Consistently losing games of NBA 2K20 because of lag and bad connection can put you off the series for life. While NBA 2K21should hopefully fix many bugs and issues the current title has, this isn't any solace to those who want to keep playing NBA 2K20 right up until the next game releases.
Even if you play NBA 2K20 on one of these fantastic gaming laptops that are perfect for the sports game, you still may encounter lag during your matches.
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Here's our top tips for how to stop lag from happening in NBA 2K20.
Check the system requirements
This one only applies to PC players, but if NBA 2K keeps lagging on your system, it may not have the right components to run the game. Here are the minimum requirements as put forward by 2K.
- OS: Windows 7 64-bit, Windows 8.1 64-bit or Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Intel® Core™ i3-530 @ 2.93 GHz / AMD FX 4100 @ 3.60 GHz or better
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 450 1GB / ATI® Radeon™ HD 7770 1GB or better
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 80 GB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX 9.0x compatible
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Lower your Graphics Settings
Even if your device passes the minimum requirements for NBA 2K20, it may struggle to run the game at the highest settings.
Consistent lag may be a result of your graphics setting being too high, and so adjusting them downwards could ease some of the issues.
If you go to NBA 2K'sVideo Settings, we'd recommend lowering all the Detail Level settings to low, setting the Overall Quality to low, and turning off both Reflections.
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Use a wired internet connection
If you play on PS4, Xbox, or have a pretty powerful PC, the chances are that your lag is caused by internet issues.
Ethernet cables use a direct connection to your router to ensure any connection issues stemming from the distance between your console and the router do not affect your internet stability.
If you don't have an ethernet cable on hand, even just moving your console or setup closer to your WiFi router should help to quash any stability issues that may cause lag spikes.
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Check the server connection
While 2K has been making NBA games since 1999, they still frequently suffer from server issues, especially after an influx of new players jumping into the action for free through PS Plus.
Unfortunately, this means that the lag is out of your control, and the only thing you can do is wait for 2K to address the issue.
To make sure this is the case, and it's not your shoddy internet, you can check the server status on the NBA 2K website. It will show the overall server status, as well as breaking down individual sections of the game.
If you want a more real-time, player-based server update, DownDetector will show you how many players have complained of connection issues across the past 24 hours, breaking it down by 5-minute intervals.
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