Mouse Polling Rate Test: 125 vs 500 vs 1000Hz (What It Means + How to Check)

Mouse Polling Rate Test: 125 vs 500 vs 1000Hz (What It Means + How to Check)

Mouse polling rate is one of those settings that gets mentioned constantly in gaming discussions, but most people never verify what their mouse is actually doing on their system.

👉 Run the Mouse Polling Rate Test

This guide explains what Hz means, what changes between 125/500/1000Hz, and how to test your setup using a practical browser-based measurement (event frequency + distribution).

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What Is Mouse Polling Rate (Hz)?

Polling rate is how often a mouse reports movement to the system per second.

• 125Hz ≈ 8ms intervals
• 500Hz ≈ 2ms intervals
• 1000Hz ≈ 1ms intervals

Higher polling rates can reduce perceived input lag and improve consistency, especially in fast aim tracking.

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125 vs 500 vs 1000Hz: What Changes in Real Use?

125Hz

• Often the default on older or office mice
• Can feel less responsive in competitive FPS

500Hz

• A common “safe” setting for many gaming mice
• Good balance of responsiveness and stability

1000Hz

• Maximum setting on many gaming mice
• Lowest interval (1ms) but can be more sensitive to system load and USB/power management quirks

If your system struggles, a “higher” setting can sometimes look unstable. That’s why distribution and stability matter, not just peak.

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How to Test Mouse Polling Rate Online (Correctly)

Use our tool to measure how often your browser receives mouse movement events:

✅ Mouse Polling Rate Test

Steps

1. Click Start test.
2. Move the mouse continuously inside the test area (circles / figure-eights).
3. Prefer wired USB for the first run.
4. Compare 10s vs 30s for stability.

How to read results

• Median Hz: your typical event frequency (best summary number)
• P95 Hz: high-end consistency (should be close to median on a stable setup)
• Peak Hz: maximum observed bursts (can be misleading alone)
• Stability score: how tight the distribution is (higher = more consistent)

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Why Your Polling Rate Test Looks Low (Common Causes)

If you are stuck around ~125Hz or results are unstable, try:

• Use a different USB port (prefer motherboard ports)
• Disable USB power saving for the mouse dongle/port
• Close heavy background apps (recording, games, many tabs)
• Try Chrome/Edge on desktop

Windows: “Enhance pointer precision” (mouse acceleration)

Acceleration can change movement characteristics and sometimes makes measurements noisier. Test with it on and off:

1. Windows Settings → Mouse → Additional mouse options
2. Pointer Options → toggle Enhance pointer precision

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If You’re Troubleshooting Input Performance

Pair this test with:

• Mouse Test (buttons, wheel, double-click)
• Click Speed Test (CPS/CPM)

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Summary

Polling rate is easy to misunderstand. Don’t rely on marketing numbers—verify your system behavior and look at consistency:

👉 Check Your Mouse Polling Rate Now