ZD S Super Legend

Latency

This chart shows how quickly your gamepad responds to button presses as well as joystick deviation. Each point on the graph represents a test result.

• The horizontal axis (X-axis) measures the time elapsed from the button press or stick deflection to the game's response. This time is called “latency”.
• The vertical axis (Y-axis) shows how often we got such a result, in percentages.

If you hover over a point on the graph, you'll see how long the latency was and how often it occurred.

The lower the latency, the better. In a perfect world, as soon as you press a button or move the joystick on a gamepad, the action in the game happens instantly. If there is a long delay, you can press the button, but the action will take some time. In fast-paced games where every second counts, a long delay can be a problem.

If stick latency measurements are available, they are taken by instantly moving the stick from the center to the edge, and the latency is recorded at the deflection point of 99%.

You can switch the graph view to Average Latency, where the latency is displayed as horizontal bars.

Use this chart to figure out how fast your gamepad reacts.

Polling Rate

The polling rate (also known as the Refresh intervals) in gamepads refers to how often the controller sends input information to the console or computer. It's measured in Hertz (Hz), which translates to the number of times per second the device reports its status to the computer.

For example, a gamepad with a polling rate of 125 Hz sends its status to the computer 125 times per second, or every 8 milliseconds.

The polling rate is essential in gaming for two reasons:

1. Responsiveness: A higher polling rate means the controller communicates its state to the computer more frequently, resulting in faster and more responsive gameplay. In fast-paced or competitive games, even a slight increase in responsiveness can give players an advantage.

2. Accuracy: A higher polling rate can also increase the accuracy of the controller. This is particularly important for devices like gaming mice, where precise movements can be critical, but it can also impact gamepads, especially in games that require accurate inputs.

However, it's important to note that a higher polling rate can also put more strain on the computer's CPU, as it needs to process inputs more frequently. Moreover, beyond a certain point, increases in polling rate may not yield noticeable improvements due to limitations in human reaction time and display refresh rates.

To test the polling rate of your gamepad, you can download the software at https://gamepadla.com/soft.pdl.

Jitter

Jitter is a measure of how much the gamepad's latency varies during testing. It is calculated as the standard deviation of the recorded delay times. A lower jitter value indicates more consistent latency, while a higher jitter suggests unstable performance. Low jitter is important for a smooth, responsive gaming experience.

Testing Methods

Gamepadla currently employs three distinct testing methods to evaluate gamepad performance, each with its own strengths and limitations:

1. Polling Rate Test: This is a software-based test that calculates how frequently the gamepad captures and sends data to the connected device, measured in Hertz (Hz). While a higher polling rate can contribute to lower input lag, it does not directly equate to the actual latency experienced in gameplay. This test provides insight into the gamepad’s internal data reporting frequency but cannot accurately measure real-world input lag, which requires specialized hardware. The software for this test can be downloaded at https://gamepadla.com/soft.pdl.

2. GPDL Tester: The GPDL Tester, described in detail at https://github.com/cakama3a/GPDL, is a hardware-based method that accurately measures button latency. However, its testing of joystick latency is software-based and approximate, making it less reliable for precise stick measurements. These stick latency results are useful for comparisons within the same testing setup but are not factored into the LatScore calculation due to their limited real-world accuracy.

3. Prometheus 82 (Gamepad Punch Tester): Detailed at https://www.reddit.com/r/Controller/comments/1i5uglp/gamepad_punch_tester_a_new_method_for_testing/, this method physically actuates both buttons and joysticks to simulate real-world usage as closely as possible. It has an error margin of 1–2 ms for button tests and 5–6 ms for stick tests. These delays are caused by the mechanical movement of the solenoid for buttons and the stick actuation, which are inherent to all gamepads. In a vacuum, sticks may register inputs faster, but human fingers cannot move them as quickly as the solenoid, so this delay can be considered a mechanical limitation. Ongoing improvements are being made to enhance accuracy before its official release.

Each testing method provides valuable data, but their results should be interpreted with their respective limitations in mind. The combination of these approaches allows Gamepadla to offer a comprehensive evaluation of gamepad performance.