What causes motion blur on monitors?

Motion blur is caused by two things: the time it takes pixels to change color (response time), and the fact that LCD panels hold each frame until the next one arrives (sample-and-hold). Higher refresh rates and faster response times both reduce perceived blur.

How can I reduce motion blur?

Use a higher refresh rate (144Hz+), enable your monitor's overdrive setting (usually Medium), and if available, enable backlight strobing (ELMB, DyAc, ULMB). Higher frame rates in games also directly reduce motion blur.

What is overdrive and inverse ghosting?

Overdrive accelerates pixel transitions by overshooting the target color. Too much overdrive causes 'inverse ghosting' — a bright corona ahead of the moving object. Set your monitor's overdrive to Medium or Normal. If you see bright halos, reduce the overdrive level.

Motion Blur & UFO Test

Watch objects move at different speeds side-by-side to evaluate your monitor's motion clarity, pixel response time, and ghosting.

💡 Does my monitor have motion blur?

Focus on the edges of the moving objects. If you see a trail or shadow behind them, that's motion blur caused by slow pixel response times. Compare the different speed lanes — blur becomes more visible at higher speeds. On a good 144Hz+ monitor with fast response times, the objects should appear sharp even at high speeds.

How this test works

Multiple objects move across the screen simultaneously at different speeds (1px, 3px, 6px, and 12px per frame). This lets you directly compare how well your monitor handles motion at various speeds. The test uses requestAnimationFrame for frame-perfect timing. Look for ghosting (a faint trail behind moving objects) and coronas (bright reverse-ghosting from overdrive).

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes motion blur on monitors?: Motion blur is caused by two things: the time it takes pixels to change color (response time), and the fact that LCD panels hold each frame until the next one arrives (sample-and-hold). Higher refresh rates and faster response times both reduce perceived blur.
How can I reduce motion blur?: Use a higher refresh rate (144Hz+), enable your monitor's overdrive setting (usually Medium), and if available, enable backlight strobing (ELMB, DyAc, ULMB). Higher frame rates in games also directly reduce motion blur.
What is overdrive and inverse ghosting?: Overdrive accelerates pixel transitions by overshooting the target color. Too much overdrive causes 'inverse ghosting' — a bright corona ahead of the moving object. Set your monitor's overdrive to Medium or Normal. If you see bright halos, reduce the overdrive level.

More monitor tests

← More monitor tests Response Time & Ghosting Test →Refresh Rate Test →

Written by MouseTesting Team

Reviewed by MouseTesting Engineering • Last updated: January 2026