What is a good reaction time?
Most adults average between 200 and 300 milliseconds when responding to a simple visual signal. In a carefully calibrated study of 1,469 adults aged 18 to 65, the average was 231 ms. Removing the delay added by the screen and mouse brought it down to 213 ms.
| Your average | Rating | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Under 200 ms | Exceptional | Faster than most adults even in lab conditions |
| 200–249 ms | Fast | Around the lab average |
| 250–299 ms | Typical | Normal on a phone or home computer |
| 300–349 ms | A bit slow | Often tiredness, distraction or a laggy screen |
| 350 ms or more | Slow | Retake when rested, on a different device |
These bands are a rough guide for home devices, not published norms. Your own trend on one device tells you the most.
Why your device changes the number
Every result includes the time your hardware needs to show the green box and register your tap. In the lab study, the display and mouse together added about 18 ms, and earlier work found some setups add as much as 100 ms. Touchscreens, wireless mice, power-saving modes and busy browsers all add lag.
- Compare scores on the same device, browser and connection type.
- Close other heavy tabs and apps before you play.
- A wired mouse or the Space bar is usually quicker than a touchscreen.
Reaction time by age
Reaction time slows gradually through adulthood. The same study found it rose about 0.55 ms per year, from roughly 218 ms in its youngest group to 239 ms in its oldest: a gap of only about 20 ms across four decades, small next to the lag some devices add.
Were the Victorians faster than us?
In the 1880s, Francis Galton recorded visual reaction times under 190 ms in young people, faster than most modern results. Some researchers used those numbers to argue that people have slowed down, and grown less intelligent, since Victorian times. Woods and colleagues replied that most of the gap disappears once you account for the delay built into modern measuring equipment, and the debate continues in the journal pages.
How to improve your reaction time
- Tiredness: results are usually slower when you’re tired.
- Warm up: your first few rounds are usually slower. Play once, then play for real.
- Keep sessions short: in the lab study, average times crept up from 228 ms to 237 ms as a session went on.
- Watch the center of the box and keep your finger or cursor resting where you will tap.
Reaction speed is one small part of processing speed, which is one of four areas a full IQ assessment looks at. For your reasoning score, take the free IQ test.
Reaction time test FAQ
Is 200 ms a good reaction time?
Yes. An average of 200 ms is faster than the 231 ms adults averaged in a large lab study, and that study used hardware tuned to add as little delay as possible. At home, 200 ms puts you among the quickest.
Why is my reaction time slower on my phone?
Touchscreens and phone displays add delay between the color change and your tap being registered. That lag counts toward your result, so compare scores on the same device rather than across devices.
Can a reaction time be under 100 ms?
Not for a genuine response to a visual signal. Results that fast almost always mean you anticipated the change, which is why researchers usually discard them. This test catches early taps before the box turns green.
Does reaction time get worse with age?
Slowly. In a study of 1,469 adults aged 18 to 65, reaction time rose by about half a millisecond per year: from about 218 ms in the youngest group to 239 ms in the oldest.
Sources
- Woods et al. (2015): Factors influencing the latency of simple reaction time, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
- Woodley of Menie et al. (2015): The Victorians were still faster than us, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Fast hands, sharp mind?
Reaction time is one piece. The free 30-question IQ test measures how you reason. Instant score, no email.
Take the free IQ testBy the MyIQTest team · Reviewed November 2026