Topic: Does controller input latency actually affect performance in competitive games?

I've been thinking about how much input latency really matters when playing competitive games with a controller.

I've always been a wired controller player, but honestly, I feel like I'm being held back by the cable. Wireless is obviously more convenient, especially when you want to sit back and play without worrying about cables.

The only things holding me back are the potential input latency. Are wireless controllers actually good enough for competitive gaming?

It's an interesting question! My impression, not having done any input latency testing, is that most of the time, wired and wireless are more similar on console than you'd expect. I remember some results showing the PS4 controller had lower input latency wireless than wired, which was reversed for PS5.

Years ago I tested on my PC with a wired vs wireless mouse and could not find any difference personally, though it was more subjective, I was not using any specific equipment. The display is probably the biggest variable though, I suspect most non-"e-sports" displays have a bigger impact on latency than the controller, especially on TVs that do not go into game mode.

When it comes to competitive shooters though I would suspect that unless you are a top tier player it is unlikely to matter and you are probably seeing far bigger impact by using a controller rather than keyboard and mouse.