Set NVIDIA Low Latency Mode to Ultra only when your GPU is pinned near 100% in a game that has no NVIDIA Reflex option. If the game does have Reflex, turn Reflex on in the game's video settings and leave the driver setting alone. In every other case, Off or On is fine. This guide explains what each value does, what the evidence says about the gains, where to find the setting today, and how to check that it helped you.
TL;DR
- Low Latency Mode shortens the render queue, the line of frames the CPU prepares before the GPU draws them. It does nothing for ping or monitor response time.
- NVIDIA recommends Reflex when a game offers it. Ultra is the next best option when it does not.
- It helps most when a game is GPU-bound at roughly 60 to 100 FPS. It helps little when the CPU is the limit.
- Ultra can cost a few frames per second when the GPU is fully loaded, so test it per game rather than setting it globally and forgetting it.
- Tempered shows live CPU, GPU, RAM and disk readings, so you can see which limit you hit before you change anything.
Table of Contents
- What Low Latency Mode actually does
- Off, On and Ultra compared
- How much latency does it save?
- When to use each setting
- What Reflex Boost adds
- Where to find the setting now
- How to test whether it helped you
- Other things that add input lag
- Perspective
- Clear the background load with Tempered
- FAQ
- Sources
What Low Latency Mode actually does
When you click, a chain of work starts. The game reads your input, the CPU prepares a frame, the driver queues it, and the GPU draws it. If the GPU is the slowest link, finished frames pile up in a queue waiting for it. Every frame in that queue is a frame of delay between your hand and the screen.
Low Latency Mode controls the length of that queue from the driver. NVIDIA's latency guide describes the driver's Ultra mode as reducing the render queue from the driver rather than from inside the game, which is why it works as a fallback when a title has no Reflex support.
It touches one link in the chain only. It does not change network ping, your mouse's polling rate or how fast your monitor changes pixels. If your delay comes from one of those, this setting will not fix it.
Off, On and Ultra compared
The three values differ in how many frames the game can line up ahead of the GPU. How-To Geek's explanation of the feature gives the clearest breakdown.
| Value | What happens to the render queue | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Off | The game queues one to three frames at a time, which favors maximum throughput | Single-player games, CPU-bound games, very high or very low frame rates |
| On | The queue is limited to one frame, the same as the old Max Pre-rendered Frames = 1 | A gentle step toward lower latency with little downside |
| Ultra | Each frame is submitted just in time for the GPU to pick it up, so no frame sits waiting | GPU-bound competitive games without Reflex |
Off is the default. NVIDIA says it leads to maximum render throughput, as How-To Geek notes. That is a reasonable default for most games, because a deeper queue smooths out frame time spikes.
On is the middle ground. Ultra delivers the biggest latency cut, but NVIDIA Review notes it can slightly lower peak frame rate when the GPU is fully loaded, while On has less impact. If you want a lower-risk change, start with On.
How much latency does it save?
NVIDIA's claim, relayed by How-To Geek, is that Ultra can cut latency by up to 33% compared with just using Maximum Pre-Rendered Frames. "Up to" matters here. The size of the gain depends on the game and on where your bottleneck is.
When the feature launched with Game Ready Driver 436.02, TechRadar reported NVIDIA's figures:
- Apex Legends: graphics latency fell from 29 to 30 ms with the mode on or off, to 19 ms with Ultra.
- The Division 2: latency fell from 49 ms and 33 ms to 22 ms.
Those are vendor numbers from 2019 in two specific games. Treat them as an illustration of the ceiling, not a promise for your PC.
The condition NVIDIA attaches is the useful part. TechRadar says the modes have the greatest impact when a game is GPU-bound rather than CPU-bound and runs between 60 and 100 frames per second. Outside that window the queue is usually short already, so there is little to remove.
When to use each setting
Use your situation, not a blanket rule.
Your game has a Reflex option
Turn Reflex on in the game and set the driver value to Off or leave it. NVIDIA states that Reflex operates independently of Ultra Low Latency Mode and overrides it if both are enabled. Running both gives no extra benefit, so keep your driver profile simple.
