Live polling rate
Move in fast circles inside the box
Live
0 Hz
Peak 0Average 0Min 0
Stability over the last few seconds
Mouse Polling Rate Test
This mouse polling rate test measures how often your mouse reports its position. Swirl the cursor quickly inside the box for a few seconds. The gauge tracks the current report rate, the bands light up as you cross them, and the graph shows how steady the rate stays.
Detected rate
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Report interval --
Measure polling rate accurately
1. Move fast and keep moving
Slow movement produces fewer reports than the mouse can send. Circles at a brisk pace for five seconds reach the true peak.
2. Read peak, then average
Peak is the rate your mouse is set to. Average shows what it sustains; a big gap means instability.
3. Check the band
The highlighted band is the nearest standard rate. If it is below what your software claims, the setting did not apply.
A polling rate test built for high-rate mice
Counts coalesced events
Browsers bundle fast mouse reports into one event. This tester unpacks them, so 2000, 4000 and 8000 Hz mice are measured properly.
Live gauge and graph
See the rate move in real time and spot dips that a single average would hide.
Minimum reading
The lowest rate in the session tells you whether the mouse ever stutters.
Standard-rate detection
The tool snaps the peak to the nearest standard rate so you can confirm your driver setting at a glance.
Polling rate terms explained
- Polling rate
- How many times per second the mouse sends a report over USB or wireless. Measured in hertz.
- Report interval
- The gap between reports: 8 ms at 125 Hz, 1 ms at 1000 Hz, 0.125 ms at 8000 Hz.
- Coalesced events
- Several hardware reports merged into one browser event to save work. Reading them individually recovers the true rate.
- Jitter
- Variation in the report interval. A steady 1000 Hz feels better than one that swings between 500 and 1000.
Pick the right polling rate for your setup
| Rate | Interval | Good for | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 125 Hz | 8 ms | Office, browsing | Visible cursor stepping at speed |
| 500 Hz | 2 ms | General gaming | Minor lag on 144 Hz+ monitors |
| 1000 Hz | 1 ms | Competitive FPS | Slight CPU use |
| 4000–8000 Hz | 0.25–0.125 ms | Esports on 240 Hz+ | Needs strong CPU and game support |
Polling rate questions answered
My mouse is 1000 Hz but shows 125 Hz. Why?
Open the mouse software and confirm the setting applied. Then plug into a different USB port, charge the battery and disable power saving. Finally move faster; slow movement under-reports.
Can a browser really measure 8000 Hz?
Yes, with coalesced events. The number of reports is counted even though the browser only paints at your refresh rate.
Is a higher polling rate always better?
Up to 1000 Hz, clearly. Above that the gain is small and some games stutter with 8000 Hz on weaker CPUs.
Why does the rate fluctuate?
Wireless interference, USB hubs and background CPU load all cause dips. A steady line on the graph is what you want.
Fix low or unstable readings
Rate stuck at 125 Hz
The driver setting did not apply. Reinstall the mouse software, or use the on-mouse button cycle if it has one.
Rate halves at random
USB power saving. Disable selective suspend in the operating system power options and avoid unpowered hubs.
Wireless lower than wired
Interference. Move the receiver to a front port or extension cable, away from USB 3 devices and routers.
Readings capped around 250 Hz on a laptop
Battery saver throttles USB. Plug in and switch to a performance power plan.