Monitor Ghosting Test
Watch the flying saucers. A sharp one is good. A trail behind it is ghosting, and a bright halo is overshoot.
How to Use the Monitor Ghosting Test
Ghosting happens when pixels change colour too slowly, leaving a faint trail behind moving objects. This test moves three objects at full, half and quarter speed so you can compare. Change the background, because ghosting is often worse on certain colours. Use it to choose the best overdrive setting on your monitor.
- Go full screen. Larger is easier to judge.
- Pick a speed. 960 px/s is a good start.
- Watch the trails. A dark trail is ghosting, a bright or coloured halo is overshoot.
- Change overdrive. Try each setting in the monitor menu and compare.
Ghosting vs Overshoot vs Motion Blur
| Effect | What you see | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Ghosting | Faint copy trailing behind | Raise overdrive one step |
| Overshoot (inverse ghosting) | Bright or coloured halo | Lower overdrive one step |
| Motion blur | Object looks soft overall | Higher refresh rate, or a strobing mode |
Pick the Best Overdrive Setting
Most monitors have Off, Normal, Fast and Extreme. "Normal" or "Fast" is usually the sweet spot. "Extreme" often adds overshoot. Test on dark and grey backgrounds.
Check Your Refresh Rate First
Ghosting looks far worse at 60 Hz. Run the refresh rate test first to make sure your monitor runs at its full Hz.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is some ghosting normal?
A little, yes, especially on VA panels with dark colours.
Is OLED better?
Yes. OLED pixels switch almost instantly, so ghosting is very low.
Why does it look worse on grey?
Grey-to-grey changes are the slowest on many LCDs.
Does it work on laptops?
Yes, any screen.
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