Most people take an online reaction time test, see 280ms, and think "is that good?" The answer: it depends heavily on the test setup.
Hardware matters more than your brain
- Monitor refresh rate: 60Hz adds 8-16ms of input lag vs 144Hz
- Mouse latency: wireless adds 5-15ms
- Browser overhead: a tab with 20 extensions is slower than a clean profile
A 200ms score on bad hardware might be equivalent to 170ms on good hardware.
What's "normal"
- Average human visual reaction time: 200-250ms
- Audio reaction time: 150-170ms (sound processes faster)
- F1 drivers: 100-150ms (trained, not innate)
- Below 150ms on visual: likely anticipation, not raw reaction
The test design problem
Most reaction time tests use a single color change (red→green). This measures simple reaction time — one stimulus, one response. Real-world reaction time is choice reaction time (multiple stimuli, multiple possible responses), which adds 50-100ms.
A properly designed test: checkreaction.com — measures simple, choice, and sequence reaction times with hardware latency compensation.
Top comments (0)