What is my mouse polling rate?
Polling rate is how many times per second your mouse tells the computer where it is, measured in hertz. Move the mouse continuously over the test below for a few seconds and it will count the reports as they arrive.
Move your mouse quickly inside this box.
Current
0 Hz
Maximum
0 Hz
Events
0
Browsers cap mouse events at the display refresh rate in some cases, so treat this as an estimate.
This runs locally in your browser. No device data is uploaded.
What the numbers mean
125 Hz is a report every 8 milliseconds and is the default for ordinary office mice. 500 Hz is every 2 ms, 1000 Hz every millisecond. The rate sets the ceiling on how quickly a movement can reach the screen, which is why it is quoted so heavily for gaming mice.
Moving from 125 Hz to 500 Hz removes latency most people can actually feel. Past 1000 Hz the returns shrink sharply, and very high rates measurably raise CPU usage. It matters most when paired with a high refresh rate display.
If the reading is lower than expected
The browser can only count the movement events it receives, and several layers below it can reduce that number: the operating system coalescing events, a busy page, a low display refresh rate, or power saving on a laptop. Treat a slightly low reading as normal.
A dramatically low reading is worth chasing. Check the rate in your vendor software, try a different USB port — ideally a rear port straight into the motherboard rather than a hub — and for a wireless mouse, compare its dongle against Bluetooth, which is usually much slower.
Keep the mouse moving steadily while measuring. The test can only count reports while the mouse is actually in motion, so a stationary mouse produces a meaningless number.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a higher polling rate always better?
- Up to a point. The jump from 125 to 500 Hz is worth having; beyond 1000 Hz the difference is far smaller than marketing suggests and costs CPU time. Pair it with a high refresh rate display or most of the benefit is invisible.
- Does polling rate affect DPI or sensitivity?
- No, they are separate. DPI is how far the cursor moves per inch of hand movement; polling rate is how often that movement is reported. A high DPI mouse at 125 Hz still feels laggy.
More about this test
The full mouse polling rate test page covers how the test works and what the common faults look like.
Open the Mouse Polling Rate Test →