How the Choice Reaction Test Works
Four steps, about a minute for 20 rounds.
Pick your settings
Choose 2 or 4 choices and 10 or 20 rounds. Start with 4 choices for the classic test.
Rest your fingers
Place them on D, F, J and K or the arrow keys. On a phone, hold it so your thumbs reach every box.
Hit the lit box
After a random wait one box turns white. Press its key or tap it. Pressing early restarts the wait.
Check your score
See your average for correct answers, your fastest, your accuracy and your personal best.
What Is a Good Choice Reaction Time?
More choices take longer, so each mode has its own scale. Only correct answers count.
These ratings are a VoltReflex guide, not a scientific standard. For reference, a study of 2,196 adults in Scotland measured about 539 ms for a 4 choice task at age 30 and about 729 ms at age 69, using a dedicated device. A browser, screen and keyboard add some delay on top.
Choice vs Simple Reaction Time
Why picking the right answer costs extra time.
Simple reaction
The reaction time test has one signal and one response. You only need to notice the change, so it is the fastest kind of reaction.
Choice reaction
Here you must decide which box lit up before you move. That decision step is what this test adds. Read choice vs simple reaction time for the research.
Hick's law
Reaction time grows with the number of options, but not in a straight line. Try 2 and then 4 choices to feel it, and read Hick's law explained.
Real life
Sports, gaming and driving are full of choices. Pair this test with the reflex game and the audio test for a full picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about the choice reaction test.
What is a choice reaction time test?
It measures how fast you respond when you must pick the right answer from several options. In this test one of 2 or 4 boxes lights up and you press its key or tap it. Only correct answers count toward your average.
What is a good choice reaction time?
On this test, under about 450 ms with 4 choices is very good and 550 to 650 ms is average. A large Scottish study measured about 539 ms for 4 choices at age 30 on a dedicated device. Browsers and screens add some delay, so compare your own scores over time.
Why is choice reaction time slower than simple reaction time?
Your brain has to decide which response is correct before you move. This decision step adds time, and it grows as the number of options goes up. That pattern is known as Hick’s law.
Should I use the keyboard or tap?
Use whatever you will test with every time. A keyboard with D, F, J and K or the arrow keys is usually the most consistent. Touchscreens can add delay, so do not compare phone and keyboard scores directly.
Does an early press count?
No. If you press before a box lights up, the test shows Too soon and restarts the wait for that round. A wrong key or wrong box counts as an error and lowers your accuracy.
VoltReflex results are for entertainment and self-benchmarking, not a medical diagnosis. Sources Der and Deary (2017), Reaction time and intelligence in cohorts aged 30, 50 and 69 and Hyman (1953), Stimulus information as a determinant of reaction time