Reflex works from inside the game engine. NVIDIA's Reflex announcement explains that the SDK aligns the engine's work so it finishes just in time for rendering, which eliminates the GPU render queue and goes beyond driver-only techniques like Ultra.
Your game has no Reflex and the GPU is maxed
This is the case Ultra was built for. If you play a DirectX 11 title without Reflex and your GPU sits near full load, set Ultra for that program and compare. A PCCurrent comparison points out that the driver does not own the whole game pipeline, so it is a partial optimization next to a native Reflex integration. It is still the right tool when Reflex is not available.
Your game is CPU-bound, or the frame rate is very high or very low
Leave it Off. How-To Geek warns that if a game is CPU-bound, or your FPS is very high or very low, the setting will not help much. If you are not sure which limit you are hitting, our CPU and GPU bottleneck check walks through it.
Your game uses DirectX 12 or Vulkan
Support is narrower here. Ultra Low Latency Mode needs driver 436.02 or later for DirectX 11 games, and Windd.pro reports that DirectX 12 needs 551.23 or later, with frame queue management in DirectX 12 and Vulkan often controlled by the game itself. NVIDIA's release notes for 551.23 confirm that driver added Ultra Low Latency Mode support for DirectX 12 titles. In those games, the in-game Reflex option is usually the better lever.
Quick decision list
- Does the game have an NVIDIA Reflex setting? Enable it in the game, driver value Off.
- No Reflex, GPU near 100%, 60 to 100 FPS? Try Ultra for that game.
- No Reflex, GPU well below 100%? Leave it Off, because the CPU or the game is the limit.
- Not sure? Try On first, since it has the smallest downside.
What Reflex Boost adds
Reflex has an extra option called Boost. NVIDIA describes Low Latency Boost as overriding GPU power saving so clocks stay high when you are heavily CPU-bound. That trims latency slightly when the GPU is underused, at the cost of notably more power draw.
XDA Developers explains that Boost keeps the GPU out of low-clock states even in easy scenes, with higher power use and possibly more heat, and no overclocking beyond normal boost clocks. On a desktop that is a fair trade for a competitive shooter. On a laptop running on battery, plain Reflex On is usually the sensible pick.
In TechPowerUp's LDAT testing of Reflex, a GPU-bound Overwatch scenario at about 60 FPS dropped from 82.3 ms to 35 ms average system latency, with no measurable frame rate loss. A CPU-bound scenario saw roughly 20% lower latency with Reflex On plus Boost. Those are Reflex results, not driver-mode results, but they show why Reflex is the first choice when available.
Where to find the setting now
The path depends on which NVIDIA software you use.
In the NVIDIA app
Open the Graphics tab. You will see a list of programs on the left and driver settings on the right, including a Low Latency Mode row, as this walkthrough shows. Pick Global Settings or a single game, then change the value. A per-game profile is the better habit, because Ultra suits some titles and not others.
In NVIDIA Control Panel
Open Manage 3D Settings, choose Global Settings or Program Settings, find Low Latency Mode, select On or Ultra, and click Apply. That is the sequence How-To Geek lays out.
One thing to know: CGVista reports that NVIDIA ended development of the Control Panel starting with driver 610.47 on May 27, 2026. It can still be downloaded from the Microsoft Store, but it no longer gets new features or bug fixes. The NVIDIA app is where new settings will land.
How to test whether it helped you
A setting you cannot measure is a setting you are guessing about. A short routine takes ten minutes.
- Pick one game and one repeatable scene, such as a practice range or a replay.
- Watch GPU utilization while you play. Near 100% means GPU-bound. Well under it means the CPU or the game is limiting you.
- Play for a few minutes with Off, then On, then Ultra, changing one thing at a time. Note average FPS and the 1% lows.
- Judge by feel as well as numbers. If aiming feels tighter and FPS is steady, keep it. If frames drop or stutter appears, step back to On or Off.
If your frame rate falls with Ultra, that is the trade-off NVIDIA's own description of Off as the throughput setting implies. For a broader method, our guide on measuring driver FPS gains reproducibly applies the same discipline to any change.
