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ReactionTestTime

Hardware & Latency

Mouse Latency and Reaction Time: How Hardware Changes Your Score

Every online reaction time result includes your hardware. Here's where that latency comes from (mouse, keyboard, display and browser) and how to minimise it.

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When you take a reaction test online, the result isn't purely biological. The signal has to reach your eyes through a display, and your click has to reach the browser through an input device. Both add latency.

Display latency

  • Refresh rate: a new frame appears every ~16.7 ms at 60 Hz, ~6.9 ms at 144 Hz and ~4.2 ms at 240 Hz. On average a change waits about half a frame.
  • Processing: TVs and some monitors process the image before showing it. Game modes reduce this.
  • Pixel response: how quickly pixels change colour, usually a few milliseconds on modern monitors.

Input latency

FactorNotes
Polling rate125 Hz polling reports every 8 ms; 1000 Hz every 1 ms
ConnectionWired and dedicated low-latency wireless are fast; generic Bluetooth can be slower
Switch debounceSome mice and keyboards wait a few ms to confirm a press
TouchscreensPanels are scanned at intervals and touches are filtered before reporting

Browser and system

Our tests use high-resolution timing and respond on press (pointerdown/keydown), not release, to avoid adding click-release time. But a busy CPU, power-saving mode or many background tabs can still delay frames and input events. See our methodology for details.

How to reduce hardware latency

  1. Use a wired or low-latency wireless mouse with a high polling rate.
  2. Enable your monitor's game mode and use its native refresh rate.
  3. Plug laptops in and disable battery saver.
  4. Close heavy background applications and tabs.

Frequently asked questions

Does a gaming mouse improve reaction time?
It can lower measured times by reducing input latency, but it doesn't change your biological reaction speed.
How much latency does a 60 Hz monitor add?
Up to about 16.7 ms per frame, roughly 8 ms on average, plus any display processing.
Should I compare my phone and PC results?
Not directly. Device latency differs, so compare like with like.

Sources

  1. Woods DL, Wyma JM, Yund EW, Herron TJ, Reed B. Factors influencing the latency of simple reaction time. Front Hum Neurosci. 2015;9:131.

About the author:

ADR is a PUBG player who built ReactionTestTime while trying to react faster in close-range fights. ADR writes and reviews every guide and test on the site and checks each claim against published research.