Mouse Polling Rate Test
Move your mouse inside the arena to measure its real polling rate in Hz.
Click Start, then move your mouse continuously in fast circles inside this box for 10 seconds.
Rate over time
How it works
Your mouse reports its position at a fixed frequency — the polling rate. At 125Hz it reports every
8 milliseconds; at 1000Hz, every millisecond. This test timestamps every pointermove
event (including coalesced events that browsers batch together) during a 10-second capture and
computes both the average rate across the run and the peak rate over
a sliding 100ms window. The live chart plots the rate second by second so you can see it stabilize.
Common tiers: 125Hz is the office-mouse default, 500Hz the older gaming standard, 1000Hz the modern gaming sweet spot, and 2000–8000Hz the marketing frontier. Two honest caveats: browsers cap delivered events well below 8kHz, so ultra-high-rate mice will read lower here than their true hardware rate; and you must keep the mouse moving fast — a stationary mouse sends no reports at all, which drags the average down. Use the peak value as your best estimate.
Understanding polling rate (Hz)
Polling rate is how often your mouse reports its position to the computer, measured in hertz. 125 Hz means a report every 8 ms; 1000 Hz means every 1 ms. Higher rates feel smoother and shave a little input delay. Move the mouse fast and continuously inside the arena — slow movement generates fewer events and understates your rate.
Polling rate tiers
| Rate | Interval | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 125 Hz | 8 ms | Old default; noticeably less smooth |
| 500 Hz | 2 ms | Fine for most people |
| 1000 Hz | 1 ms | The gaming sweet spot |
| 2000–8000 Hz | ≤0.5 ms | Diminishing returns; browsers can't verify these |
Why your reading may look low
- Browser ceiling: browsers coalesce pointer events well below 8 kHz, so 4000/8000 Hz mice read lower here. Use this to verify the 125 / 500 / 1000 Hz tiers, not to prove a marketing number.
- Slow movement: few events are generated when the mouse barely moves — swing it fast during capture.
- Power saving: some laptops throttle USB polling on battery. Plug in for the true peak.
Do you need 1000 Hz?
For competitive gaming, 1000 Hz is the practical target and the jump from 125 Hz is genuinely noticeable. Beyond 1000 Hz the benefit shrinks quickly and demands a high-refresh monitor and spare CPU headroom to matter at all. For everyday use, 500 Hz is plenty.
How to change your mouse's polling rate
The polling rate is a device setting, not a Windows setting — you change it in one of three places depending on the mouse:
- Vendor software: Logitech G HUB, Razer Synapse, SteelSeries GG and similar utilities expose a polling-rate dropdown (125 / 250 / 500 / 1000 Hz). Set it, then re-run this test to confirm the change took effect.
- On-mouse buttons: many gaming mice have a dedicated rate switch on the underside, or a button combo (commonly holding a DPI button while plugging in). Check the model's manual.
- Fixed hardware: office mice are locked at 125 Hz with no setting to change — a low reading on one is the specification, not a fault.
Polling rate is not DPI
The two get conflated constantly. DPI (dots per inch) is sensitivity — how far the cursor moves per inch of mouse travel. Polling rate is how often position updates are sent, whatever the distance. A 16,000 DPI mouse at 125 Hz still feels laggy; an 800 DPI mouse at 1000 Hz feels immediate. If your cursor feels slow, change DPI; if it feels stuttery or delayed, that's polling — and this test tells you which side of the problem you're on.
Troubleshooting
› My 1000Hz mouse only shows ~125Hz
Move the mouse fast and continuously — slow movement produces fewer events. Also check the polling switch on the mouse and its driver software. Some browsers coalesce events on battery power.
› Can this measure 8000Hz mice?
Browsers cap delivered pointer events well below 8kHz, so readings for high-rate mice reflect the browser ceiling, not the hardware maximum. Use it to verify 125/500/1000Hz tiers.
Frequently asked questions
› What is polling rate?
How often your mouse reports its position, in Hz. 125Hz = every 8ms, 1000Hz = every 1ms. Higher rates feel smoother and reduce input delay.
› What polling rate do I need?
1000Hz is the sweet spot for gaming. 500Hz is fine for most people. Rates above 1000Hz offer diminishing returns and can’t be verified in a browser.
› Why is my result lower than the box says?
Browsers and operating systems can coalesce pointer events, and slow hand movement generates fewer reports. Move fast and continuously during the capture for an accurate peak.