Other things that add input lag
Low Latency Mode only trims the render queue. If the game still feels heavy, look at the rest of the chain:
- Low GPU usage: if the GPU is idle while FPS is poor, something else is the limit. See causes of low GPU usage in games.
- Display mode: exclusive fullscreen and windowed modes can behave differently. Our fullscreen versus windowed diagnostic shows how to pick.
- Overlays and background apps: chat and capture overlays take CPU time. Here is how to disable the Discord in-game overlay.
- Pointer lag: if only the cursor feels slow, read our Windows 11 mouse lag guide.
- A full routine: the five-minute input lag guide puts these checks in order.
Perspective
Most latency advice online is a list of switches to flip. Flip Ultra, flip Game Mode, kill everything in Task Manager. The problem is that the same switch helps one PC and does nothing, or slightly hurts, on the next.
That is why we built Tempered around measurement first. It reads live CPU, RAM, GPU, disk and uptime figures, finds the constraint that is actually holding your PC back, and proposes a specific change with a plain-language explanation and an expected outcome. Nothing is applied until you approve it, and every change sits in a log with a one-click Undo.
Low Latency Mode is a good example of the principle. Whether it matters depends on whether you are GPU-bound, whether the game has Reflex, and what else is running in the background. We would rather show you the evidence for your machine than hand you a universal rule. We also stay away from registry cleaning and invented problems, and we are anti-cheat safe for gamers.
The result we aim for is a PC that feels more responsive with changes you understand and can reverse.
Ian
Clear the background load with Tempered
Driver settings only help if the rest of your system is not fighting the game. Tempered checks your live hardware metrics, manages background processes, turns on Game Mode and customizes startup, all with approval before every change and an Undo for each one. It runs on Windows 10 and 11 and does not need an AI API key.
You can start on the Free plan, which includes limited AI scans. Torque starts at $5.99 per month and Torque Max at $12.99 per month, and you can compare them on the Tempered pricing page. For a closer look at what it does, visit Tempered, the AI PC optimizer. Our guide to Windows Game Mode explains what that switch does on its own.
FAQ
Should NVIDIA Low Latency Mode be on?
Only in the right situation. Turn it to Ultra if you play a GPU-bound game without Reflex at about 60 to 100 FPS. Otherwise the default Off is fine, and On is a safe light step. If a game has Reflex, use Reflex instead.
Is Ultra Low Latency better than On?
Ultra cuts latency more, because it submits each frame just in time for the GPU. NVIDIA Review notes it can slightly lower maximum frame rate under full GPU load, while On has less impact. Pick Ultra for competitive play, On for a gentler change.
Does Reflex replace Low Latency Mode?
For games that support it, yes. Reflex takes priority when both are enabled, per NVIDIA's guide. Wccftech's advice is to set the driver value to Off in Reflex games and experiment with Ultra in games without it.
Is low latency better for gaming?
It can be, when your bottleneck is the render queue. Competitive players in GPU-bound games get the most from it. It will not fix ping, a slow monitor or a CPU-limited game, so check your bottleneck first.
How do I enable Low Latency Mode?
In the NVIDIA app, open Graphics, choose a program or Global Settings, and change Low Latency Mode. In Control Panel, go to Manage 3D Settings, find the setting, choose On or Ultra and click Apply.
Sources
- How To Reduce Lag: A Guide To Better System Latency (NVIDIA)
- Introducing NVIDIA Reflex (NVIDIA)
- GeForce Game Ready Driver 551.23 (NVIDIA)
- How to Enable Ultra-Low Latency Mode for NVIDIA Graphics (How-To Geek)
- Nvidia's new ultra-low latency mode (TechRadar)
- NVIDIA Reflex Tested with LDAT v2 (TechPowerUp)
- What Nvidia's Reflex with Boost actually does (XDA Developers)
- NVIDIA Reflex vs Low Latency Mode (PCCurrent)
- NVIDIA App Ultimate Guide (Wccftech)
- NVIDIA NULL Explained (NVIDIA Review)
- NVIDIA Low Latency Mode Off vs On vs Ultra (Clip.dor.gg)
- NVIDIA Low Latency Mode: what should you set? (Windd.pro)
- Where Did NVIDIA Control Panel Go? (CGVista)