This mouse polling rate test measures how many times a second your mouse reports its movement to the computer. Move the mouse inside the pad and the page counts each report your browser receives, plots the rate on a live graph, and shows the average, the lowest stretch and how steady the rate stays. A row of common rates, from 125 Hz to 8000 Hz, shows which ones your mouse reaches. The pad also draws every report as a dot, so you can see the difference: at 125 Hz the dots sit far apart, at 1000 Hz they form a near solid line. It works with wired and wireless mice on Windows, Mac, Linux and ChromeOS, and reads the most detail in Chrome and Edge.
How to test your mouse polling rate
- Use Chrome or Edge on a computer if you can. Other browsers work, with limits the page explains as you go.
- Move the mouse in fast, wide circles inside the pad and keep moving for 5 seconds. A mouse sends a report only when it moves, so slow movement reads low.
- Watch the graph settle on a flat line. Short dips when you change direction are normal.
- Read Likely setting and the row of rates. The rate marked Your rate is the closest common setting.
- If you run out of room, press Lock pointer and sweep freely. Press Esc to release it.
- Press Copy results to keep the numbers.
What the results mean
| Readout | What it tells you | Normal result |
|---|---|---|
| Polling rate now | Reports in the last fifth of a second, scaled to a second | Close to your mouse's setting while you move |
| Average | All reports divided by the time you were moving | Within a few percent of the setting |
| Low | The slowest 5% of readings | Above 85% of the setting |
| Stability | Readings within 10% of the usual rate | 90% or more |
| Likely setting | The common rate your readings match | 125, 500, 1000 Hz or higher |
Each common rate has its own gap between reports. The gap is what the extra hertz buy you:
| Polling rate | Time between reports |
|---|---|
| 125 Hz | 8 ms |
| 250 Hz | 4 ms |
| 500 Hz | 2 ms |
| 1000 Hz | 1 ms |
| 2000 Hz | 0.5 ms |
| 4000 Hz | 0.25 ms |
| 8000 Hz | 0.125 ms |
The rate reads lower than the setting
When the test settles below the rate your mouse is set to, work through these in order:
- You are moving too slowly. Keep the mouse moving fast and continuously. A sensor that sees little movement sends fewer reports.
- The browser is the limit. If the readout at the top says One move per frame, the browser only passes on one report per screen frame and the reading stops at your refresh rate. Chrome and Edge show every report.
- A Bluetooth connection. Bluetooth mice usually report at about 125 Hz or less, whatever the mouse can do over its own receiver. Use the USB receiver or a cable for gaming.
- Power saving. Many wireless mice drop their rate when the battery is low or when a power saving mode is on in the mouse software.
- Rate set lower than you think. Open G HUB, Razer Synapse, SteelSeries GG, Corsair iCUE or the mouse's own app and check the polling rate or report rate setting.
The rate jumps around
A low Stability score and a jagged graph mean reports are arriving unevenly. You may feel it as small hitches in the cursor.
- Close heavy programs and browser tabs, then test again. A busy processor delays the reports.
- Plug the mouse or its receiver into a USB port on the computer itself, not a hub or a front panel port.
- Move a wireless receiver closer with a USB extension cable. USB 3 ports and devices next to a 2.4 GHz receiver can interfere with it.
- On Windows, open Device Manager, expand Universal Serial Bus controllers, open each USB Root Hub, and on the Power Management tab untick Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
- At 4000 or 8000 Hz, drop to 2000 or 1000 Hz. If the graph steadies, your computer cannot keep up with the higher rate.
If the cursor also lags or freezes in other apps, the guide for mouse lagging covers drivers and wireless problems.
Which polling rate should you use?
A higher rate cuts the wait between a movement and the report that carries it, from up to 8 ms at 125 Hz to under 1 ms at 1000 Hz. Past 1000 Hz the gains are a fraction of a millisecond, which shows mainly as smoother cursor motion on 240 Hz and faster screens. The costs are processor time, battery life on wireless mice and, in some older games, stutter. For most people 1000 Hz is the right setting. Check what your screen can show with the refresh rate test before paying for 8000 Hz.
What a browser polling rate test cannot measure
A web page never sees the USB link itself. It counts the movement reports the browser passes on, and some browsers group or drop them, so the result is a reliable floor rather than a lab reading. Timer rounding in some browsers means single gaps cannot be timed below a millisecond, though counting over time still gives the rate. Polling rate is also only one part of delay: the mouse latency test looks at what happens after a report arrives. To check the rest of the mouse, use the mouse tester for buttons and the mouse dpi checker for sensor accuracy.
Polling rate questions
What is a good polling rate for a mouse?
1000 Hz is the standard for gaming mice and works well on any screen. 125 Hz is normal for office and Bluetooth mice and is fine for everyday work. 4000 and 8000 Hz make the cursor smoother on 240 Hz and faster screens, at the cost of more processor load and, on wireless mice, shorter battery life.
Why does my 8000 Hz mouse show 1000 Hz?
Usually because the browser cannot hand the page that many reports. Check the rate in the mouse software, test again in Chrome or Edge, and move the mouse fast. If the software says 8000 Hz and games feel smooth, the mouse is fine and the reading here is a browser limit.
How do I check my polling rate on Windows?
Windows has no setting that shows it. Run this test, or open the mouse maker's app: G HUB calls it report rate, Razer Synapse and SteelSeries GG call it polling rate. Some mice without software have a small button underneath that switches between rates.
Does polling rate change DPI or sensitivity?
No. DPI decides how far the cursor moves for each inch of mouse movement, and polling rate decides how often the mouse tells the computer about it. Changing one does not change the other. To measure DPI, use the dpi analyzer.
Can I test a keyboard or controller polling rate here?
No, this pad measures pointer movement. Key presses and controller sticks arrive in different ways, so use the keyboard latency test for key timing and the controller latency test for gamepads.