125 Hz
Every 8 ms. Standard office mice and many Bluetooth mice.
Mouse Polling Rate Test
Move the mouse in fast circles and see how many reports per second actually reach the computer. Pick the rate your mouse is set to and the result tells you whether it is running at it — and what to change if it is not.
Updated · 3 sources
Use the mouse you want to measure, plugged in the way you normally use it. Close heavy tabs first — a busy browser drops reports at 2000 Hz and above.
1 · What is your mouse set to?
2 · Move the mouse in fast circles inside the box
—Hz now
Move continuously for 3–5 seconds. Stopping is fine — pauses are ignored.
- Typical
- —
- Nearest standard
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- Peak
- —
- Low (10%)
- —
- Stability
- —
- Reports
- 0
Method: detecting…Screen: measuring…
Short answer
Pick the rate your mouse is set to and move it in fast circles. The test counts how many reports per second reach the computer and says whether they match. It needs raw pointer events, which Chrome and Edge provide; browsers that group moves per frame show your monitor’s refresh rate instead. 1000 Hz is the gaming standard; 125 Hz is normal for office mice.
How to use it
- Pick your setting. Choose the rate set in your mouse software, or Not sure to just measure it.
- Move in fast circles. Keep moving inside the box for 3–5 seconds. Slow movement makes the mouse skip reports; pauses are ignored.
- Read typical, not peak. Typical is the median of 100 ms windows. Peak and low show the spread; stability is how many windows sat within 10% of typical.
- Check the method line. It shows whether the browser exposed raw reports. If it says pointermove only, the reading can be capped at your screen refresh rate.
What is polling rate on a mouse?
Polling rate is how many times per second the mouse reports its movement to the computer, in hertz. At 125 Hz it reports every 8 ms; at 1000 Hz every millisecond; at 8000 Hz every 0.125 ms. A higher rate means the cursor position is fresher when a frame is drawn.
Why most polling rate checkers get it wrong
Browsers do not deliver every mouse report as its own event. Chrome, for example, batches mouse moves and dispatches them once per screen frame, so a simple mouse rate checker that times mousemove measures your monitor — 60, 144 or 240 Hz — not your mouse.
This mouse polling rate checker reads the reports underneath:
- Raw pointer events (
pointerrawupdate) in Chrome and Edge, which are delivered as soon as each report arrives. - Coalesced events (
getCoalescedEvents()) where raw events are unavailable, which recover every report that was batched into one frame. - pointermove only as a last resort. The test also measures your screen refresh rate and warns you if the result matches it.
The method line under the stats shows which one your browser used.
How the result is calculated
This mouse Hz test groups reports into 100 ms windows of continuous movement; pauses longer than 40 ms start a new window, so stopping does not drag the number down. The typical rate is the median of those windows, which ignores the odd slow or bursty one. Stability is the share of windows within 10% of typical. Nearest standard snaps the result to 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 or 8000 Hz.
Mouse polling rate lower than the setting?
- Exactly one step lower (500 instead of 1000): the setting did not save. Set it again in the mouse software and save it to the onboard memory.
- 4000 or 8000 Hz reads low: use a USB port directly on the computer, not a hub, monitor or front-panel port. Close other tabs — at 8000 Hz the browser itself can fall behind. Some wireless mice need their dedicated high-rate receiver.
- Unsteady wireless: move the receiver closer with an extension cable and away from USB 3 drives and hubs, and turn off battery saving.
- Slow movement: a mouse only reports when it moves, so slow movement reads low. Use fast, wide circles.
How to change polling rate on a mouse
Polling rate is a setting stored in the mouse, not in Windows or macOS:
- Open the maker’s software — Logitech G HUB, Razer Synapse, SteelSeries GG, Corsair iCUE, or the brand’s web configurator. Look for Polling rate or Report rate.
- Pick the rate and save it to onboard memory, if the software offers it, so it survives a reboot or another computer.
- No software? Many budget mice have a button on the underside or a key combination that cycles 125 / 500 / 1000 Hz, often shown by an LED colour. The manual lists it.
- Wireless: 4000 and 8000 Hz usually need the mouse’s own high-rate receiver, plugged straight into the computer.
Then run this test again to confirm the new rate actually reaches the computer.
Is 1000 Hz polling rate enough?
For almost everyone, yes. 1000 Hz has been the gaming standard for years. 2000–8000 Hz gives small gains that are easiest to feel on 240 Hz and faster monitors, at the cost of more CPU load and, on wireless mice, battery life.
Common polling rates
500 Hz
Every 2 ms. Older gaming mice and some power-saving modes.
1000 Hz
Every 1 ms. The gaming standard for over a decade.
2000–8000 Hz
Every 0.5–0.125 ms. Recent esports mice; needs a fast CPU and a direct USB port.
If something goes wrong
It reads 60, 120 or 144 Hz
That is the screen, not the mouse — the browser is batching moves per frame. Use Chrome or Edge on desktop.
Reads 500 Hz on a 1000 Hz mouse
Save the setting to the onboard profile in the mouse software, then re-plug the mouse or receiver.
4000 or 8000 Hz reads low
Use a USB port on the computer itself, close other tabs, and check a wireless mouse is on its high-rate receiver.
The rate jumps around
Move the wireless receiver closer with an extension cable and away from USB 3 devices, then retest.
FAQ
How accurate is a browser polling rate test?
Accurate enough to tell 125, 500, 1000 and higher steps apart when the browser exposes raw pointer events (Chrome and Edge) or coalesced events. Most simple polling rate checkers only time mousemove, which many browsers deliver once per screen frame — that is why they show 60 or 144 Hz.
Why does my mouse show the same Hz as my monitor?
The browser is grouping mouse moves into one event per frame. This test detects that and tells you. Switch to a browser that supports raw pointer events to see the real report rate.
Is 1000 Hz polling rate good?
Yes. 1000 Hz — one report every millisecond — is the long-standing standard for gaming mice. 125 Hz is normal for office mice and fine for everyday use.
Should I use 4000 or 8000 Hz polling rate?
Only if your computer handles it. The gains above 1000 Hz are small and mostly felt on high-refresh monitors, while CPU load and wireless battery drain go up. If the test shows an unsteady rate at 8000 Hz, 2000 or 4000 Hz will feel smoother.
What is the difference between polling rate and DPI?
Polling rate is how often the mouse reports (per second). DPI is how far the cursor moves per inch of mouse movement. They are independent settings.