Response time is one of the most misunderstood specifications in gaming monitors. Manufacturers throw around impressive-sounding numbers like "1ms" or "0.5ms," but these figures often don't tell the whole story. Understanding what response time actually measures—and what it doesn't—will help you cut through marketing claims and make a more informed purchase decision.
This guide explains the different types of response time measurements, how they affect your gaming experience, and what numbers you should actually be looking for in 2026.
What Is Response Time?
At its most basic, response time measures how quickly a pixel on your monitor can change from one colour to another. This matters for gaming because slow pixel transitions create visual artifacts, most notably "ghosting"—the trail or shadow that appears behind moving objects.
Imagine a white ball moving across a black background. On a monitor with slow response time, you might see a faint grey trail following the ball because the pixels take time to transition from white back to black. The faster the response time, the cleaner and crisper moving images appear.
Types of Response Time Measurements
Here's where it gets complicated. There are several different ways manufacturers measure response time, and they're not directly comparable.
GtG (Grey-to-Grey)
The most common specification, GtG measures how long it takes for a pixel to transition between two shades of grey (typically from one grey level to another, not from the extremes). This is generally the most useful specification for gaming, as most real-world content involves subtle colour changes rather than pure black-to-white transitions.
When you see "1ms response time" on a gaming monitor, it's almost always referring to GtG. However, there's no industry standard for exactly which grey levels to measure, so one manufacturer's 1ms might be faster or slower than another's.
MPRT (Moving Picture Response Time)
MPRT measures perceived motion blur rather than pixel transition time. It accounts for how long a pixel is illuminated during each frame, which affects how sharp moving images appear. Lower MPRT numbers indicate sharper motion.
MPRT is often lower than GtG because it's measuring something different. A monitor might have 4ms GtG response time but 1ms MPRT. Both numbers are "real," they just measure different aspects of motion performance.
GtG = How fast pixels change colour (affects ghosting)
MPRT = How sharp moving objects appear (affects motion blur)
You want both to be low, but they're not directly comparable numbers.
Black-to-White (BtW)
This older measurement tracks the transition from a fully black pixel to a fully white pixel. It's rarely used in modern gaming monitor marketing because it doesn't reflect typical gaming content, where most transitions are between similar colours.
What Causes Ghosting?
Ghosting occurs when pixels can't transition fast enough to keep up with the content being displayed. If your game is rendering a new frame every 6.9 milliseconds (144 fps), but your pixels take 10ms to fully transition, the old image will still be partially visible when the new frame arrives. This overlap creates the characteristic ghosting trail.
Several factors affect ghosting:
- Panel type: OLED pixels transition almost instantaneously. IPS panels have improved significantly. VA panels, while excellent for contrast, typically have slower response times.
- Overdrive settings: Most gaming monitors include overdrive (response time acceleration) to force faster pixel transitions. More on this below.
- Colour transitions: Some colour-to-colour transitions are faster than others. Dark-to-dark transitions are often slowest.
The manufacturer's quoted response time is typically the fastest possible transition under ideal conditions. Real-world average response time across all colour transitions is usually higher than the marketed figure.
Understanding Overdrive
Overdrive (also called Response Time Compensation) is a technology that applies extra voltage to pixels to speed up their transitions. Almost every gaming monitor includes adjustable overdrive settings, typically with names like "Off," "Normal," "Fast," and "Extreme."
The Overdrive Tradeoff
Here's the catch: pushing overdrive too high causes "inverse ghosting" or "overshoot." This occurs when pixels transition too quickly and briefly overshoot their target colour before settling back. Visually, it appears as a bright halo or corona around moving objects—often more distracting than the ghosting it's meant to prevent.
The ideal overdrive setting varies by monitor and even by individual panel. Most users find a middle setting offers the best balance between reducing ghosting and avoiding overshoot.
Use the UFO ghosting test at testufo.com to evaluate different overdrive settings on your monitor. Look for clean trails without bright coronas. The "best" setting is different for every monitor model.
How Much Response Time Do You Need?
The response time you need depends on your monitor's refresh rate and your sensitivity to motion artifacts. Here's a practical guideline:
60Hz Monitors
At 60Hz, each frame is displayed for 16.67ms. Response times of 8ms or lower will generally provide artifact-free gaming at this refresh rate.
144Hz Monitors
At 144Hz, frames last only 6.94ms. You want average response times around 4-5ms or better to minimise ghosting. This is achievable by most modern IPS panels.
240Hz+ Monitors
At 240Hz, frames last just 4.17ms. Competitive gamers at this level want response times of 2-3ms or faster. This is where OLED panels excel, with their essentially instantaneous transitions.
Panel Types and Response Time
Different panel technologies have inherently different response time characteristics:
OLED
OLED pixels produce their own light and can switch on and off almost instantaneously. Response times of 0.03ms or less are genuine—OLED offers the cleanest motion in gaming displays. This is why OLED monitors are increasingly popular for competitive gaming despite their higher cost.
IPS
Modern "Fast IPS" panels have dramatically improved response times, with real-world averages often around 3-5ms. With appropriate overdrive, they can compete with older TN panels while offering superior colour accuracy and viewing angles.
VA
VA panels offer the best contrast ratios but typically have slower response times, especially in dark-to-dark transitions. Average response times of 6-10ms are common, making some VA monitors less suitable for fast-paced competitive gaming despite their other strengths.
TN (Twisted Nematic)
Once the go-to choice for competitive gaming, TN panels are being phased out in favour of Fast IPS. While TN offers quick response times, the poor viewing angles and colour accuracy make modern IPS a better overall choice.
Marketing Claims vs Reality
It's worth being sceptical of manufacturer-quoted response times. Here's what to watch for:
- "1ms" claims: Often measured at maximum overdrive, which may cause unacceptable overshoot. Real-world average response times at usable overdrive settings are typically 3-6ms for LCD panels.
- Unspecified measurement type: If a spec sheet just says "1ms response time" without specifying GtG or MPRT, it's likely choosing whichever number is lower.
- Best-case vs average: Quoted figures usually represent the fastest single transition, not the average across all colour changes.
For reliable response time data, look to independent reviewers who measure actual pixel transitions using specialised equipment like oscilloscopes and high-speed cameras.
Rather than focusing on a single response time number, look for reviews that test:
- Average GtG response time across multiple transitions
- Optimal overdrive setting recommendations
- Overshoot levels at different settings
- Real-world ghosting tests with moving content
Response Time and Input Lag: Different Things
It's important not to confuse response time with input lag. They're related to display performance but measure different things:
- Response time: How quickly pixels change colour (affects motion clarity)
- Input lag: The delay between your input device action and the image appearing on screen (affects how responsive games feel)
A monitor can have excellent response time but poor input lag, or vice versa. Both specifications matter for gaming, but they require different testing methods and optimisations.
Final Thoughts
Response time matters, but don't let marketing numbers be your only guide. A 1ms specification doesn't guarantee better motion performance than a 4ms specification—the testing methodology, overdrive implementation, and panel technology all play crucial roles.
For most gamers, any modern gaming monitor with a 144Hz+ refresh rate and decent independent reviews will offer acceptable motion performance. If you're a competitive player chasing every possible advantage, OLED monitors currently offer the cleanest motion available, albeit at a premium price.
Understanding these concepts helps you read specifications critically and focus on the metrics that actually matter for your gaming style.