What is Keyboard Latency?
Keyboard latency is the delay between pressing a key and the signal
being registered by your system. For everyday typing it is
imperceptible, but in competitive gaming even a few milliseconds can
affect your performance.
How is Keyboard Latency Calculated?
Keyboard latency is the sum of three delays that happen between
your finger pressing a key and the character appearing on screen.
Here's a real-world example:
Example calculation:
5ms (key debounce time) + 1ms (polling rate) + 5ms (system latency)
= 11ms total latency
Scan Rate Formula: Scan Rate (Hz) = 1000 ÷ shortest key press time (ms).
So if your shortest press in the test above was 2ms, your estimated
scan rate is 1000 ÷ 2 = 500Hz.
Why This Tool Goes Beyond a Basic Polling Rate Checker
Most online polling rate checkers only show average and peak Hz.
This tool also measures jitter (consistency of your mouse's report
timing), tracks click latency and CPS, visualizes movement with a
live heatmap, and lets you export your full test session as JSON
or CSV for deeper analysis.
How to Test Your Keyboard Latency
- Scroll up to the keyboard tester above.
- Press any key on your physical keyboard — it will highlight instantly on screen.
- Each press logs its response time in the Key Press History section.
- Your shortest press time and estimated scan rate update live at the top.
- Test multiple keys to get a reliable average — then compare against the table below.
⚡
Scan Rate
How many times per second the keyboard's controller scans
for key presses. Higher means faster detection.
📡
Polling Rate
How often the keyboard reports data to your PC. Standard is
1000Hz (1ms). Gaming keyboards reach 8000Hz.
⏱
Response Time
Total delay from key press to on-screen action — scan rate
plus polling rate plus system latency combined.
🔌
Connection Type
Wired USB has the lowest latency. Modern 2.4GHz wireless
nearly matches wired. Bluetooth adds 10–30ms extra.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is average keyboard latency?
Most keyboards fall between 1ms and 15ms depending on switch
type (mechanical vs membrane) and connection method.
Which keyboard has the lowest latency?
The Logitech G915 TKL achieves as low as 1.3ms in wired
mode, placing it among the fastest available keyboards
today.
How can I reduce keyboard latency on Windows?
Update keyboard drivers, disable Filter Keys in
accessibility settings, use a wired USB 3.0 connection, and
close unnecessary background applications.
What is polling rate jitter?
Jitter measures how consistently your mouse reports data
— calculated as the standard deviation between consecutive
poll intervals. Low jitter means stable, predictable
tracking; high jitter can cause micro-stutters even if
your average polling rate looks high.
Does polling rate affect keyboard latency?
Yes. At 125Hz polling rate latency is around 8ms. At 1000Hz
it drops to roughly 1ms. Higher polling rate equals lower
latency.
How is keyboard scan rate calculated?
Scan rate (Hz) = 1000 ÷ shortest key press time (in ms).
For example, a 2ms press time gives an estimated scan
rate of 500Hz — this tool calculates it automatically
from your fastest recorded press.
Is 1ms keyboard latency actually noticeable?
Not for everyday typing — but in competitive FPS games
running at 240fps, a single frame is only 4.17ms, so
even 1-2ms of extra latency can shift your reaction
window in close encounters.