What is Response Time for Monitors?
Response time, frame rate, and refresh rate – what do they all mean? It can be difficult to know what to look for in a monitor. Response time is just one of the many features you should consider when looking into your unique monitor buying experience.
As part of our monitor features cheat sheet, ViewSonic hopes to make your search for a new monitor easy and perfectly catered for you. Or learn more about ViewSonic Elite gaming monitors here.
Read on to learn about response time for monitors and how it can change your monitor viewing experience.
Response time can be one of the more complicated features to look for in a monitor. This is because it’s one of the most overlooked features as it does not provide much for the everyday user. Response time relates to the colors you see on your monitor and how long it takes them to shift between one another.
But if you are in the market for a gaming monitor or are in fields that rely heavily on video or other motion-dependent things, response time is highly important for you and can make a huge difference.
What Is Response Time for Monitors?
Response time for monitors is the time it takes to shift from one color to another. This is usually measured in the time it takes to go from black to white back again to black expressed in milliseconds (ms). However, there is also gray-to-gray (GtG) and sometimes even just black-to-white.
Usually, 10ms is the average for black to white to black. But to give you another reference point, LCD screens have response times under 10ms. But the fewer milliseconds response time takes, the better image and motion production. Certain panel types are more responsive than others, however, with TN panels traditionally having being much more responsive than IPS panels. But that is all changing, especially with nano IPS.
Black to White to Black
Black to white to black is the standard response time indicator. Black to white to black measures by determining the time for fully active (white) to inactive (black) back to active again.
With this time measurement, you can determine how long it takes a pixel to change colors. In LCD, for example, how fast the liquid-crystal rises and then falls is the total time.
Black to white to black response times are usually higher, meaning they are slower to shift. These types of response times are better catered for everyday computer users who are more interested in monitor ergonomics.
Gray-to-Gray (GtG)
Gray-to-gray (GtG) functions on what is called a middle gradation, meaning these pixels do not become fully inactive. LCD GtGs have roughly 256 gradations of gray. Gray-to-gray response times are much faster and are great for those interested in better gaming experiences and videography.
It is also important to note how they are measured. While black to white to black is round trip total time, gray-to-gray is measured by taking several selected time sequences and then getting the average. This then is the total time in milliseconds it takes for a pixel to change color.
How Color is Made
With all this talk about black, white, and gray, you are probably wondering how in the world color is made. LCD displays usually have three subpixels per pixel. And monitors can have millions of pixels on a single display (a 4K screen contains about 8.3 million). Each of these three subpixels found within a single pixel has color filters of red, green, and blue light within them. By changing the active and inactive parts of these three subpixels, you can produce different colors.
So, response time is measuring how long it takes for these pixels to “turn off” or more scientifically, block out light. Gray-to-gray functions on a basis of color scheme and the switching between each shade of gray. But the color variations are produced in a similar way using the middle gradations.
What is Latency?
Latency is a term you may see pop up when researching response time. Some places may confuse the two terms since they both involve timing and use milliseconds but there is a difference.
Latency refers to data awaiting a response, not color shift time. Response time can also be confused with terms like input lag, which is an error caused by a lack of response by the monitor itself.
Latency simply refers to the time in which a request is sent and how long it awaits a response. Once it is processed and received, you have the summary of round-trip latency and service time. However, better latency can improve your response time by a whole millisecond!
How is Response Time Different from Refresh Rate or Frame Rate?
Some other terms you may have seen are refresh rate and frame rate. It is important to note that these are quite different but easily confused.
Refresh rate is the number of times your monitor updates with a new image every second. This is measured in hertz (Hz). The higher the hertz, the smoother a picture. The refresh rate is related directly to the monitor or display hardware.
However, making sure you have both a good refresh rate and frame rate allows for optimal performance.
Frame rate is the speed at which those images are shown. This is measured in frames per second (fps). Each image shown represents a frame and how quick movement between them is thus creating what you see on the screen. So, if you see 30fps, that means there are 30 distinct still images that your display is switching between.
Frame rate is not dependent on your monitor, but rather the combination of software, graphics card, and central processing unit (CPU).
