Average Reaction Time
Where you actually stand — global benchmarks by age, training and platform.
Every honest reaction-time comparison starts with one fact: there is no single "average". Your benchmark depends on your age, your training, your hardware and the time of day. This page gives you the real numbers across every category.
The Global Adult Average
Across decades of laboratory and online testing, the average healthy adult reacts to a simple visual cue in 200–250 ms. The mean sits at 250 ms; trained adults cluster between 180 and 220; the bottom quartile lands at 280 ms or slower. Auditory reaction is roughly 50 ms faster across the board.
Reaction Time by Age
| Age Group | Average Visual Reaction | Trained Adult |
|---|---|---|
| 6–10 | 320–400 ms | N/A |
| 11–17 | 230–280 ms | 190 ms |
| 18–24 | 210–240 ms | 160 ms (peak) |
| 25–34 | 220–250 ms | 170 ms |
| 35–44 | 235–265 ms | 180 ms |
| 45–54 | 250–280 ms | 190 ms |
| 55–64 | 265–295 ms | 210 ms |
| 65+ | 280–320 ms | 230 ms |
Gamers vs Non-Gamers
Long-term gamers are systematically faster — typically 15–40 ms — than age-matched non-gamers. The gap widens with training intensity. A weekend casual is 15 ms ahead of average; a daily ranked player is 35 ms ahead; a competitive esports pro is 80 ms ahead. None of this is genetic. It is all trained.
Mobile vs Desktop Averages
| Device | Average Reaction | Added Latency |
|---|---|---|
| Wired desktop, 144 Hz | 195 ms | ~7 ms hardware |
| Wired desktop, 60 Hz | 210 ms | ~16 ms hardware |
| Modern smartphone | 225 ms | ~25 ms hardware |
| Tablet | 235 ms | ~30 ms hardware |
| Wireless controller | 230 ms | ~25 ms hardware |
The mobile penalty is real but small. For daily training and casual ranking, mobile is excellent. For absolute competitive precision, wired desktop on a high-refresh monitor remains the cleanest setup.
Platform Statistics
SERO publishes live aggregated reaction data on the homepage, refreshed every five minutes. The current platform-wide average precision, the fastest single-level stop ever recorded and the daily records-set count are all visible publicly. It is one of the largest open precision-timing datasets on the web.
What Counts As "Good"
- Below 180 ms: top 10% of all measured humans.
- 180–220 ms: above average, casual-gamer range.
- 220–260 ms: typical untrained adult.
- 260–300 ms: room to grow, often improves 30+ ms in a week of training.
- Above 300 ms: usually fatigue, age or device-related — all addressable.
How To Get Your Number Honestly
A single reaction test is noisy. Take five trials, drop the slowest and fastest, average the middle three. That is your honest baseline. SERO runs 10 trials per session and tracks every run forever — your profile shows the running average and the personal-best curve over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average reaction time for a 20-year-old?
Around 210–240 ms for visual reaction in a healthy untrained adult. Trained 20-year-olds reach 150–170 ms.
Is 300 ms reaction time slow?
It is slower than the adult average but not alarming. Sleep, hydration and a week of practice typically pull it below 250 ms.
Do women and men have different reaction times?
On average men are 5–15 ms faster on simple visual reaction. The gap closes with training and reverses in some precision tasks.
How often should I retest my reaction time?
Once per day if training actively, once per week otherwise. Single-day fluctuations from sleep and caffeine are larger than weekly trends.
Does internet speed affect my reaction-time test?
No. SERO runs entirely client-side; your latency only affects leaderboard submission, not the measurement itself.
Test Your Reaction Time Now
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