How the aim trainer works
Press Start test and a target appears somewhere on the board. Click it and the next one shows up immediately in a new spot. After 30 targets the test ends.
Your score is the average time from a target appearing to you hitting it, in milliseconds. The result screen also shows how many clicks missed.
What is a good aim trainer score?
| Average per target | Rating |
|---|---|
| Under 350 ms | Exceptional |
| 350 to 419 ms | Fast |
| 420 to 499 ms | Above average |
| 500 to 619 ms | Average |
| 620 to 779 ms | Below average |
| 780 ms or more | Slow |
These bands assume a mouse on a desktop or laptop screen. A larger screen means longer distances between targets, so the same person will score a little slower on a big monitor in full width than in a small window.
Why aiming takes longer than reacting
Each hit is made of two parts. First you notice the target and decide to move, which takes about as long as a plain reaction time test. Then your hand has to carry the pointer across the screen and stop on the target.
The second part follows a rule called Fitts’s law, published by psychologist Paul Fitts in 1954. It says that the time to reach a target grows with the distance to it and shrinks with its size. Far, small targets are slow. Near, large ones are fast. Interface designers use the same law to decide how big buttons should be.
It also explains the shape of a good flick: a fast, rough movement that covers most of the distance, then a short correction at the end. Skilled players make that first movement accurate enough that the correction is tiny.
How to improve your aim
Lower your sensitivity. If you often overshoot, your pointer speed is probably too high. Slower settings let the large muscles of your arm do the travel and your wrist do the fine correction.
Aim first, then click. Clicking a few milliseconds early and missing costs far more than arriving and clicking cleanly. Watch your accuracy figure. If it is under 90 percent, slow down slightly and your average will usually improve.
Keep your eyes ahead of the pointer. Look at the new target, not at the cursor. Your hand follows your gaze.
Use a mouse and a decent surface. A trackpad makes long, fast movements very hard. A plain mouse pad with enough room is worth more than an expensive mouse.
Warm up in short sets. Three or four runs before a gaming session is plenty. Long sessions when your hand is tired mostly train bad habits.
Mouse, trackpad and touch
Scores from different input devices do not compare. With a touchscreen there is no pointer to move, so your finger can go straight to the target. With a trackpad you often need two swipes to cross the board. Pick the device you care about and compare only against your own history, which is saved in the Your scores panel.