Response Time Test
When it comes to response time, the science and meaning of it is, admittedly, quite complicated. Even some engineers can find it challenging. But there are some cool resources to help you understand response time better.
Response time tests are useful but complicated tools where you can test your monitor’s response time. These are particularly useful for monitors that use gray-to-gray response times since they are better suited for video and motion. These tests will show you what is called moving picture response time (MPRT).
Moving picture response time is different in that it is the amount of time that a pixel (that has already changed colors) is visible.
If you are in the field of videography and you would like to learn more about GtG and MPRT, check out this explanation.
Why Response Time Is Important
If you are a casual internet user, meaning you simply browse, shop, or read, response time is not really an important factor. In fact, even if you regularly use your PC for things like watching movies or videos, response time still may not be that big of a deal for you.
If you are a videographer, or even more so, a gamer, response time matters quite a lot. Having a lower response rate, such as one to five milliseconds can make all the difference for you. It also allows for more distinct motion and less of what is called “ghosting”.
But keep in mind, if you are someone who suffers from eye strain and headaches, lower response times could mean that the monitor excludes complex image processing such as boosted brightness or blue light filters that protect your eyes.
A highly responsive monitor might not be for you.
Should You Consider Better Response Time?
If you are a gamer or videographer, absolutely yes!
If you are in competitive esports, for example, then having a better response time is necessary to make sure you stay on top. But if you are an everyday user, for things like professional businesses, or just casual surfing, response time may not be the number one factor you should consider.
If you are looking for a great monitor for needs requiring response time, check out ViewSonic Elite’s XG2405 for gaming and even videography due to its low response time of 1ms (GtG) and a refresh rate of 144Hz! Or click here to explore ViewSonic Elite’s series of high-performing gaming monitors.
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What you need to know about PC monitor response times
Dell monitor
(Image credit: Windows Central)
The process of PC buying and building is full of jargon, which doesn’t stop when it comes to choosing a monitor.
There are some key data points to consider when choosing the display, and it’s important to understand them before you drop your money. One such piece of potentially confusing information is response time. Here, we’ll help you cut through the jargon and try to help you buy the best PC monitor.
What is monitor response time?
Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
The response time of a monitor is measured by how quickly the display can have a pixel change from fully active (white) to fully inactive (black). The faster this process, the lower the response time, which generally results in a better visual image. This is particularly noticeable in games and media with higher frame rates.
This differs from refresh rate, which is how many times per second the panel can redraw the image. With refresh rate, you want a higher number, and response time you want to go lower. It’s measured in milliseconds, so a five-millisecond (5ms) response time means that a monitor can go from white to black to white in 1/200th of a second.
Getting the lowest possible response time will ensure image ghosting is minimized, leaving you with overall better clarity and quality.
The best monitors for PC gaming
Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
When you need to game on your PC, you need the best PC gaming monitor to handle all the pixels sent by your GPU. Adding synchronization technology to the mix really makes your game catalog shine, no matter what you play.
Depending on what GPU you own and how much budget is available, we have the best recommendations for different resolutions. And if you need a GPU upgrade, be sure to have a look at our best graphics card picks for tons of options.
Should you simply get the lowest response time?
Yes and no. Like refresh rate, response time will vary depending on the manufacturer and what type of monitor you’re getting. Gamers will traditionally want the lowest possible response time, and 1ms monitors are commonplace, particularly in esports.
What you don’t want when you’re gaming is image ghosting interfering with your experience. You want the sharpest picture you can get.
There are some great, inexpensive gaming monitors out there with a low response time, like the LG 24GL600F. It costs under $200, has a 1ms response time, has a 144Hz refresh rate, and is a solid all-rounder for PC and console gaming. If you’re looking at higher resolution panels like 1440p, Dell’s S2719DGF is a great shout. It’s got both a low response time and a low input lag.
Fast and affordable
LG 24GL600F
A lot of gaming monitor for a small outlay
With 144Hz, freesync, low input lag, and response time, this is a genuinely brilliant budget PC gaming monitor.
