Why Esports Pros Don’t Use 8000Hz

Summary

Despite the rise of high polling rate mice (2K, 4K, 8K), top Fortnite pros, including the best player in the world, continue to favor 1K polling rates. This video explores why, revealing that many pro players use modern mice capable of higher polling rates but choose 1K for reliability and performance consistency. Higher polling rates often result in increased CPU usage, battery drain, and micro-stuttering, making them impractical for most gamers. In fact, many players can't even feel the difference beyond 1K, highlighting that higher polling rates don’t necessarily improve gameplay performance.

Takeaways

• 😀 Professional Fortnite players, including top-tier players like Peterbot, still use 1,000 Hz polling rate despite higher options like 2,000 Hz, 4,000 Hz, and 8,000 Hz being available.
• 😀 Many of the popular mice used by pros, such as the Logitech G Pro X Superlite 2 and Razer Viper V3 Pro, are capable of 8K polling rates but are often used at 1K.
• 😀 Despite aggressive marketing from mouse companies promoting 8K polling rates, most users, both professional and non-professional, prefer 1K polling rates.
• 😀 A Reddit poll from r/mouse review in 2025 shows that the majority of users still prefer 1K polling rates, even with the availability of higher options.
• 😀 The difference between 1K and 2K polling rates might be noticeable, but beyond that, differences become negligible for most users, even in competitive gaming.
• 😀 Some users claim they can't feel any difference between polling rates beyond 1K, and this is understandable given how polling rate works (sending data to the computer in milliseconds).
• 😀 Higher polling rates can hurt performance by increasing CPU usage and causing micro-stuttering in games, which negatively impacts the gaming experience.
• 😀 Wireless mice experience significant battery drain when using higher polling rates—an 8K wireless mouse can last just 17 hours compared to 95 hours at 1K.
• 😀 Some mouse manufacturers have addressed battery life issues by releasing wired versions, such as the Endgame 8K gaming mouse, designed to avoid battery drain and performance delays.
• 😀 A humorous test involving a user switching to 1K polling rate on an 8K mouse shows that most people can't detect the difference in polling rate, even if they believe they can feel an improvement.
• 😀 The overall takeaway is that 1,000 Hz polling rate is reliable, consistent, and performs well, and increasing the polling rate won't necessarily make someone a better player.

Q & A

Why do top Fortnite players still use 1,000 Hz polling rate despite higher rates being available?

Top Fortnite players stick with 1,000 Hz polling rate because it offers reliable and consistent performance. Even with the availability of 2K, 4K, and 8K polling rates, they find no significant improvement in gameplay performance with the higher rates. This choice is also influenced by factors like battery life and CPU usage, which are negatively impacted by higher polling rates.

Are the mice used by professional players outdated or capable of supporting higher polling rates?

The mice used by professional players, such as the Logitech G Pro X Superlite 2 and Razer Viper V3 Pro, are modern and capable of higher polling rates. For example, the Razer Viper V3 Pro launched with an 8K polling rate, and the Superlite 2 received an 8K firmware update, showing that access to higher polling rates is not the issue.

What does polling rate refer to in the context of a gaming mouse?

Polling rate refers to how often a mouse sends information to a computer. It is measured in Hz (hertz), and higher polling rates mean the mouse is communicating with the computer more frequently, theoretically reducing latency.

Do higher polling rates beyond 4K offer noticeable performance improvements?

No, polling rates beyond 4K (such as 8K) likely do not offer a noticeable performance improvement. Most players, including some with ultra-fast 360Hz OLED displays, have reported feeling no difference between these high polling rates.

How do higher polling rates affect CPU performance and gaming experience?

Higher polling rates can negatively affect CPU performance by increasing CPU usage, leading to issues like micro-stuttering in games. This compromises the smooth gaming experience that many players seek.

What impact does a higher polling rate have on a wireless mouse's battery life?

Increasing the polling rate drastically reduces battery life in wireless mice. For instance, at 1K polling rate, a wireless mouse may last up to 95 hours, but at 8K, the battery life drops to just 17 hours—about five times worse.

Why do some mouse companies release wired alternatives despite the popularity of wireless mice?

Some mouse companies release wired alternatives to counteract the issues caused by battery drain and power-saving delays associated with higher polling rates in wireless mice. For example, the Endgame 8K gaming mouse is a wired option designed to avoid these issues.

Is it possible to feel a difference in performance between 1K and 8K polling rates?

It's highly doubtful that players will feel a significant performance difference between 1K and 8K polling rates. Many players, including those with fast displays, have claimed they cannot perceive any difference despite using higher polling rates.

What is the '1K vs 8K' test referenced in the video, and what does it demonstrate?

The '1K vs 8K' test involves a situation where a person switched their friend's mouse from 8K to 1K without telling them. The friend continued to rave about the 8K experience, unaware of the change. This test demonstrates that many people cannot actually tell the difference between 1K and 8K polling rates, even if they believe they can.

Why do many gamers continue to prefer 1K polling rates in 2025 despite higher options being marketed?

Many gamers continue to prefer 1K polling rates in 2025 because they offer consistent, reliable performance without the drawbacks of higher polling rates, such as increased CPU usage, micro-stuttering, and reduced battery life. This preference is reflected in polls like the one on the r/mouse review subreddit.