia, Rockville, Maryland, and San Franciso.
Comcast writes in a press release that they plan on "deploying [this technology] in more locations across the country rapidly over the next few months."
Yes, Xfinity's new software upgrade will feature reduced latency. When gaming, you want to avoid a high latency; otherwise, you may experience excessive lag.
A spokesperson from Xfinity tells CNET that working latency was reduced by 78% after conducting trials on this software. Overall, CNET recommends gamers to aim for a latency of 50 milliseconds or below to avoid lag while gaming.
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