Fast and crisp
Dell S2719DGF
An amazing monitor at an attractive price
With this monitor, you get a 1ms response time, low input lag, a 155Hz 27-inch 1440p panel, and FreeSync for tear-free gaming.
It ticks all the boxes at a really great price.
But, response time is but one feature to consider when buying a monitor. Refresh rate and input lag are always advertised, but input lag is something else important, and not to be confused with either of these things.
Not to be confused with input lag
Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
Unfortunately, the performance of your monitor is still at the whim of the manufacturer actually producing it. In theory, the lower response times should always be better and reduce image ghosting, but the type of panel used and its quality will still be factors.
A bad monitor will still be a bad monitor.
What’s important to point out is the difference between response time and input lag. Response time is how quickly an image can be displayed; input lag is how long it takes the monitor to react to an action you performed. If you have a one-millisecond response time, it’s no guarantee of a great gaming experience if the input lag is too high.
Imagine you’re playing a competitive shooter like CS:GO or Call of Duty. You’ve got a low response time for ghost-free, sharp images, but if you move the mouse or your controller and there’s a noticeable delay between that action and the in-game equivalent, you’ve got high input lag, and the experience will be tainted.
Conclusion
Source: Dan Thorp-Lancaster/Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Dan Thorp-Lancaster/Windows Central)
Ideally, you want a balance of three things in your gaming monitor: low response time, high refresh rate, and low input lag. Console gamers don’t have to be as concerned with refresh rate right now, but a good gaming monitor like the LG 24GL600F will provide a 1ms response rate for great quality images, a low input lag and will handle console gaming with ease.
PC gamers have a little more to consider, especially for targeting high frame rates. There are a lot of choices now, though, with high refresh rate monitors more common than ever, and many will also come with a 5ms or lower response time.
The Dell S2719DGF is a fine example of a well-balanced monitor that covers the holy trinity of features.
Richard Devine is an Editor at Windows Central. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently you’ll find him covering all manner of PC hardware and gaming, and you can follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
With contributions from
- Rich EdmondsSenior Editor, PC Build
Monitor response: why is it so important?
When you buy a new monitor, you will have many specifications. And while things like screen size and resolution are pretty obvious, there’s another important factor: response time. Here’s how it works.
Response time is the time it takes for your monitor to switch from one color to another. This is usually measured in terms of going from black to white back to black, in milliseconds.
Typical LCD response times are less than ten milliseconds (10ms), and some are as short as one millisecond.
The exact method of measuring this statistic is not agreed upon: some manufacturers express it in terms of an LCD panel going from black to white, or black to white to black, or more commonly gray to grey. full spectrum, but starting and ending at subtler, more complex gray values. In all cases, lower response times are better because they reduce image problems such as blur or ghosting.
Response time should not be confused with monitor refresh rate. They sound the same, but the refresh rate is the number of times the screen displays a new image every second, expressed in hertz. Most monitors use a 60Hz refresh rate, although some go higher, and the higher the better. On the contrary, the shorter the response time, the better.
Why is fast response important to you?
Most computer users are not even aware of the response time of their monitor or screen because in most cases it doesn’t matter.
For web surfing, writing emails or Word documents, and photo editing, screen color switching lag is so high you won’t even notice it. Even video on modern computer monitors and TVs usually doesn’t have enough latency for the viewer to notice it.
The exception is games. For gamers, every millisecond counts — the difference between winning and losing a combat match, getting hit by a sniper from a long distance, or even getting that perfect line in a racing game can really be one millisecond. So for gamers looking for every possible competitive advantage, a low refresh rate of 1 to 5 milliseconds is worth the expense of a more expensive, gaming-focused monitor.
Which types of monitors are the fastest?
For your laptop or phone, you generally don’t have a choice for poor screen response time, although there are exceptions. But if you’re buying a new gaming monitor, you’ll want the fastest panel you can afford.
At the time of this writing, there are three different types of LCD panels available that cover 99% of monitors sold today.
- TN (Twisted Nematic) screen panels: Inexpensive, but generally poor color gamut. They are among the fastest on the market in terms of response times, and gaming monitors often opt for less colored TN panels to be faster.
