Monitor ghosting and motion trail test.

How this test works

Track a repeating moving target and look at the shape and intensity of its trail.

1. Prepare the display using the checklist below.
2. Select Start test and allow fullscreen mode if your browser asks.
3. Use the arrow keys, on-screen controls, or click the pattern to move through the test.
4. Exit the runner and save a local observation if useful.

Before you begin

• Use the display's native resolution
• Keep the browser in the foreground
• Test one overdrive setting at a time

What to look for

• Faint copies behind the target
• Bright inverse trails
• Dark smearing during high-contrast motion

Identify the trail before changing settings

Watch the repeating moving target against both light and dark backgrounds. A faint duplicate behind the object is commonly called ghosting; a dark smear can be more pronounced in some dark transitions; a bright outline can indicate inverse ghosting associated with aggressive overdrive. The pattern also has speed controls, so compare one speed at a time. Follow the target with your eyes and note the shape, direction, and persistence of the trail instead of judging motion from a single still frame.

Some motion blur is expected from sample-and-hold presentation and human vision, even without a defective panel. The key question is whether a trail is unusually distracting in the content and refresh mode you use. Keep the browser in the foreground at native resolution, then compare the same target after changing only one monitor control. A different browser or system load can also alter the smoothness of the animation, so an inconsistent run deserves a repeat before you interpret it as panel behavior.

Separate ghosting from other motion problems

A repeated shadow following an object is different from a horizontal tear line that splits a frame. Stutter is a cadence problem, where movement advances unevenly, and can happen without a long pixel trail. OLED image retention is a static afterimage that can remain after content changes; it should not be confused with a trail attached to a moving object. Naming the phenomenon accurately helps you select the next check rather than adjusting unrelated settings. The screen tearing page and refresh cadence page address different parts of the motion path.

A handheld photograph can freeze an arbitrary phase of animation and create blur from camera exposure. Even video does not automatically match what a person sees while tracking a target. If you take documentation, state the camera settings and treat it as a comparison aid, not an objective response measurement. Your eyes, viewing distance, target speed, and background all change the apparent trail. Repeat under similar conditions when comparing overdrive presets or two displays.

Use the result to tune, not to diagnose automatically

Try the monitor’s response or overdrive modes one at a time. A higher mode may reduce a dark trail but introduce a bright inverse halo. Check a middle setting and the refresh rates you normally use before settling on one choice. If the issue is only visible in a synthetic test at a speed you never encounter, judge its practical importance in games, scrolling, or video too. If it is obvious in normal content, record the mode and conditions so you can reproduce it.

The response-time page is the more focused place for comparing those settings; this page helps classify visible ghosting, dark smearing, and inverse trails. Neither page measures physical pixel response in milliseconds. A reliable number needs controlled optical equipment and a defined transition. Browser animation can show a useful visual symptom but cannot decide whether the panel meets an advertised specification, whether a cable is faulty, or whether replacement is warranted under a maker’s policy.

Frequently asked questions