Controller polling rate test
Spin a stick for a few seconds. We time every new input state the browser sees and report average Hz, interval and jitter.
Browser observed rate
Hz
Details
Mean interval
Jitter
Samples
Keep a stick moving: the browser only reports a new state when something changes. Chrome and Edge read controllers about every 4 ms, so about 250 Hz is the highest rate any web page can see.
How to run this test
- Connect the controller the way you normally play: cable, Bluetooth or dongle.
- Press Start and keep one stick spinning for at least five seconds.
- Read the rate, interval and jitter, then reconnect another way and compare.
How to read the result
- Observed rate (Hz)
- How many new input states per second the browser received. Chrome and Edge check controllers on a fixed 4 millisecond timer, so a web page cannot see more than about 250 Hz, even when the controller itself reports at 1000 Hz. Results near 250 Hz mean the controller is at least that fast; results near 125 Hz or 60 Hz are the real limit of the controller or link.
- Mean interval
- The average time between new states in milliseconds. It is the same information as the rate, shown the other way around.
- Jitter
- How much the interval varies. Low jitter means updates arrive evenly. Bluetooth links and busy USB hubs tend to show more jitter than a direct cable.
Questions about this test
- Why is the result lower than the advertised polling rate?
- Chromium based browsers read controllers about every 4 milliseconds, which caps what any web page can observe at roughly 250 Hz. A wired DualSense or DualShock 4 already reports at about 250 Hz, so it maxes out the test. Desktop tools that read raw HID reports are needed to confirm 500 or 1000 Hz modes.
- Is wired always faster than Bluetooth?
- For most controllers the cable gives a higher and steadier rate. Some 2.4 GHz dongles match a cable. Run this test on each connection to see what your own setup does.
- Does a higher polling rate reduce input lag?
- It shortens the wait between your press and the next report. That is only part of total delay, which also includes the game engine and display. Going from 125 Hz to 1000 Hz saves at most a few milliseconds.