Reaction Time Test
Measure how fast your reflexes are in milliseconds. Click to start, wait for the box to turn green, then click the instant it does — five tries are averaged into your score. Curious how much is your gear instead of you? Try the Input Lag Tester.
Reaction Time Test
Click to start. When the box turns green, click as fast as you can. Averaged over 5 tries.
Attempts
0 / 5How it works
Click the pad and it turns red — your cue to get ready. After a random wait it flips to green, and the timer measures the milliseconds until you click. The delay is randomised every round so you can't time the green in advance, and clicking too early just resets the round. After five attempts you get your average, with your last and best times alongside.
What's a good score?
Most people land around 200–250 ms, and the global average is roughly 273 ms. Under 200 ms is fast, and well-trained gamers and athletes reach 150–180 ms. Scores below about 100 ms aren't genuine reactions — that's anticipation, the same threshold that counts as a false start in sprinting.
It's not all you
Some of your score is hardware. Once your brain fires, the signal still has to travel through your mouse and the new colour has to be drawn on screen, which together add 10–50 ms — more on a slow TV. A high-refresh-rate monitor, a low-latency mouse, and a wired connection all trim that overhead, so the same reflexes can post a faster number on better gear.
Separate your reflexes from your gear
To see how much of your time is the hardware, measure it directly: check end-to-end latency with the Input Lag Tester, confirm your screen's speed with the Refresh Rate Tester, and your mouse with the Mouse Polling Rate Tester.
Frequently asked questions
How does the reaction time test work?
Click the pad to start and the box turns red. After a random wait of a few seconds it turns green — click as fast as you can the moment it does, and the test records how many milliseconds passed between green appearing and your click. It runs five rounds and averages them. The wait is randomised each round so you can't anticipate the green; if you click while it's still red, the round shows 'Too soon' and restarts without counting.
What is a good reaction time?
For a visual stimulus like this, the average person scores about 200–250 milliseconds, and the widely cited global average is around 270–285 ms. Under 200 ms is fast, and trained gamers, athletes, and F1 drivers can hit 150–180 ms consistently. Anything below roughly 100 ms isn't a real reaction — it's anticipation or a lucky early click, which is why sprinters who push off under 100 ms are ruled a false start.
How is reaction time measured in milliseconds?
The test uses your browser's high-precision timing to record the moment the screen turns green and the moment you press the button, then reports the difference. The click is counted on press rather than release, so how long you hold the button doesn't affect the result. Averaging five attempts smooths out the natural round-to-round variation, giving a more reliable number than any single click.
Why is my reaction time slower than I expect?
Part of your score isn't you — it's your hardware. After your brain sends the signal, the click travels through the mouse and the new colour has to be drawn on your display, which together typically add 10–50 ms, and some TVs add over 100 ms. A high-refresh-rate monitor, a low-latency mouse, and a wired connection all shave milliseconds off. Tiredness, caffeine, screen brightness, and even the time of day also move your reaction time noticeably.
How can I improve my reaction time?
Reaction time is partly trainable: most people can improve 10–20% with practice. Warm up before you test, sit close and focused, and take the test when you're alert rather than tired. Action video games are shown to sharpen visual reaction, and good sleep, hydration, and moderate caffeine all help on the day. Reducing your hardware latency — a faster monitor and mouse — improves the measured number even if your reflexes stay the same.
Does my monitor and mouse affect the result?
Yes, quite a bit. A 60 Hz monitor can only show the green up to about 16 ms after it's ready, while a 144 Hz or 240 Hz screen cuts that delay sharply, and mouse polling rate and click latency add a little more. If you want to separate your reflexes from your gear, measure the hardware side directly with the input lag, refresh rate, and mouse polling rate tools.