What is a good reaction time?
Take a reaction test, get a number in milliseconds, and the question is instant: is that fast? Here's the honest breakdown of the ranges, how age moves them, and what a single score does and doesn't tell you.
When you tap on green in a reaction time test, you're measuring the gap between a signal appearing and your finger moving. For a visual cue, the average adult lands around 200-250 milliseconds — about a quarter of a second. That number is the baseline everything else is measured against.
The ranges, in plain milliseconds
- Over 300 ms — slower than average; often tiredness, a laggy screen, or not being warmed up.
- 250-300 ms — a typical, relaxed response.
- 200-250 ms — the average-to-good band most people sit in once warmed up.
- 150-200 ms — fast; the range competitive gamers aim for.
- Under 150 ms — exceptional, and worth double-checking you didn't anticipate the signal rather than react to it.
Anything under roughly 100 ms on a visual test is almost certainly a jump — you pressed before you actually processed the green. A good test randomises the delay specifically to catch that.
How age changes the number
Reaction time follows a predictable arc across a lifetime. It sharpens quickly through childhood, peaks in the late teens to late twenties, holds fairly steady through the thirties, then lengthens gradually from middle age onward. The change is real but smaller than people assume — a well-rested, warmed-up fifty-year-old routinely beats a tired twenty-year-old. Age sets a soft ceiling; your state on the day decides where under it you land.
Why one score means little
A single attempt is noisy. The right way to read your reaction time is the average of five or more tries, ignoring the obvious misfires. That is exactly why our test runs five rounds and averages them. Look at the spread too: five times of 240, 245, 238, 250, 242 is a more reliable 243 than 210, 300, 190, 280, 235, even though the second set has a lower single best.
Simple vs choice reaction time
The 250 ms figure is for simple reaction time: one signal, one response. The moment a decision is added — act on this, but not on that — the clock stretches by 50-150 ms, because your brain has to classify the signal before it moves. That extra cost is what the Go / No-Go test isolates, and it's closer to what real driving or gaming demands than a bare reaction test.
Measure yours properly
Warm up with a few throwaway attempts, then take the reaction time test for your visual baseline. Compare it against the audio reaction test — most people are 30-50 ms faster to a beep — and the Go / No-Go for your reaction-under-decision. Those three numbers together describe your reflexes far better than any single score. If you want to actually lower them, see our guide on how to improve your reaction time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average reaction time in milliseconds?
About 200 to 250 ms for a visual signal. Under 200 ms is fast, under 150 ms is exceptional, and under about 100 ms usually means you anticipated the signal rather than reacting to it.
Is a 200 ms reaction time good?
Yes. 200 ms sits at the fast end of the normal range and is roughly what warmed-up competitive gamers aim for. Most people average a little above it.
Does reaction time get worse with age?
Gradually, yes, after peaking in your late teens to twenties. But sleep, alertness and being warmed up affect your score far more than age does day to day.
How many tries should I average?
At least five, ignoring obvious misfires. A single attempt is too noisy to mean anything, which is why our test averages five rounds.