#X11

The article presents precise measurements of input latency across Linux display servers and compositors, comparing X11, Wayland with and without VRR, and the DXVK translation layer. It reveals that native Wayland offers the lowest latency, while XWayland adds about 3ms of delay. This analysis provides concrete data for Linux gamers and desktop users to choose their display stack based on latency, and gives developers actionable insights to improve compositors and drivers. It addresses long-standing debates about Wayland vs X11 performance with empirical evidence. The measurements were conducted using a 500Hz display, which captures microsecond-level timing differences but may hide frame-boundary issues visible at lower refresh rates. The author also tested with DXVK-translated games and confirmed that VRR does not introduce noticeable additional latency.