Is 60 Ping Bad for Apex Legends in 2024?
The short answer is no—generally speaking, a ping of 60ms is absolutely playable for Apex Legends. While lower pings around 30ms or below are ideal for competitive play, casual gamers should have no major issues at 60 ping.
That said, let‘s do a deep dive on how ping impacts Apex Legends, what levels are considered good or bad, and how to optimize yours for the best experience…
How Ping Directly Impacts Gameplay
Before deciding if 60ms is "bad," it‘s important to understand exactly why ping matters in competitive multiplayer shooters like Apex Legends.
Ping Defined
Ping measures the time it takes for your actions to register with the server and appear to other players.
For example, when you pull the trigger to fire, that action gets sent to the server, processed, then sent back to all connected players—updating enemy positions, scoring hits, killing opponents, etc.
This round trip communication is your latency, measured in milliseconds (ms).
Lower Latency = Faster Reactions
So as a general rule, lower latency gives you faster reactions in game. At 30ms, your shots land almost instantly compared to 60ms or higher.
Pro gamers obsess over ping spikes of just 10-20ms! But how exactly does ping affect your experience?
Benefits of Lower Ping:
- Actions feel instant without perceived lag
- Precision shots and movement timing improves
- Gameplay feels smooth, natural and seamless
Downsides of Higher Ping:
- Delays between inputs and on-screen responses
- Failure to register hits due to desync
- Enemies appear to "warp" around
- Increase risk of disconnections
Competitively, the above makes it much harder to track targets and win engagements. Casually it leads to more frustrating deaths around corners!
So while 60 ping is generally playable, expect better results and less rage at sub 30ms levels.
Acceptable Ping Ranges for Quality Apex Gameplay
Based on extensive community testing and polling, here are the most commonly cited ping classifications:
| Ping (ms) | Classification | Competitive Viability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 30 | Exceptional | Ideal for Pro Play |
| 30 – 60 | Great | Ranked Viable |
| 60 – 100 | Average | Casually Viable |
| 100 – 170 | Mediocre | Less Consistent |
| 170+ | Unplayable | Not Viable |
As shown above, the 30-60ms range offers great, ranked viable gameplay. And even up to 100ms is considered average.
So at 60ms specifically, most casual players should have no major issues and can compete successfully. But for those pursuing predator rank or tournaments, sub 30ms is strongly advised when possible.
How to Drastically Reduce Your Ping
If you really want to optimize connectivity for Apex Legends, here are proven methods to reduce ping:
1. Use a Wired Internet Connection
WiFi is convenient but introduces interference and latency. Using ethernet cable removes this issue for lag free transmission.
Upgrading routers can also help WiFi connections avoid congestion.
2. Connect Through a Gaming VPN Service
A recent study showed gaming VPNs reduced ping by up to 58% by routing your traffic through optimized channels. Hotspots like ExpressVPN and Norton Secure VPN are worth checking out.
3. Port Forward Your Router
By manually assigning a port pathway for your system, you bypass connection delays for lower ping. Just google "[your router model] port forwarding" for step-by-steps.
4. Close Bandwidth-Hungry Apps
Simultaneously streaming music, videos, or downloads can congest your throughput – so pause them when gaming for max speed.
5. Upgrade Internet Speeds Below 25 Mbps
If rocking old DSL internet, even 60ms may be a stretch. Prioritize low latency connections from cable or fiber providers.
6. Update Network Adapters & Drivers
Outdated hardware/software can induce latency. Keep your network card, ethernet drivers, and OS up to date.
7. Game During Off-Peak Hours
Ping naturally drops when fewer users slam the servers (usually late nights and early mornings).
The Verdict: Is 60 Ping Bad for Apex Legends?
At the end of the day, 60ms is well within the "good" range for smooth Apex Legends play. Ping affects performance exponentially worse above 100ms.
So casual and average skill players will likely have no visible issues at 60 ping outside some occasional corner deaths.
However, for those pursuing elite ranks or professional status, upgrading hardware and optimizing for sub 30ms latency will provide a true competitive edge.
