Reaction Time Test: How Fast Are Your Reflexes?
Test your reaction time right here: tap when the box turns green. What is a normal reaction time, why it changes and how to get faster.
What is a normal reaction time?
For a simple test like this one, where you react to one signal you are already waiting for, most adults land somewhere between 200 and 300 milliseconds. Around 250 ms is typical; under 200 ms is very quick.
A screen adds its own delay: the display, the touch sensor and the browser all take a few milliseconds, so the same person can score differently on different devices. Compare yourself on the same phone, not with a friend's laptop.
What changes your reaction time
- Sleep and tiredness: a short night slows you down more than almost anything else.
- Warming up: the first few tries are usually the slowest.
- Attention: looking straight at the spot where the signal comes is faster than looking around it.
- Choices: when you must decide what to do (tap the green, not the yellow), reaction time grows.
How to get faster
- Rest your finger just above the screen instead of lifting it from far away.
- Don't guess the moment: anticipating leads to false starts, which cost more than a slow tap.
- Practise little and often; short daily sessions beat one long one.
- Play against friends: a little rivalry makes almost everyone faster.
Quick Wits turns this into a party game: in Quick Draw two or more players wait for green and the first to tap wins, with a yellow bait to catch the jumpy ones. Balloon Pop, Star or Bomb and Colour Trap test reflexes with a decision on top. Timing is measured on each player's own phone, so a slow connection never costs points.
87 quick games for your next game night
Quick Wits: reflex duels, guessing, memory and group games. Pass one phone or open an online room. Free on iPhone.
Coming soon to the App Store