You have upgraded to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8, and noticed bad performance from your gaming mouse? More input lag and worse fluidity, even when dragging windows around on the desktop, not just in video games?
There is now a system-wide solution. Follow KB 2908279 Instructions, install the hotfix (skip that step if already installed), and then add c:\windows\explorer.exe to your registry in Step #4. Although Explorer is not a game executable, this solution enables the high report rate (e.g. 1000Hz) system-wide from your gaming mouse in all your applications. This fixes all fluidity including window dragging, scrollbar dragging, etc.
UPDATE: Microsoft has modified the page.
With this fix, your mouse will perform as well as it did under Windows 7 and Windows 8.
NOTE: If anyone from Microsoft is reading this, see Comments for scientific explanations why 1000Hz is better for window-dragging/scrolling, even on a 60Hz or 120Hz monitor.
Also, see the new Blur Busters Mouse Guide.
I just started having bad mouse cursor lag after updating to Windows 10. That led me here — unfortunately though it wont let me install KB 2908279 on Windows 10. Any idea how to get around that?
Alright so I added the C:\Windows\Explorer.exe at step 4 like you said but do I stop there and restart my computer or do I continue with the rest of the steps he had up there?
My testing of the recent Windows 8.1 Update (8-April-2014, KB2919355) shows that Windows 8.1 no longer has the mouse lag reported here : It no longer coalesces and merges mouse input, and tools like MouseRate.exe (http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/Mouse-Rate-Checker.shtml) shows the full mouse polling rate, at least for Windows 8.1 running on a desktop PC.
In other words, it is back to the Windows 7/8 behaviour.
Possibly it now works differently on laptops or tablets than it does for desktops?
Does anybody (with a laptop or tablet or otherwise) care to test it?
Hi guys! I’m wondering something, when I try to install this (KB 2908279) update, it says it doesn’t apply for my system even though I’m not stupid and know that I currently use 8.1 64bit so what’s wrong??? I’ve looked in the Control Panel and I don’t see the update listed as those already installed so I don’t know where else to look around.
I always do all Windows Updates including the optionnal ones so does it mean I already have it?
You are all good and set for the KB installation!
However, you still want to install the registry tweak if you want to ensure system-wide 1000Hz performance, including dragging windows which looks noticeably smoother at 1000Hz especially when combined with a motion blur eliminating strobe backlight (e.g. LightBoost, EIZO Turbo240, NVIDIA ULMB, or BENQ Blur Reduction).
You were right Chief! Even though the update was still installed, I don’t know what was the point of it as it didn’t fixed anything on it’s own. I still did the registry trick for “Explorer.exe” and then I suddently noticed a big difference even on my (BenQ GW2450) 60Hz monitor that I’ve overclocked to 71Hz. I then wanted a proof that it wasn’t just a placebo effect so I re-openned my 2 main mouse tools which you can see from the link below and the results were different than before. Something weird is that before I make the registry fix, the upper-left corner program “DirectInput Mouse Rate” would show me 1000Hz as if it was all okay but the other program from 2009 would peak out at 125-200Hz then just after the fix it went back up to 1000Hz!
I really don’t know wtf Microsoft thought when doing this and it’s sad as 99% of the people won’t know about it. I can understand for a laptop but it shouldn’t do this on a PC and even less when you selected “High Performance” power mode in the control panel.