Input delay, Input Lag, Heavy Gameplay, One-sided delay, Desync, Players on Mud, Inconsistent Gameplay, Gameplay Variation, and so on, are all terms the community uses to try to tell EA's that the game is somehow broken, despite almost 2 billion in revenue that we, players, generate.

Last year I measured in a similar way, but for offline mode only (squad battles), and this year's game first pitch note was basically all about it (kinda). I happily bought the new game, to find out the issue is still present.

This time around I want to measure input delay, in milliseconds, of an online match segment. Let's start with all context about the match, connection, hardware, and capture method.

Match

• DateTime (of footage): 2025-11-01 11:47 (GMT)
• Gamemode: Champions
• EA Account: Davigugu55
• Platform: PC (Steam)
• Patch: v1.1.2
• Location: Cuiabá-MT - Brazil

Connection

• On-Screen Ping measurement without issues
• SpeedTest: https://i.imgur.com/Ll0xEEF.png
• EA's Connection Report: https://i.imgur.com/QUXRGoL.png

Capture

• Capture Software: OBS 32.0.1
• OBS Source: Display Capture
• Capture Method: Automatic
• Recording Framerate: 120fps
• Controller Overlay Plugin: https://beta.gamepadviewer.com/

Editing

• Editing software: DaVinci Resolve 20.1 Build 20
• Timeline framerate: 60fps

Nvidia App Settings and related

• G-sync: ON (Windowed and Full-Screen)
• Low Latency Mode: Ultra
• Power Management Mode: Prefer Maximum Performance
• Vertical Sync: ON
• Frame Limiter: 122fps (RivaTuner)*

*Frame limiting in-game or on driver makes my game micro stutter, you can see it doesn't happen on my frametime graph in the footage.

PC Hardware and Peripherals

• CPU: Ryzen 5 5600X @ 4.00GHz
• Cooler: Cooler Master Masterair MA410P TUF Gaming - MAP-T4PN-AFNPC-R1
• RAM: Asgard RGB DDR4 Bragi 16GBx2 3600mhz CL14 (Timing 14-15-15-35) (tRC 85)
• Storage: 2TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD
• MOBO: TUF GAMING B550M-PLUS
• GPU: PNY RTX 3070 Ti UPRISING - VCG3071T8TFMPB
• PSU: Super Flower LEADEX III ARGB 850W - SF-850F14RG(BK)
• Mouse: Logitech G Pro X Superlight
• Keyboard: CoolerMaster Quick Fire TK
• Gamepad: GuliKit ES Pro (Wired)
• Monitor: Odyssey G40 240hz - LS25BG400ELXZD
• Windows 11 24H2 ReviOS
• Nvidia GeForce GameReady Driver 581.42
• DxDiag: https://pastebin.com/FZiaAFPT
• fcsetup.ini: https://pastebin.com/vQc5BNVn

Analyzing the footage

So from the info above, I'm limited by my editing software that only allows me a framerate of 60 frames per second. That will be our time measurement resolution. Each frame takes approximately 16.67ms at 60fps.

The footage is a simple 10 second gameplay, I'll be analyzing specifically a ground pass, from Antony (86), only.

I have placed some markers in key frames on the footage, so we can measure how long it takes between each register.

TC is read as HH : MM : SS : FF, where HH = hours / MM = minutes / SS = seconds / FF = frames

Button Press marker = 1st frame where input is ON Button Release marker = 1st frame where input is OFF Animation Start = 1st Frame where you can infer the player is reacting to the pass input (People can have different opinions on this one)

Markers and it's TC(timecode) are listed below:

Chronological ordering

Gamepad - 'A' Button Press
01:00:05:53

Game Local - 'A' Button Press
01:00:05:57

Gamepad - 'A' Button Release
01:00:05:58

Game Remote - 'A' Button Press
01:00:05:59

Game Local - 'A' Button Release
01:00:06:03

Game Remote - 'A' Button Release
01:00:06:05

Animation Start
01:00:06:07

Per Action Ordering

Gamepad - 'A' Button Press
01:00:05:53

Game Local - 'A' Button Press
01:00:05:57

Game Remote - 'A' Button Press
01:00:05:59

Gamepad - 'A' Button Release
01:00:05:58

Game Local - 'A' Button Release
01:00:06:03

Game Remote - 'A' Button Release
01:00:06:05

Results

With this we can get the results:

Gamepad to Game Local (Button Press):
4 frames = 66.68ms

Game Local to Game Remote (Button Press):
2 frames = 33.34ms

Gamepad to Game Remote (Button Press):
6 frames = 100.02ms

AND

Gamepad to Game Local (Button Release):
5 frames = 83.35ms

Game Local to Game Remote (Button Release):
2 frames = 33.34ms

Gamepad to Game Remote (Button Release):
7 frames = 116.69ms

For animation start, I'll keep it separated because of the position of the marker may be interpretative (I know I used the results in the title, we gotta call EA's Sports attention to the issue, sorry abt). I selected the frame first frame before I can see Antony's left right leg moving to do the pass. So TC:

Animation Start
01:00:06:07

Gamepad (Button Release) to Animation Start:
9 frames = 150.03ms

Game Local (Button Release) to Animation Start:
4 frames = 66.68ms

Game Remote (Button Release) to Animation Start:
2 frames = 33.34ms

Conclusion

The game input itself is broken, there is a huge input delay from the OS to the game, up to 80ms just for the game itself register the input.

Game Local to game server is within expected for a ping of 25-35ms.

There is a small delay between server confirming input and animation start on our screen as well, around 30ms (ping delay added twice maybe?).

Post-credits

As a side note, it is known that depending on your PC settings, and in-game graphic setting, driver settings, monitor refresh rate, gamepad input delay, time of the day, week day, weather, moon and mars position, and few other variables, may impact your gameplay experience.

I spent too many time debugging and finding my optimal settings for this game, there is no single solution, and there may be people with better game response times than me. This analysis is from a 'bad gameplay' with good connection match I had, and it oscillates at different day/times. I'm not justifying all this on why I lost the match 6x1, I just took it to record the issue and complete evolutions.

I'm not spending any more time debugging this issue nor playing in this conditions, it's destroying my mind. I believe the method I used above is valid, and a good start point for other members of the FC community to test their games. I'm uninstalling the game and not buying new releases, until EA at least mentions they found something and patched it.

Peace