What does a controller polling rate test actually measure?
It measures how often this browser hands the page a new Gamepad timestamp. That is worth knowing. It is not the USB poll rate of the controller, and a page that prints 1000 Hz without this distinction is decorating.
Why the two numbers differ
- Move a stick. A still pad may not refresh its timestamp, so the rate stays blank on purpose.
- Wait for a stable median. The polling rate test drops tiny gaps and long stutters.
- Change one variable. USB, then Bluetooth. Or Chrome, then Firefox. Write down both numbers.
- Ignore the spec sheet while you compare. A higher box number can still be real in a native game and invisible here.
The host polls USB on a schedule. The operating system coalesces reports. The browser then decides when to update `Gamepad.timestamp`. This page can see only the last of those steps. Bluetooth adds another schedule, which is why the same pad often drops when you unplug it.
A number that is still useful
- A background tab that cuts the rate in half tells you not to alt-tab during a measurement.
- A Bluetooth link far below the USB link on the same pad is a real finding about that radio path.
- A rate that looks fine next to a high sample age means “often, but stale.” Open the latency test.
Frequently asked questions
Should my overclocked pad show 1000 Hz here?
No. If it does, be suspicious of how the page computed it. Compare USB and Bluetooth instead of hunting four digits.