Chapter 1: Refresh Rate ($Hz$) vs. Frame Rate ($FPS$)

It is the most common point of confusion in the hardware community. Refresh Rate ($Hz$) is a hardware spec—it is how many times per second your monitor's panel is physically capable of drawing a new image. Frame Rate ($FPS$) is a software spec—it is how many unique images your GPU is currently generating. For a "Valid" test on this tool, these two numbers must reach a state of Sync Equilibrium. If you are running 60 FPS on a 144Hz monitor, you are essentially seeing every frame twice, which negates the advantage of your high-end display.

The Browser Stutter Challenge

Modern browsers like Chrome utilize Hardware Acceleration to render this Canvas at the maximum speed allowed by your Operating System. However, background updates or "Power Saver" modes in Windows/macOS can force the browser to drop frames. If the HUD above displays "STUTTER WARNING," your CPU is likely throttling the rendering loop, which makes ghosting analysis impossible.

Chapter 2: Deciphering the Ghosting Phenomenon

Look at the UFOs trailing across the screen. Ghosting occurs when the liquid crystals in your panel cannot twist fast enough to change from one color to the next. This creates a faint "after-image" or trail behind moving objects. In our Swift or Warp speed modes, ghosting becomes extremely obvious.

1. The VA Panel "Smearing"

VA (Vertical Alignment) panels are known for high contrast but slow "Dark-to-Light" transitions. If you use the Dark background setting above, you may notice a long, dark smear behind the neon green UFO. This is the hallmark of VA substrate latency.

2. The IPS "Glow" and Speed

IPS (In-Plane Switching) panels generally offer much faster response times. On this test, a high-quality IPS panel will show almost zero "ghost" trailing, maintaining a sharp silhouette of the UFO even at high velocities. This is why IPS is the standard for competitive esports.

Chapter 3: Overdrive and Inverse Ghosting (Coronas)

To combat ghosting, monitor manufacturers use a technique called Voltage Overdrive. By applying extra voltage to a pixel, they force it to change colors faster. However, if the voltage is too high, the pixel "overshoots" its target color. This creates Inverse Ghosting—a bright, glowing halo (or "Corona") trailing the moving object.

Chapter 4: The OLED Revolution - Instant Response

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology represents a paradigm shift in display diagnostics. Unlike LCDs, where liquid crystals must physically move, OLED pixels are self-emissive and can switch states in under 0.1 milliseconds. If you run our UFO test on a high-end OLED display, you will notice something incredible: Zero Ghosting. The UFOs will look like physical objects moving behind glass, with no trails or artifacts, regardless of the background color or speed.

Chapter 5: Backlight Strobing and Motion Clarity (BFI)

To achieve even higher levels of clarity, many gaming monitors use BFI (Black Frame Insertion), sometimes marketed as ULMB, DyAc, or ELMB. This technology turns the monitor's backlight off between frames. By shortening the amount of time an image is shown to your retina, it reduces Eye-Tracking Motion Blur. On this test, enabling BFI will make the UFOs look significantly sharper, though the screen may appear slightly dimmer or have a noticeable flicker.

Chapter 6: Implementing the "Pursuit Camera" Test

Linguistic descriptions of blur are subjective. To get an Objective Audit, professional reviewers use the "Pursuit Camera" method. Follow this ritual to verify your monitor's speed:

1. Alignment: Set the UFO speed to 8 pixels/frame.
2. Tracking: Take your smartphone and hold it in front of the screen. Move your phone sideways at the exact same speed as the UFOs.
3. Capture: Take a photo while moving. If the resulting photo shows a sharp UFO, your monitor has excellent MPRT (Motion Picture Response Time). If the photo is blurry, your eyes are fighting display persistence.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Display Science