How the CPS test works
The test opens on any key and 5 seconds. Press as fast as you can: the first press starts the timer, and the run stops by itself. Every key that goes down counts once, including keys pressed together, while a held key’s auto-repeat is ignored. The result is presses per second; the best for each length and key setting is kept in this browser. Change the length (1 to 30 s) or limit it to the space bar in the test’s settings.
Techniques that change the result
- One finger on one key shows how fast you can tap and how quickly the switch resets.
- Two keys, alternating (index and middle finger) roughly doubles the rate for most people; this is how rhythm-game players are measured.
- Four keys or more can go higher still, but only if the keyboard reports every key in the overlap. If the count falls short of what you pressed, test the same keys in the rollover panel.
When the numbers look wrong
A keyboard that registers one press twice inflates the score: the chatter detector below the keyboard catches presses under 40 ms apart on the same key, which is faster than a finger can repeat. A key that stops lighting up during fast bursts may have a worn switch or, on wireless boards, a weak connection. For mouse clicks, the mouse tester has its own CPS test.