Mouse Polling Rate Test
Move continuously for a few seconds — brief pauses lower the reading.
Polling rate is how many times per second your mouse reports its position to the computer, measured in hertz. A 1000Hz mouse reports every millisecond; a 125Hz mouse reports every eight milliseconds.
How to use this test
- Move your mouse continuously inside the pad above for at least five seconds.
- Keep moving without pausing — the measurement counts reports per second, so any pause pulls the figure down.
- Read the peak value rather than the live one; peak reflects your mouse's true capability.
- Compare the interval figure: roughly 1ms means 1000Hz, 2ms means 500Hz, 8ms means 125Hz.
What your results mean
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Peak near 1000Hz, interval near 1ms | A high-polling gaming mouse running at its full rate. |
| Peak near 500Hz or 250Hz | A mid setting. Many gaming mice ship below their maximum and need software or a button combination to raise it. |
| Peak near 125Hz, interval near 8ms | The standard USB default, normal for office mice and for gaming mice left unconfigured. |
| A number well below your mouse's rating | Either the rate is set lower in the mouse's software, or the browser is coalescing events — see below. |
Common problems and fixes
The reading is lower than your mouse's advertised rate
Check the mouse's own software or on-board setting first, since many ship at a lower default. Also try a different USB port: some hubs and front-panel ports cannot sustain the highest rates.
The reading fluctuates a lot
Move more steadily and for longer. Browsers may also batch pointer events under load, which lowers the count without your mouse changing behaviour.
A wireless mouse reads lower than wired
Common. Many wireless mice use a lower rate on battery to extend life, and some raise it only when a high-performance mode is enabled.
Very high rates cause stutter in games
Extremely high polling increases CPU interrupt load, and on some systems the cost exceeds the latency benefit. If 8000Hz feels worse than 1000Hz, trust that and lower it.
Why this matters
Polling rate sets the floor on how quickly your movement can possibly reach the game, and a mouse sold as high-polling frequently is not running that way out of the box. Checking takes ten seconds and either confirms your setup or reveals a setting worth changing. It is also the honest counterweight to marketing: past a point, higher polling costs CPU time for latency you cannot perceive.
Longer walkthrough: Mouse Polling Rate Test — full guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good mouse polling rate?
1000Hz is the common standard for gaming mice and is enough for almost everyone. 125Hz is the typical office default and is noticeably less smooth for fast movement. Rates above 1000Hz offer diminishing returns and increase CPU load.
Can a browser measure polling rate accurately?
It measures how often the browser receives pointer events, which closely tracks the hardware rate when the system is not busy. It is a good indicator rather than an instrument: browsers can coalesce events under load, which understates the true rate.
Why does my 1000Hz mouse read lower here?
Most often it is not actually set to 1000Hz — check the mouse's software or on-board profile. Otherwise, try another USB port, close demanding applications, and move the mouse continuously while measuring.
Does polling rate affect input lag?
Yes, but by small amounts. Moving from 125Hz to 1000Hz removes several milliseconds of worst-case delay, which is perceptible to many people. Moving from 1000Hz to 8000Hz removes a fraction of a millisecond, which is not.
Is a higher polling rate always better?
No. Very high rates generate far more interrupts, and on some systems this causes stutter that costs more than the latency saved. Test rather than assume, and if a higher setting feels worse, it is worse.
Does polling rate relate to DPI?
No, they are independent. DPI is how far the pointer moves per inch of physical movement — a sensitivity setting. Polling rate is how often position is reported — a timing setting. Neither can be derived from the other, which is why this test does not report DPI.
Sources: MDN — MouseEvent · MDN — Pointer events · MDN — performance.now()
Found an error on this page, or a result that does not match your hardware? Tell us and we will correct it.