Move the mouse fast in circles in this box
Polling rate, last 10 seconds
Move fast and without stopping for a few seconds. A slow or still mouse sends fewer reports, so the number drops when you slow down.
About the mouse polling rate test
The polling rate is how many times a second your mouse tells the computer where it is. It is measured in hertz (Hz): 125 Hz means 125 reports a second, 1000 Hz means 1000.
Move the mouse quickly in circles inside the box. The big number shows the rate right now. Under it you see the lowest, average and highest rate since you started, the time between two reports, and a graph of the last 10 seconds.
Everything is measured in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Features
- Live rate in Hz — updated ten times a second while the mouse moves
- Closest common rate — tells you if it matches 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 or 8000 Hz
- Lowest, average and highest — over your whole test, until you press Reset
- Time between reports — the same number in milliseconds
- 10-second graph — see the rate stay steady or drop when you slow down
- Honest source — shows which browser feature did the counting
- Works with wired and wireless mice — no software or driver needed
Polling rate and time between reports
The two numbers say the same thing in two ways:
| Polling rate | Time between reports | Typical mice |
|---|---|---|
| 125 Hz | 8 ms | many office mice |
| 250 Hz | 4 ms | some older or budget mice |
| 500 Hz | 2 ms | many gaming mice on a lower setting |
| 1000 Hz | 1 ms | most gaming mice |
| 2000 Hz | 0.5 ms | some newer gaming mice |
| 4000 Hz | 0.25 ms | high-end mice |
| 8000 Hz | 0.125 ms | the fastest mice today |
A higher rate means smoother movement on the screen and a little less delay. Going from 125 Hz to 1000 Hz cuts the wait between reports from 8 ms to 1 ms.
How the page measures
Every report the mouse sends gets a time stamp. The page looks at the last half second of steady movement, takes the median time between reports (the middle value, so one late report does not spoil it) and turns it into Hz. A pause of more than 50 ms starts a new measurement, because a still mouse sends nothing.
Browsers do not all pass on every report, so the page shows what it used in Measured with:
- raw updates — Chrome and Edge send one event per report. This gives the most exact number.
- coalesced events — browsers such as Firefox bundle the reports of one screen frame together; the page unpacks them. Some reports can still be missing.
- pointermove — some browsers give only one event per screen frame. Then the number shows your screen's refresh rate, not the mouse — the page warns you.
Be honest with the result: a browser can cap the rate. A mouse set to 1000 Hz or more may read lower in some browsers, and a reading never shows more than the browser received.
Why the number can read low
- You moved slowly or stopped. The mouse only reports when it moves. Fast, steady circles give the true rate.
- The browser. Use Chrome or Edge for the most exact result.
- Wireless power saving. Some wireless mice drop to a lower rate to save battery. Try with the cable, or wake the mouse up first.
- USB hubs and front ports. Try a port at the back of the computer.
- The setting itself. Many mice change rate with a button on the bottom or in their own app.
- A busy computer. Many open tabs or a game in the background can delay reports.
Frequently asked questions
What polling rate should my mouse use?
For office work, 125 Hz is fine. For games, 500 or 1000 Hz is the usual choice. Higher rates exist, but they make the mouse and the computer work harder, and a wireless mouse may use its battery faster.
Why is my result lower than my mouse setting?
Move faster and keep moving for a few seconds. If it is still low, try Chrome or Edge, a different USB port and the cable instead of wireless. Some browsers cannot pass on every report from a 1000 Hz+ mouse.
Why does the number jump around?
The mouse sends fewer reports when it slows down, for example at the turn of a circle. Look at the highest value and the closest common rate for your mouse's real setting.
Does it work on a phone or with a touchpad?
The test reads a mouse only. A touchpad is often read as a mouse and shows its own rate. A finger on a touch screen is not counted.
Is anything installed or sent?
No. The test is a normal web page. It reads the mouse movements the browser gives it and keeps nothing.
Related tools
- Mouse Test — every button, the scroll wheel and double clicks
- Double Click Test — catch a mouse that double-clicks by itself
- Refresh Rate Test — your screen's real Hz
- Click Speed Test — clicks per second
- Gamepad Tester — test a game controller
How to use it
- Move the mouse into the box
- Move it fast in circles without stopping for a few seconds
- Read the big number and the closest common rate
- Check Highest and the graph for the steady rate
- Press Reset to start again, for example after changing the mouse setting