- IPS (In-Plane Switching) Display Panels: More expensive and more accurate colors, IPS monitors are valued by graphic designers, photographers, video editors and anyone else who cares about accurate colors. They have faster response times than TN panels, which is why they are rarely sold as «gaming» monitors.
- VA (Vertical Alignment) Screen Panels: A new design that attempts to combine the fast response time of TN with the more accurate, vibrant color of IPS. It’s somewhere in between, but many gaming monitors are now made with VA panels that have refresh rates as low as one millisecond.
If you want a monitor that can handle even the fastest games, get a monitor with a TN or VA screen. There are IPS gaming monitors, but they are rare and expensive, and yet not as fast as the alternatives.
You can usually find the panel type in the monitor’s specifications, online listing, or on the retail box.
What are the disadvantages of a fast response?
To improve response times, gaming monitors often forgo the more complex image processing that takes place between signals from the computer. This includes color-correcting parts of the monitor itself, increased brightness, blue light filters to reduce eye strain, and similar features. If you choose a gaming monitor and set it to the fastest possible response time, you will likely see a drop in brightness and duller colors.
Should I buy a monitor with a fast response time?
Is it worth it? For many games, not so much. If you’re playing in single player mode and the only enemy you have to face is the computer, then that random blur or ghost image may not be worth the aesthetic stab you take to buy a gaming monitor and set it to the fastest mode. More casual games like Minecraft just don’t benefit from such ultra-low image latency, even when played online.
Speaking of online, if the connection to your multiplayer game is bad, the time it takes for your computer to send information to the game server and return information will probably be much longer than your response time anyway. Even on a «slow» monitor with a 10ms response time, if your game has a 100ms ping to the server (one tenth of a second), image lag issues won’t be a factor in your victory.
But if you have a fast internet connection and often play fast-paced multiplayer games like Fortnite, Overwatch, Rocket League, or Street Fighter, you’ll want to use every last millisecond on your side. The same is true for game consoles and TVs (many of which have a «game mode» that reduces response time) and remains true if you plug the console into a computer monitor.
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What is monitor response time and how can I change it?
Contents
- What is the response time of a computer monitor?
- What affects the response time?
- Is it too much or too little, and what is the best monitor response time?
- How can I know and check the response time?
- There are three main methods for measuring monitor response:
- Game monitor response time
- How do I change monitor response time?
- Pins
What is the response time of a computer monitor?
Speaking in a dry scientific language, the response time of liquid crystal monitors is the shortest time it takes for a pixel to change the brightness of the glow and is measured in milliseconds. (ms)
It would seem that everything is simple and clear, but if we consider the issue in detail, it turns out that these numbers hide several secrets.
A bit of science and history
The time of warm and tube CRT monitors with honest frame rate scan and RGB color has already passed. Then everything was clear — 100 Hz is good, and 120 Hz is even better. Each user knew what these numbers show — how many times per second the picture on the screen is updated, or blinks. For comfortable viewing of dynamically changing scenes (for example, movies), it was recommended to use a frame rate of 25 for TV and 30 Hz for digital video. The basis was the assertion of medicine that human vision perceives an image as continuous if it blinks at least twenty-five times per second.
But technology has evolved, and the baton from CRT (cathode ray tube) was taken over by liquid crystal panels, which are also called LCDs, TFTs, LCDs. Although production technologies differ, we will not focus on the details in this article, we will talk about the differences between TFT and LCD another time
What affects the response time?
So, the principle of operation of the LCD is that the cells of the matrix change their brightness under the influence of a control signal, in other words, they switch.
And this switching speed or response time just determines the maximum speed of changing the picture on the display.
In the usual hertz is translated by the formula f=1/t. That is, in order to get the required 25 Hz, it is required to provide pixels with a speed of 40 ms and 33 ms for 30 Hz.
Is it too much or too little, and what is the best monitor response time?
- If the time is long, then with sharp changes in the scene, artifacts will appear — where the matrix is already black, but still shows white. Or, an object that has already disappeared from the camera’s field of view is displayed.
