What is a Millisecond?

The millisecond is the standard unit for web latency, computer benchmarks, and high-speed photography.

Overview

The millisecond equals one thousandth of a second (10⁻³ s) and is the standard unit for web latency, computer benchmarks, audio production, and high-speed photography. Human reaction time is roughly 200–250 ms, and a single video frame at 60 fps is about 16.7 ms. Internet ping times to nearby servers are typically 5–50 ms, while transcontinental pings reach 150–300 ms. The millisecond is critical in audio engineering (sound delays of more than 30 ms become perceptually noticeable), competitive gaming (frame timing matters at the millisecond level), and stock-market trading (high-frequency trading systems compete on microsecond and millisecond delays). The millisecond relates to the second (1,000 ms = 1 s), the microsecond (1,000 µs = 1 ms), and the nanosecond.

Symbol

Convert Millisecond to all units

Live result

Second0.001 s Minute0.00001667 min Hour2.778e-7 h Day1.157 × 10^-8 d Week1.653 × 10^-9 wk Month3.803 × 10^-10 mo Year3.169 × 10^-11 yr Decade3.169 × 10^-12 dec Century3.169 × 10^-13 c

Relationship to Other Time Units

1 ms equals

Visual reference for how the millisecond relates to other time units. Each row links to the full converter for that pair.

1 ms=0.001 s 1 ms=0.00001667 min 1 ms=2.778e-7 h 1 ms=1.157 × 10^-8 d 1 ms=1.653 × 10^-9 wk 1 ms=3.803 × 10^-10 mo 1 ms=3.169 × 10^-11 yr 1 ms=3.169 × 10^-12 dec 1 ms=3.169 × 10^-13 c

When Is the Millisecond Used?

Network latency and ping times
Game frame rates and rendering
Human reaction time studies

Real-world examples

Ping to a local server: 5–20 ms. Game frame at 60 fps: 16.67 ms. Human reaction: 200–300 ms.

Tips for Using the Millisecond

1 ms = 0.001 s = 1000 µs.
60 fps = 16.67 ms/frame; 144 Hz gaming monitor = 6.94 ms/frame.
Network latency under 30 ms feels instantaneous to humans.

Common Mistakes

Reading ms as s on game latency — 100 ms vs 100 s would be drastically different.
Confusing ms with µs (microsecond, 1000× smaller).
Treating ms as a generic "short time" — it is specifically 10⁻³ s.

Convert Millisecond to Other Time Units

Millisecond to Second

1 ms = 0.001 s

Millisecond to Minute

1 ms = 0.00001667 min

Millisecond to Hour

1 ms = 2.778e-7 h

Millisecond to Day

1 ms = 1.157 × 10^-8 d

Millisecond to Week

1 ms = 1.653 × 10^-9 wk

Millisecond to Month

1 ms = 3.803 × 10^-10 mo

Millisecond to Year

1 ms = 3.169 × 10^-11 yr

Millisecond to Decade

1 ms = 3.169 × 10^-12 dec

Millisecond to Century

1 ms = 3.169 × 10^-13 c

Convert Other Units to Millisecond

Second to Millisecond

1 s = 1,000 ms

Minute to Millisecond

1 wk = 604,800,000 ms

Month to Millisecond

1 mo = 2,629,746,000 ms

Year to Millisecond

1 yr = 31,557,600,000 ms

Decade to Millisecond

1 dec = 315,576,000,000 ms

Century to Millisecond

1 c = 3,155,760,000,000 ms

FAQ About the Millisecond

3 questions

What does the Millisecond (ms) measure?

The millisecond measures time. The millisecond is the standard unit for web latency, computer benchmarks, and high-speed photography.

When is the Millisecond used?

The millisecond is used in: Network latency and ping times; Game frame rates and rendering; Human reaction time studies. Ping to a local server: 5–20 ms. Game frame at 60 fps: 16.67 ms. Human reaction: 200–300 ms.

How accurate are conversions involving the Millisecond?

All conversions on Units Converter use NIST SP 811 and BIPM reference values, accurate to 8 significant figures.