Why Polling Rate Tests Disagree

You test your 1000 Hz mouse on three sites and get 60, 500 and 990. Who's right? Here's why they disagree.

Frames vs Samples

Many testers count one movement per screen frame, which really measures your monitor (60 Hz, 144 Hz). Better testers unpack the batch of samples inside each frame. Ours does that.

Other Things That Lower the Number

• Moving slowly or stopping.
• Browser power saving in background tabs.
• Low battery or a distant dongle.
• Operating system merging movement.

How to Get the Best Reading

Keep the tab in front, move fast in continuous circles, use a wired or 2.4 GHz connection, and try Precise mode on our polling rate test.

Final Thoughts

Remember that the goal is to check your mouse works as expected, not to chase a perfect number. A result close to your setting means everything is fine.

Try It Now

Run our polling rate test now to see how your mouse compares.

Reasons Your Results Vary

So a 1000 Hz mouse might show 960 to 1000 Hz, and an 8000 Hz mouse might show 3000 to 7000 Hz in a browser. That's normal. Look at the stable average while you move in fast circles.

How to Get the Most Accurate Reading

1. Close other tabs and apps.
2. Use a wired connection, or put the wireless receiver close to the mouse.
3. Move the mouse in fast, steady circles for at least five seconds.
4. Run the polling rate test three times and use the middle result.
5. Try Chrome or Edge, which usually handle high polling rates better.

When to Worry

Worry if a 1000 Hz mouse keeps showing 500 Hz or lower, or if the number drops sharply every few seconds. That points to a power-saving setting, a bad USB port or a connection problem.

Quick Summary

• The mouse only reports when it moves, so move it fast.
• Browsers can't always keep up with 4000 Hz or 8000 Hz.
• Close other tabs and apps for a cleaner reading.
• Use the middle of three results.
• Worry only if the rate is far too low or keeps dropping.
• A wired connection gives the steadiest reading.

How Browsers Handle Mouse Events

When your mouse sends a report, the operating system passes it to the browser. To save energy, browsers usually bundle all the movement that happens between screen frames into one "pointermove" event. On a 60 Hz screen, that means about 60 events per second, no matter how fast your mouse reports. A test that simply counts these events will show about 60 Hz, which is your monitor's refresh rate, not your mouse's polling rate. That's the single biggest reason tests disagree.

Coalesced Events and Raw Updates

Modern browsers keep the individual samples inside each bundle. A good test unpacks them with a feature called getCoalescedEvents and reads each sample's own timestamp. Chromium-based browsers also offer pointerrawupdate events, which arrive as soon as the operating system delivers a report, without waiting for a frame. Tests that use these features can read close to your real polling rate. Tests that don't are really measuring your display.

Average vs Median

Even a perfect mouse has occasional late reports. If a test uses the average gap, one long gap can drag the result down a lot. If it uses the median, the middle value, a few hiccups don't matter. Our polling rate test uses the median and only counts samples during continuous movement, which gives a much steadier result.

Browser Differences

Chrome, Edge, Opera and Brave share the same engine and usually read highest. Firefox supports coalesced events but not raw updates, so it may read a bit lower at very high rates. Safari often reports fewer samples, so results can be lower on Mac. If you want the most accurate reading, use a Chromium-based browser.

A Checklist for Accurate Results

1. Use a Chromium-based browser and Precise mode.
2. Keep the test tab in front.
3. Plug into the computer directly.
4. Use the wireless dongle, not Bluetooth.
5. Move fast in continuous circles for a few seconds.
6. Run the test three times and use the most consistent result.

Why Wireless Mice Read Lower

Wireless mice add one more source of variation. If a report is lost or delayed due to interference, there's a gap in the samples. A few gaps lower the average, though the median is more stable. Low battery can also make some mice reduce their polling rate to save power. If your wireless mouse reads lower than expected, charge it, move the receiver close, and test again.

What a Good Result Looks Like

At very high rates, browsers struggle to deliver every sample, so a reading of 2000 to 4000 Hz from an 8000 Hz mouse is common and doesn't mean anything is wrong.

Summary

Polling rate tests disagree because some count screen frames, some unpack real samples, and browsers handle events differently. Use a test that unpacks samples and uses the median, move continuously, and use a Chromium browser for the most accurate reading. Small differences between readings are normal and nothing to worry about.

Common Questions

Why does my result change each time? Your movement changes between tests. Fast, continuous circles give the most consistent results.

Should I trust a 990 Hz reading for a 1000 Hz mouse? Yes, that's normal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Guides

• What Is Mouse Polling Rate?
• 1000 Hz vs 4000 Hz vs 8000 Hz