How the controller polling rate test works
A controller does not stream its state continuously. It sends a report, waits, sends the next one. The number of reports per second is the polling rate. Each report carries a timestamp in the browser, and when you move a stick every report contains new values. The test watches for those changes as fast as the page can check, about a thousand times per second, for six seconds.
From the timestamps it works out:
- Polling rate: 1000 divided by the median interval, in Hz. The median ignores the odd slow report.
- Average and fastest interval: how many milliseconds pass between reports.
- Jitter: how much the interval varies. Low jitter means steady input timing.
- Display refresh: how often your screen refreshes during the test, for comparison.
The chart plots every interval. A tight flat band is steady; a wide cloud means the timing varies, which is typical for Bluetooth and wireless dongles under interference.
What this measures, and its limits
This gamepad polling rate test measures the rate at which new input reaches the web page. That is the controller rate, filtered through the operating system and the browser. Two limits are worth knowing:
- The browser's own sampling. Browsers read controllers on their own schedule in the background. If the controller is faster than that schedule, the extra reports are not visible to any web page. If several very different controllers all land on the same number, that number is the browser ceiling.
- Screen-locked browsers. Some browsers only refresh controller data once per screen frame. When the result matches the display refresh rate, the test points this out.
Chrome and Edge on Windows usually give the most useful readings. To compare controllers or connections, always use the same browser and computer.
Typical polling rate results
| Result | Interval | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| 50 – 70 Hz | 14 – 20 ms | Bluetooth on many controllers, or a browser locked to a 60 Hz screen. |
| 120 – 130 Hz | about 8 ms | A common default USB rate, or a 120 Hz screen limit. |
| 240 – 260 Hz | about 4 ms | Typical for many modern controllers over USB. |
| 500 Hz and up | 2 ms or less | Controllers and dongles built for high polling rates, when the browser can keep up. |
Numbers vary between controller revisions, firmware, drivers and connection type, so treat the table as a rough guide rather than a spec sheet.
How to get a reliable reading
- Close other tabs and apps that use the controller, such as Steam or remapping tools.
- Rotate one stick in fast circles for the whole six seconds. Holding still produces no new reports, so there is nothing to measure.
- Run the test three times and use the typical result.
- Compare wired and wireless: plug in a USB cable, run it, then switch to Bluetooth or the dongle and run it again.
- If you overclock a controller's polling rate with third-party drivers, test before and after to confirm the change reached the system.
Polling rate and input lag
Polling rate is one part of input lag. At 125 Hz the controller adds up to 8 ms of delay before the game can see a press; at 1000 Hz up to 1 ms. Game engine, frame rate and display add their own delay on top. For most games a steady 250 Hz is plenty, while competitive shooter and fighting game players often look for higher, steadier rates.
Polling rate says nothing about whether a button or stick works. For that, run the full gamepad tester, and for sticks that move on their own, the stick drift test.