Mouse Polling Rate Test
Measure your mouse reporting frequency in hertz, evaluate packet stability, and check for input jitter using your browser.
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How it works
This tool listens to browser pointer events, specifically pointerrawupdate when supported or pointermove otherwise, to track how frequently your mouse or trackpad reports position data to your computer. By capturing timestamps between consecutive movement events, the script calculates the current frequency in hertz, measures interval variance as jitter, and evaluates overall signal consistency.
Steps
1. Move your mouse or trackpad steadily inside the test area in wide, circular patterns. 2. Observe the live polling rate, average frequency, and stability metrics update on screen. 3. Stop moving to review your summary statistics and check for dropped packets or irregular spikes.
Controls
The interface displays current hertz, average hertz, maximum frequency, minimum frequency, and a jitter variance metric. Higher hertz numbers indicate more frequent reporting intervals, while low jitter reflects consistent timing between individual hardware reports.
Examples
A standard office mouse reporting steadily around 125 Hz will show consistent intervals near eight milliseconds. A gaming mouse configured for 1000 Hz will show clusters near one millisecond. Erratic jumps or large gaps between reports indicate inconsistent transmission or interference.
How to read your result
Interpreting your results involves looking at both the average frequency and the stability of the updates. This tool provides technical metrics for hardware evaluation only and does not constitute a performance diagnosis or clinical assessment.
Reference ranges
Common office mice frequently land around 125 Hz. Standard wireless and wired gaming peripherals often operate near 500 Hz or 1000 Hz. High-performance setups may reach 2000 Hz or higher. These reference ranges are rough observations, not medical, psychological, or clinical scales.
Tips
On desktop computers, plug your receiver into a direct USB port rather than a shared hub to minimize interference. On phones or tablets, steady your touch or external mouse input to avoid erratic reporting caused by surface tracking limits.
FAQ
What does this test actually measure?
It measures the frequency of browser pointer events in hertz and calculates interval jitter. It does not evaluate your cursor speed or screen refresh rate.
Why do two test runs differ?
Slight variations in hand movement speed, background CPU load, and wireless interference can alter packet timing between runs.
Can I run this on a phone or tablet?
Yes, mobile browsers support pointer events, though touchscreen polling rates differ significantly from dedicated desktop gaming mice.
Where are my test results stored?
All results stay strictly in your browser on this device. Nothing is collected or uploaded to any external server.
What do high and low results mean?
Higher hertz values reflect more frequent hardware reporting intervals. Results reflect technical data only and carry no health implications.
Privacy
All pointer interval, Hz, and jitter readings stay in your browser on this device; nothing is uploaded to any server.