What is the Meaning of Mouse Polling Rate?

The Polling Rate term is used rarely in articles or specifications about standard mouse. However if we read gaming mouse article or specification, we will found the term of Mouse Polling Rate or USB Polling Rate easily.

Polling Rate or Report Rate Definition 

Commonly, standard mouse adjust the paling rate according to the default setting of USB Polling Rate that is 125 Hz so that mouse will send data to computer about the axes coordinate and every button that is clicked as many 125 times per second (125 Hz). Polling rate can be defined as how often of the device frequency that is connected to the USB port could send information to the computer, for example: If the polling rate of a certain mouse is 1 Hz, it would update the axes coordinate every second when it is moved. 

The Advantage of High Polling Rate 

Gaming mouse usually have higher polling rate than standard mouse. The common polling rate of gaming mouse is about 250Hz, 500 Hz or 1000 Hz (click here to download Mouse Rate Checker). Gaming mouse that its polling rate is 500 Hz will send data 500 times every second to computer or each data is sent every 2ms. Whereas the gaming that have 1000 Hz polling rate will send the data that is related to the mouse axes coordinate to the computer 1000 times per second or every 1ms, one data is sent to computer. The higher polling rate will cause computer receive the information about the mouse frequently. Then, computer also responds the mouse information data about axes coordinate quickly.

Why high Polling Rate is needed? 

If you use the mouse just for common program such as office program or image editor and not games program, you may use a mouse that has 125 Hz polling rate. 125 Hz polling rate means that it has delay every 8ms. However, it still can be used for common program such as office program. But, you should think again using 125 Hz rolling rate mouse for games program. The 8ms delay is very long especially for First Person Shooter online game. Even 1ms delay can determine your player fate about death or alive.

High Polling Rate Causes CPU Spikes

Negative Aspect

Even high polling rate mouse have a negative aspect, higher polling rates on mouse causes more cpu usage because the CPU will work harder to process the high polling rate. However, that's a normal thing and there's nothing to worry about.