BrainGames
Decision Guide

Reaction Time vs. Number Memory

Which game should you train first?

Pick the drill that maps directly to your current goals.

6 min readProgram designUpdated Jan 5, 2025

Latency gain

-22 ms

Users prioritizing Reaction Time first

Span gain

+1.8 digits

Users prioritizing Number Memory first

Skill Focus

Reaction Time trains processing speed and stimulus-response mapping. Number Memory builds working memory span, chunking, and encoding strategies. If your bottleneck is quick execution (gaming, driving), start with Reaction Time. If it is holding complex instructions (studying, coding), prioritize Number Memory.

Use Reaction Time to diagnose fatigue—latency spikes flag poor recovery. Use Number Memory to monitor cognitive load capacity.

Hardware & Environment

Reaction Time is sensitive to monitor refresh rate and mouse latency. Shoot for 120Hz+ monitors and gaming mice if you’re chasing leaderboards. Number Memory is hardware agnostic; even mobile works.

Both benefit from distraction-free environments, but Number Memory tolerates noisier settings if you’ve mastered chunking.

How to Program Both

Alternate days: Reaction Time on Mon/Thu, Number Memory on Tue/Fri. This gives each neural system 48 hours to recover while keeping weekly coverage broad.

On competition weeks, trim Number Memory volume and double down on Reaction Time to keep latency razor sharp.

Action Steps

Identify your bottleneck

Is your struggle speed or memory? Train that first.

Dual-program smartly

Alternate days to avoid cognitive fatigue.

Benchmark monthly

Record best-of-10 Reaction Time and span growth to verify progress.

Recommended Games

Reaction Time

Processing speed anchor.

Number Memory

Working memory anchor.

Related Resources

How to Improve Reaction Time

If speed is your biggest gap.

How to Improve Working Memory

If bandwidth is your bottleneck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mix the games in one session?

Yes, but insert 2 minutes of rest between them so your brain resets focus.

Which improves IQ more?

Neither alone. Combine both plus real-world application for broad gains.