Monitor Ghosting Test
Quick answer
What is the Monitor Ghosting Test?
A monitor ghosting test moves objects across the screen so you can see trails left behind by slow pixel response. Faint copies behind the object are ghosting; bright or inverted halos are overshoot from too much overdrive. Use it to pick the best overdrive setting.
Key features
- Three moving lanes at adjustable speed
- Light and dark backgrounds to reveal different transitions
- Reference grid for judging trail length
- Matches your screen’s real refresh rate
Why use it
- Choose the right overdrive mode for gaming
- Compare monitors before buying or returning
- Free alternative to camera-based tests
Built and tested by Whitson Rao
About the Monitor Ghosting Test
See how cleanly your monitor shows motion. A sharp target moves across dark, mid-gray and light lanes at the speed you choose. Trails behind it are ghosting or smearing (slow pixel response), and bright or dark halos are overshoot from overdrive set too high. Use it to pick the best overdrive setting, compare monitors, or check for black smearing on VA panels. Check the refresh rate first with the Refresh Rate Test.
How to use the Monitor Ghosting Test
Set your monitor to its highest refresh rate and go fullscreen.
Watch the target with your eyes following it. Look for trails behind it and halos around the edges.
Change the speed, then try each overdrive or response-time setting in your monitor menu and compare.
Pause to look at a still frame; the target itself should be crisp.
Common uses
Tuning overdrive
Pick the setting with the shortest trail and no inverse ghosting.
VA black smearing
The dark lane shows the purple-black smear common on VA panels.
Comparing monitors
Run the same speed on two screens side by side.
Checking a new purchase
Make sure motion looks as advertised.
Frequently asked questions
What is monitor ghosting?
A faint trail behind moving objects, caused by pixels not changing color fast enough before the next frame.
What is inverse ghosting?
A bright or colored halo around moving objects, caused by overdrive pushing pixels past their target. Lower the overdrive setting to fix it.
Why does the target look blurry even without ghosting?
Sample-and-hold blur: your eyes track the object while each frame stays still. Higher refresh rates or a backlight-strobing mode reduce it.