Unexplainable input lag/delay issue - VALORANT/KVKS/AL/CS2

[Kal]

I have been in the optimization community for quite some time now, probably 2 to 3 years. I have pretty much tried every custom OS there is, stock and different versions, etc.

I got a custom PC around a year ago with a 9800X3D, ASUS TUF B650 (previously the Gigabyte B650 version, but the PCB phases were horrible and it would also freeze when searching in BIOS), be quiet! 850W Gold, Inno3D 5070, and 2x16 GB G.Skill CL36 6000 MHz (F6-6000J3636F16) Samsung B-die.

Before that, I played on a 144 Hz laptop with an i7-9750H and RTX 2060, 16 GB RAM, mostly competitive games like Valorant (Immortal elo) or CS2. It was not hitting consistent frametimes and it was overheating, etc. Even so, I could still pretty much carry every game and I was consistent.

Two weeks later, I switched to this custom PC and it felt like I was just behind, desynced, input lag, whatever you want to call it. It feels like I am not the one playing the game. I am not even performing close to what I used to be. I am legit just horrible now. It does not matter if it is the same elo or even two below, I cannot kill or react at all.

I thought it could be my network, but even in aim training like Kovaaks or Aimlabs, it does not feel like how it should. I have been at this for a year now trying to figure it out and it is just weird and exhausting. It does not feel instantaneous whenever I am clicking, even in Kovaaks or Aimlabs. Shooting on top of that feels off, as if I am a few ms behind what I am seeing or shooting. It feels smooth unless I am shooting or clicking, but also raw at the same time. It is hard to explain, but it is not something like a ping spike or anything obvious that would hold me back from playing at my peak. I am probably repeating myself by now.

I am just exhausted from spending close to a hundred hours on trial and error, research, and I am close to quitting competitive.

There are some Blur Busters forum posts that explain the issue in a similar way. Not entirely, but close. The site is also full of schizo people. I do believe some of them have actual issues and they come insanely close to what I am dealing with.

viewtopic.php?t=14768

viewtopic.php?t=14992

viewtopic.php?t=15104

viewtopic.php?t=12535

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viewtopic.php?t=14726#p116423

I have spent a lot of money as well, probably too much. I switched motherboards from the Gigabyte B650 Gaming Plus WiFi to the ASUS TUF B650 Plus WiFi. I played on powerline, and I even played on WiFi before. Back then it was mostly fine except for spikes, which are common and I lived with it. I also tested my PC connected directly to the router, but it made no difference in hit registration.

I have swapped monitors three times, from an ASUS 390 Hz IPS to a 360 Hz OLED and then to the XL2566K. I tried different mice. I am currently on the WL Beast X 4K, but I also have a Lamzu Mini, GPX 2, and a few others. It made no difference. I am also using a Wooting 60HE. I've swapped PSU once.

I have tried pretty much everything in the BIOS. CPU overclocking and undervolting, GPU OC and UV, different RAM settings, and I have disabled EXPO.

I am not looking for higher frames or another optimization because I have already gone through them twice. One was from https://framesynclabs.com
and the other from https://x.com/vootmoot
. I bought the highest package from FrameSyncLabs and the second from Voot, who is one of the most popular people in the Valorant community.

My frames are high and consistent. Everything looks good on paper, but it feels like I am playing through mud. I should have been performing way better at the level I was playing on, especially compared to the horrible setup I had before.

I'm now on stock windows (23h2), was previously on 24h2. CMOS reset BIOS as well.

[Asesino34]

And do you still have the laptop to test whether it still works well there?

[Kal]

And do you still have the laptop to test whether it still works well there?

No, I sadly broke it after testing out various liquid metal experiments.

[Asesino34]

And do you still have the laptop to test whether it still works well there?

No, I sadly broke it after testing out various liquid metal experiments.

I hadn’t paid much attention to the components either. Your previous PC had an Intel CPU, so maybe you should build a PC with Intel or buy a laptop to clear up whether this is something related to Ryzen or something related to the PC’s wiring.

The laptop thing makes me think. Many years ago, my friend brought his laptop to my house and we had two completely different gameplays in LoL, in the same match, and that laptop also had Intel.

