Keyboard Polling Rate Test

Average:
Maximum:
Press different keys on your keyboard quickly.

What is keyboard polling rate?

The keyboard polling rate is a parameter that determines how often the device sends information about its state (which keys are pressed or released) to the computer. It is measured in Hertz (Hz).

How Do I Check a Keyboard’s Polling Rate?

  1. Prepare for the test:
    • Close unnecessary tabs and applications to reduce system load.
    • Exit power-saving mode.
    • Use the Chrome browser — it has fewer keyboard event limitations compared to Firefox or Safari.
  2. Quickly press and release different keys for 5–10 seconds. Important: do not hold down a key, but actually tap it — this forces the keyboard to send reports for each keystroke.
  3. Get the result with an analysis of the average and maximum polling rate.

How does this test work?

  • keydown and keyup events are tracked.
  • Auto-repeat is ignored when a key is held down.
  • performance.now() is used to accurately measure the time between keystrokes.
  • UI rendering is slowed down to prevent it from affecting the keyboard polling rate.