Why does windows cursor not move at 60fps?

Question

Why is it that when I move my mouse rapidly in circles I can see multiple versions of it? This looks like a frame rate problem. My computer is plenty powerful enough to render the pointer at 60fps but it does not. This is especially pronounced when I move the pointer in circles on a black background. Even moving it in 5 cm circles on the screen at around 2 hz i can see at least 14 copies of the pointer simultaneously.

Questions:

Is this a bug? Is it a feature? Is this because people are used to seeing mouse trails? Can it be toggled off?

Thanks!

Edit: I got a new computer, which delivers a whopping 240 hz (which I've verified) yet this mouse issue still persists. I'm beginning to think that either windows simply doesn't bother to update the mouse cursor rapidly for some reason or my mouse's "resolution"/refresh rate is low enough to be noticeable. Still a mystery though...

Edit the second: At this point, I'm pretty sure that it has to do with the polling rate of the mouse being low. The touchpad, for example, results in much smoother movement of the cursor than the bluetooth mouse.

Solution 1

If none of the other answers are correct. It could be the polling rate of your mouse being too low to the refresh rate of the monitor.

Try turning your DPI up on your mouse. You can do this by pressing the DPI button on your mouse or downloading the software for your mouse and changing it there. Going into the mouse settings in the Control Panel and turning off Display pointer trails can also help.

DPI should be at least double your monitor's refresh rate, though this issue is more prominent with >60Hz monitors. If this fixes it and your mouse is too fast, you can slow it down in Control Panel as well. Tried to find the video where I heard this and couldn't find it, but I know it's from Linus Tech Tips and it worked for me.

Solution 2

I would say what you're experiencing is a good example of the Phantom Array effect.

A practical example is: https://www.testufo.com/mousearrow

My oversimplified layman's description: When you strobe (flash) a light (in this case pixels on your screen) then items in motion appear to be duplicated in a trail of "copies" Whilst the back-light of your LCD/LED monitor might not "flash" the pixels making up the mouse cursor are moved x pixels then shown, then moved x pixels then shown. If you were somewhere north of 2000FPS then the movement might appear completely smooth, however we won't know until technology reaches that point.

Comments

[Thalys]

One that's optional. I wonder if someone pranked the OP :p

[Dragongeek]

Mine are off however turning them on makes the effect even more prominent

[sam1370]

It's not, the OP is speaking about how when you move the mouse pointer around in circles it looks like it is in many places at once. This problem is caused by the low FPS of the monitor.

[Oast]

@sam1370 While it may be caused by a low refresh rate, the OP of this answer is not wrong in that mouse trails would create an effect similar to this.

[DarkDiamond]

Please edit your answer to include a source, as well as maybe an explanation how to do what your suggested. This way it is more helpful to everyone.

[Community]

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