You could borrow a laptop with Intel and play. That way, a semi-theory could be confirmed, and if you manage to do it, I’d start thinking it’s not only about the CPU itself, but also about the cables and the screws.

[J1mmyEgg]

I am just exhausted from spending close to a hundred hours on trial and error, research, and I am close to quitting competitive.

That's shitty to hear I can give some sugestions from a CS2 esports perspective. Personally I think consitent fps is better then high fps. After tweaking and testing a lot like you do, I always update or reinstall gpu drivers and after that reset DirectX Shader Cache and restart pc. First games could feel a bit off but restarting the game after loading in some maps should minimize micro stutters.

A thing you haven't said is midigating bufferbloat on your router that can be a big issue for connection feeling inconsistent. I hope this finds you well and don't forget it is about having fun and playing games

[ablemor]

The issue is processor-independent on my older i5 3470, the mouse was also floaty, and everything was bad.

[Hyote]

In terms of optimization services you picked the most meme-able people. I would not trust someone with optimizing my PC (or attempt to do it better than me) but LuSlower or Beyond Performance are the best you can find. Otherwise you mentioned nothing about trying to dive deeper in BIOS or Windows. All you mentioned is trying things back and forth and buying new equipment. Everyone else with the problem agrees that it's currently not fixable with anything but I say if you get your stuff right it's bearable.
Read the valleyofdoom and Calypto optimization guides, go to my GitHub page for AMD specific SCEWIN settings. If there is a need, I can send a PDF on AM4 and 5 overclocking guide if I find it.

[zENNy]

I want to start my story from the very beginning. I bought my first desktop PC in 2016. It had a GTX 1060 6GB, an i5-7400, a 240GB SSD, and a 144Hz monitor. In CS:GO, playing on the Faceit platform, I was around 1900–2000 ELO and getting 30–40 kills almost every match. I was literally getting bored of killing opponents because the games felt incredibly easy; people simply couldn’t react to me.

After 4–5 years, my computer started to struggle and I had no choice but to upgrade. I switched to a system with a Ryzen 9 5900X, RTX 3080, and a 240Hz monitor—and that’s exactly where the nightmare began. On the first day, almost everything felt perfect, but there were a few things that made me uncomfortable. Even on the desktop, I noticed that the mouse cursor was jittering and leaving a trail behind it. I thought it was probably because of 240Hz and didn’t think much of it.

The next day, I realized that everything had gotten even worse. I could no longer react to anyone, and I was averaging only 10–15 kills per match. I endured this pain for 4–5 years. Then, about 2–3 months ago, I upgraded again to a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, RTX 4060, and an MSI B850 Gaming Plus motherboard. On the first day, when I tested Valorant, I thought, “That’s it, this problem is finally solved,” because everything felt incredibly smooth and latency-free. The game felt like it was gliding.

But on the second day, the problem came back. The game feels like it’s about to be smooth, but it never fully is—as if I’m playing at 120Hz instead of 240Hz. There are occasional stutters, and a serious loss of mouse precision and consistency. At this point, I think I’m starting to give up, because there is no method or optimization I haven’t tried. I’ve tried everything, and I feel like I’m finally at the point of truly giving up.

Sorry for my English, I had to use a translation.

[Lev1n]

In terms of optimization services you picked the most meme-able people. I would not trust someone with optimizing my PC (or attempt to do it better than me) but LuSlower or Beyond Performance are the best you can find. Otherwise you mentioned nothing about trying to dive deeper in BIOS or Windows. All you mentioned is trying things back and forth and buying new equipment. Everyone else with the problem agrees that it's currently not fixable with anything but I say if you get your stuff right it's bearable.
Read the valleyofdoom and Calypto optimization guides, go to my GitHub page for AMD specific SCEWIN settings. If there is a need, I can send a PDF on AM4 and 5 overclocking guide if I find it.

what you think about ninfrag? Who optimised all the brazillian pros including fallen kscerato boltz etc.

[drosku]

is ur internet from ur isp put behind CGNAT? if yes everything u do wont help u at all try getting rid of it