How the reaction time test works
In classic mode, click the box to start. It turns red, and after a random wait of 1.5 to 5 seconds it turns green: click, tap or press Space as fast as you can. You get five attempts, then your average, best, median and consistency. If you click while it is still red, that attempt is repeated, so guessing never helps your score.
F1 start lights mode copies a Formula 1 race start. Five red lights come on one per second, then after a random pause they all go out together. React the moment they do; going while any light is on counts as a jump start.
Timing starts when the changed frame is sent to your screen, not when the page's code runs, and uses the moment you press down (not release) as reported by the browser. Responses under 100 ms are treated as anticipation, the usual cut-off in reaction-time research, because nobody sees, decides and moves that fast.
What is a good reaction time?
| Average result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Under 150 ms | Exceptional and rare. Check you weren't anticipating. |
| 150–200 ms | Very fast. Common among trained competitive gamers on low-latency setups. |
| 200–250 ms | Fast. Quicker than most people. |
| 250–300 ms | Average for an online test on everyday hardware. |
| Over 300 ms | Slower than typical. Often device lag, fatigue or distraction. |
Large online datasets put the typical result at roughly 250 to 280 ms. Lab studies with specialised low-latency equipment measure lower, often around 200 ms for young adults, because a browser test also includes your mouse, computer and screen.
Typical reaction times by age
Simple reaction time is fastest in the late teens and twenties. A large study of adults aged 18 to 65 (Woods et al., 2015, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience) found it slows by roughly half a millisecond per year, and a large UK health survey (Der & Deary, 2006, Psychology and Aging) found the slowing speeds up from middle age. As a rough guide for a browser test on typical hardware:
| Age | Typical online result |
|---|---|
| Teens and 20s | 200–260 ms |
| 30s and 40s | 205–270 ms |
| 50s | 215–280 ms |
| 60 and over | 230–310 ms |
Gamers tend to score at the fast end for their age. Research on action video game players (Dye, Green & Bavelier, 2009) found they respond faster without losing accuracy. Practice and good equipment help too. F1 drivers typically react to the start lights in about 0.2 seconds.
What affects your reaction time
- Your screen. A 60 Hz display shows a new frame every 16.7 ms, and a TV outside game mode can add 50 ms or more of processing delay. Check yours with the refresh rate test.
- Your input device. Wired mice and keyboards usually respond faster than Bluetooth ones, and touchscreens add their own delay. The mouse test shows whether your clicks register cleanly.
- Alertness. Sleep loss, fatigue and alcohol slow you down noticeably. Caffeine gives a small boost.
- Warm-up and attention. The first attempts are usually the slowest. Keep your eyes on the centre of the box and your finger resting lightly on the button.
For a fair comparison with friends, use the same device, and take the average of several rounds rather than a single lucky attempt. Want to test your gamepad instead? Try the controller tester.