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Spacebar Reaction Time Test

Same test, react with the spacebar — your keyboard hand vs. your mouse hand.

MEASURES
Visual RT
INPUT
Spacebar
TIME
~30 sec
How the test works

Is the spacebar really faster?

A keypress lands a hair sooner than a mouse click for most people. Key switches actuate partway through their travel, and the finger already resting on the spacebar scarcely has to move, whereas a click asks a fingertip to press down through a full switch. Small as it is, usually 5 to 15 ms, the difference is real and measurable.

The rest is the classic test. Through a random 1.5 to 5 second delay the panel stays red, then flips green, and a clock started at the exact frame your screen painted that green stops the instant your key goes down. That happens on keydown, not keyup, so your own key-release time never reaches the score.

Five runs, median taken. Run the classic click test too and your stats page will set the two medians against each other, so you can see your own keyboard-versus-mouse margin instead of taking ours on trust.

How your score grades
Legend
under 150 ms
Faster than 98% of people
Elite
150 – 199 ms
Faster than 87% of people
Fast
200 – 249 ms
Faster than 60% of people
Average
250 – 299 ms
Right in the middle
Relaxed
300 – 349 ms
Slower than 67% of people
Take a nap
350 ms +
Slower than 84% of people
Questions
Is spacebar faster than clicking?
Usually by a small margin, 5 to 15 ms for most people. A key switch actuates mid-travel and your resting finger hardly moves, so the input registers a touch earlier than a full mouse click.
Why did my press not count?
Only the spacebar counts on desktop. Press any other key and nothing happens. Press space while the panel is still red and that is a jump start, so the round voids and replays.
Does keyboard type matter?
Yes. Reporting is faster from a wired mechanical keyboard than from a wireless membrane board. For a fair spacebar-versus-click read, run both tests on the same machine.
How do I compare my two hands?
Every session is saved in your browser and nothing is uploaded. Take the classic click test as well, then open your stats page, which lists both medians side by side and keeps desktop and mobile apart.