How the polling rate test works
Move your mouse in fast, continuous circles over the test area. The mouse only sends a report when it moves, so stopping or moving slowly lowers the count. The test counts movement events and turns them into a frequency.
The source of the events depends on your browser:
- Chrome, Edge and Opera:
pointerrawupdate, raw events not grouped by frame. This is the most accurate. - Firefox:
pointermovewithgetCoalescedEvents(), which recovers the events grouped in each frame. - Other browsers:
pointermovealone. The result is then capped by your display refresh rate (60, 144 Hz…) and the test says “limited by display”.
The test shows the current rate (250 ms window), the average, the peak, the nearest standard step (125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 or 8000 Hz), the source used, and a live graph of the last 10 seconds. Pauses longer than 50 ms are not counted.
How to read the result
The verdict appears after 2 seconds of movement.
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| 500 Hz or more | Good. Fine for gaming. |
| 125 to 250 Hz | Office mouse or low setting. Raise it in the vendor software if possible. |
| Matches your screen’s refresh rate | The browser limits the measure. Try Chrome or Edge. |
Which polling rate to choose
| Rate | Time between reports |
|---|---|
| 125 Hz | 8 ms |
| 500 Hz | 2 ms |
| 1000 Hz | 1 ms |
| 4000 Hz | 0.25 ms |
| 8000 Hz | 0.125 ms |
More Hz means less delay between reports but more CPU load. 1000 Hz is the right balance. 2000 to 8000 Hz only pays off with a high refresh rate monitor and a powerful processor.
Limits of a browser test
- Timing precision: Firefox rounds timestamps to 1 ms, so above 1000 Hz the result is not reliable there. Chrome is precise to 0.1 ms.
- Very high rates: at 4000 and 8000 Hz the browser and CPU can drop events, so the test underestimates.
- Wireless mice in power saving mode may lower their rate.
- Your movement: slow or jerky motion lowers the result. Keep circling fast.
Next step
Once the report rate is right, check every button with the mouse test. To measure your sensor’s real sensitivity, use the DPI analyzer.
Frequently asked questions
What is mouse polling rate?
It is how many times per second the mouse reports its position to the computer. At 1000 Hz there is 1 ms between two reports, at 125 Hz there are 8 ms.
My 1000 Hz mouse shows 960 Hz. Is that normal?
Yes. A result between 940 and 990 Hz is normal for a 1000 Hz mouse. Small gaps in your movement and in the browser's timing always take a few reports away.
Why is my result stuck at 60 or 144 Hz?
Your browser only gives movement events once per screen frame, so the result matches your monitor's refresh rate. The test says "limited by display". Use Chrome or Edge, which expose raw events.
Is 8000 Hz better than 1000 Hz?
Only slightly, and only with a high refresh rate monitor and a strong CPU. Higher rates add CPU load. 1000 Hz is the right balance for most players.
How do I change my polling rate?
In the vendor software (G Hub, Synapse, iCUE and others) or with a button under the mouse on some models.
Updated October 26, 2026