- When fuzzy pictures are shown to the human eye, visual fatigue increases, headaches may appear, and fatigue may increase. This is due to the visual tract — the brain is constantly interpolating information coming from the retina, and the eye itself is busy with a continuous change of focus.
Less is more. Especially if you have to spend most of your time at the computer.
The older generation remembers how hard it was to sit in front of the CRT eight-hour work day — and they provided 60 Hz and more.
How can I know and check the response time?
Although they are milliseconds in Africa, milliseconds, but surely many have come across the fact that different monitors with the same indicators form an image of different quality. This situation has developed due to different methods for determining the response of the matrix. And it is hardly possible to find out what method of measurement the manufacturer used in each specific case.
There are three main methods for measuring the response of monitors:
- BWB, aka BtB is an abbreviation of the English phrase «Black to Back» and «Black-White-Black». Shows the time it takes for a pixel to switch from black to white and back to black. The most honest indicator.
- BtW stands for «Black to White». Turning on from an inactive state to one hundred percent luminosity.
- GtG is short for «Grey to Grey». How many points does it take to change the brightness of gray from ninety percent to ten. Usually is about 1-2 ms.
And it turns out that checking the response time of the monitor by the third method will show a much better and more attractive result for the consumer than checking by the second. But you won’t find fault — they will write that 2 ms and so it will be. Yes, only in fact on the monitor and artifacts climb, and the picture goes in a loop. And all from the fact that only the BWB method shows the true state of affairs — the first method, it is he who indicates the time required for a pixel to complete a full working cycle in all possible states.
Unfortunately, the documentation available to consumers does not clarify the picture and it is difficult to understand what is meant by, for example, 8 ms. Will it fit, will it work comfortably?
For laboratory research, a rather complex software and hardware complex is used, which is not available in every workshop.
But what if you want to check the manufacturer?
Testing the response time of the monitor at home is carried out by the TFT Monitor Test program. Selecting the test icon in the software menu and specifying the native screen resolution, a picture with a rectangle scurrying back and forth is displayed on the display. At the same time, the program will proudly show the measured time!
We used version 1.52, checked several displays and concluded that the program shows something, and even in milliseconds. Moreover, the monitor of the worst quality showed the worst results. But since the time of extinguishing and igniting pixels is recorded only by a photo sensor, which was not in sight, then a purely software method can be recommended for a subjective comparative assessment — what the program measures is clear only to its developers.
A much more illustrative empirical test will be the «White Square» mode in the TFT Monitor Test — a white square moves across the screen, and the tester’s task is to observe the trail from this geometric figure.
The longer the loop, the more time the matrix spends on switching and the worse its properties.
That’s about all you can do to solve the «How to check monitor response time» problem. We will not describe methods using cameras and calibration tables, but we will consider them another time — this will take another couple of days. A full check can only be performed by a specialized organization with the appropriate technical base.
Game Monitor Response Time
If your computer is primarily intended for gaming, you should choose a monitor with the fastest response time. In dynamic shooters, even a tenth of a second can decide the outcome of a battle. Therefore, the recommended monitor response time for games is no more than 8 ms. This value provides a frame rate of 125 Hz, and will be absolutely sufficient for any toy.
At the next next value of 16 ms, motion blur will be observed in hard batches. These statements are true if the claimed time was measured by BWB, but companies can slyly write both 2 ms and 1 ms.
Our recommendation remains the same – less is more. Based on this approach, say that the response time of the monitor for games should be at least 2ms, as 2ms GtG roughly corresponds to 16ms BWB.
How to change the response time in the monitor?
Unfortunately, without replacing the screen — almost nothing. This is a characteristic of the layer itself, which is responsible for the formation of the picture, and corresponds to the design decision of the manufacturer. There is of course a small loophole and the engineers solved the question: «How to change the response time.»
Monitor companies call this feature OverDrive (OD) or RTC — response time compensation. This is when a higher voltage pulse is briefly applied to the pixel and it switches faster. If the monitor sparkles with the inscription — Gaming Mode or the like, then you should know that there is the possibility of adjusting for the better. Let’s explain it again to make it completely clear — no programs and replacements for video cards will help and nothing will be tweaked — this is a physical property of the matrix and its controller.