TV game mode: what it does and why it cuts input lag
Your TV has a game mode and you're not sure it's worth the slightly different picture. For anything with timing in it, it usually is.
What game mode turns off
| Processing | What it does | Why it costs time |
|---|---|---|
| Motion smoothing ("TruMotion", "Motionflow", "Auto Motion Plus" and others) | Invents frames between the real ones | It needs the next real frame before it can draw the one in between, so everything waits |
| Noise reduction | Cleans grain and blocky compression | Compares several frames |
| Sharpening, dynamic contrast, upscaling extras | Makes the picture look crisper or brighter | Extra passes per frame |
| Some HDR and colour processing | Tone mapping per scene | Can analyse ahead |
Each is fine for films, where nobody notices the picture arriving a tenth of a second late. In a game, every frame of delay is added to your button press.
How much difference it makes
Typical rounded figures: a TV with its processing on adds roughly 50 to 150 ms, in game mode roughly 10 to 20 ms, a gaming monitor 1 to 5 ms. One frame at 60 fps is 16.7 ms, so leaving game mode off can put you three to eight frames behind. Try your own setup in the input lag calculator: for a console on a TV, game mode usually tops the "what would help most" list.
How to turn it on
- Picture mode or preset: choose Game. On some TVs it's a separate Game Mode switch under general or external device settings.
- Per input: many TVs remember picture settings per HDMI port, so set it on the port the console uses.
- ALLM / Auto Low Latency Mode: turn it on in the TV's HDMI settings (sometimes called Auto Game Mode or Instant Game Response) and allow it on the console. The TV then switches to game mode when a game starts and back for films.
- Input signal plus / enhanced HDMI: turn on for the console port if you want 4K 120 Hz or VRR. VRR also lowers lag compared with V-Sync.
Game mode is greyed out
- Some TVs only allow it on HDMI inputs, not on built-in apps.
- Some lock it while a specific HDR or Dolby Vision mode is active. Look for a "Game" version of that mode.
- A soundbar or receiver in between can stop ALLM from passing through. Plug the console straight into the TV, or check the receiver's pass-through settings.
- A device rename can help: some TVs switch to game mode when the input is labelled "Game console" or "PC".
Will it make the picture worse?
Slightly different, not usually worse for games. Without motion smoothing, panning looks more like the game intended. You can often turn some brightness or colour options back on inside game mode; the ones that cost frames are greyed out. Sound can drift out of sync on some setups after switching; if it does, check the soundbar's own lip-sync or game setting.
For why a few milliseconds here and there add up, the interactive Wirebook lesson on how a controller talks to a console has a "lag ladder" with all five pieces.
Related
TV says no signal on HDMI · PS5 / Xbox HDR settings · Tearing on PS5 or Xbox · VRR, G-Sync and FreeSync explained · 60 vs 120 vs 144 Hz · Controller lag: wired vs wireless vs Bluetooth · Polling rate 125 vs 1000 Hz · Good ping, jitter and packet loss for gaming
Questions
Does TV game mode really reduce input lag?
Yes. It skips the frame-by-frame processing that makes a TV hold each picture back. Lag typically drops from 50 to 150 ms to about 10 to 20 ms.
Why does the picture look worse in game mode?
Motion smoothing, noise reduction and dynamic contrast are off. The picture is closer to what the game sends, which can look less smooth or less punchy at first.
What is ALLM?
Auto Low Latency Mode. Over HDMI the console tells the TV a game is running, and the TV switches to game mode on its own and back again for films.
Should I use game mode for films?
No need. Lag doesn't matter when you're only watching, so use whichever picture mode you like.
Is a monitor better than a TV for lag?
Gaming monitors usually add only 1 to 5 ms, a TV in game mode about 10 to 20 ms. For most people, a TV in game mode is perfectly fine.
Published · updated .