Reaction Time Test
Press the moment the box turns green. You get your average reaction time (ms) over 5 rounds, compared with age-group averages from a study of 1,469 adults.
Average reaction time
ms
Your average over 5 rounds. Rounds pressed too early or too late are not counted and are measured again.
After all 5 rounds, you will see how you compare with the adult average from research.
Faster than or equal to the adult average from research (231 ms). Your result also includes monitor, mouse and browser delay.
Slower than the adult average from research (231 ms). Your result includes monitor, mouse and browser delay, so it can come out slower than on lab equipment.
Your round-to-round standard deviation is above the study participants' average (40 ms). With only 5 rounds, this number can vary a lot.
Touch screens differ in input delay from device to device, so results are hard to compare directly with a PC.
- Best
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- Standard deviation
- - ms
- vs. study average 231 ms
- - ms
vs. ages 18-24 average (217.9 ms)vs. ages 25-31 average (221.0 ms)vs. ages 32-38 average (224.8 ms)vs. ages 39-45 average (227.7 ms)vs. ages 46-51 average (233.6 ms)vs. ages 51-58 average (236.4 ms)vs. ages 59-65 average (239.1 ms) - ms
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Monitor Refresh Rate Test Mouse Polling Rate Test Mouse Test FPS Drop and Stutter Cause Checker
Average reaction time by age
Averages by age group from a study of 1,469 people aged 18 to 65. They include 18 ms of delay from the study's equipment (a 60 Hz monitor and a 1000 Hz mouse).
| Age | People | Average (ms) | Standard deviation (ms) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 86 | 217.9 | 19.5 |
| 25-31 | 115 | 221.0 | 22.8 |
| 32-38 | 201 | 224.8 | 23.4 |
| 39-45 | 273 | 227.7 | 26.6 |
| 46-51 | 276 | 233.6 | 27.2 |
| 51-58 | 272 | 236.4 | 27.0 |
| 59-65 | 246 | 239.1 | 28.1 |
The youngest and oldest groups differ by about 21 ms, close to the spread within each group (standard deviation 19.5 to 28.1 ms).
Age groups are as printed in the study.
How it measures, and its limits
The box turns green after a random 2 to 5 seconds. We time from when the change is drawn to when you press, and redo any round faster than 110 ms or slower than 1000 ms.
- The browser can't see how long the monitor takes to actually light up, so that time is added to your result. The study's 60 Hz monitor took 11 ms.
- The lower the refresh rate, the later the change appears. One frame lasts 16.7 ms at 60 Hz and 6.9 ms at 144 Hz. Monitor Refresh Rate Test
- A mouse at a 125 Hz polling rate reports input every 8 ms. The study's 1000 Hz gaming mouse measured 7 ms. Mouse Polling Rate Test
- The press time is when the browser received the input, rounded to 0.1 to 1 ms for security.
- If you are not signed in, results are not sent to our server. Signed in, only your best average and fastest single are saved to your account, visible only to you.
What affects reaction time
- Age: in the study above, reaction time slowed by about 0.55 ms per year.
- Equipment: monitor and mouse delay are added to your result and can inflate it by up to 100 ms. The study's equipment measured 11 ms (monitor) and 7 ms (mouse).
- Repetition: testing for a long stretch can make you slower. In the study above, over 120 trials the first 20 averaged 228.1 ms and the last 20 averaged 237.2 ms.
- Sex, education and handedness were not related to reaction time in the study above.
- Gaming: in one analysis, people who play a lot of action games were 11% faster on average, though its tasks differ from this test.
Game picture lagging? Start with Windows settings
One Windows 11 setting cuts display lag in windowed games (DirectX 10 and 11). Lutimize (our app) turns it on. It does not change this test's result.
Common questions
What is the average reaction time in ms?
In a study of 1,469 people aged 18 to 65, the average was 231 ms, or 213 ms without monitor and mouse delay (18 ms). See the table above for each age group.
Why do different sites give different results?
Results include monitor, mouse and browser delay, and sites differ in when they start timing and which input they count. Compare on the same device and the same site.
Do video games make your reactions faster?
In one analysis, people who play a lot of action games were 11% faster on average, and non-players became 13% faster after 50 hours of action games (6% with a different game). Its tasks differ from this test, though.
What is a pro gamer's reaction time?
We found no published data measured the same way. Numbers in videos or communities use other methods, so they can't be compared directly with this result.
Can I test on my phone?
Yes. Phones and PCs differ in screen and input delay, though, so the two results are hard to compare.
My results jump around. Which one should I trust?
Look at the average, not a single round. Even in the study, one person's round-to-round standard deviation averaged 40 ms.
My results get slower the more I test
That's common. In the study, the last 20 of 120 trials (237.2 ms) were slower than the first 20 (228.1 ms), so take a short break and test again.
Should I use the space bar or a mouse click?
Both record the moment you press. Results can differ slightly by input, so compare using the same one.
Are my results saved?
Only when you are signed in: your best average and fastest single are saved to your account and only you can see them. Otherwise everything is calculated inside this browser.
Last reviewed 2026-11-08