Quick Decision Summary
Response time measures how quickly a pixel can change from one color to another. Lower numbers mean less motion blur and ghosting. However, the difference between 1ms and 4ms is imperceptible for most users, and marketed specs often don't reflect real-world performance.
- 1ms matters for: Competitive FPS gaming where tracking fast movements is critical
- 4ms is sufficient for: Most gaming, video editing, general use, and even casual competitive play
- Key factor: Actual measured performance matters more than advertised specs
Monitor manufacturers prominently advertise response time, creating the impression that lower numbers universally mean better performance. In practice, the relationship between advertised response times and actual visual quality is more nuanced.
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Understanding what these numbers represent helps you evaluate whether paying premium prices for faster response times makes sense for your specific situation.
Understanding Response Time Metrics
GTG (Gray-to-Gray)
Measures the time for a pixel to transition between two gray shades. This is the most commonly advertised spec because it typically produces the lowest number.
What it tells you: Best-case transition speed under favorable conditions.
MPRT (Moving Picture Response Time)
Measures how long a pixel's output persists on screen. Lower MPRT means clearer motion but is tied to refresh rate and requires specific display technologies.
What it tells you: Actual perceived motion clarity during movement.
BTW/WTB (Black-to-White)
Measures full transitions between black and white. These take longer than gray transitions and better represent worst-case scenarios.
What it tells you: Performance during high-contrast transitions.
Average Response Time
Some reviewers test multiple transitions and average them. This provides more realistic expectations than cherry-picked GTG numbers.
What it tells you: Typical real-world performance across varied content.
Scenario Breakdowns: When Response Time Matters
Competitive FPS Gaming
Fast response times help track enemy movement and reduce the blur trail behind moving objects. Professional players often prefer TN panels despite inferior colors because of their speed.
Recommended: Under 4ms GTG. 1ms provides marginal additional benefit at the top competitive level.
Casual and Single-Player Gaming
Most single-player games prioritize visual quality over competitive edge. Slower response times with better colors often create a more enjoyable experience than fast response with washed-out images.
Recommended: Under 8ms is comfortable. 4-5ms provides good balance of speed and image quality.
Video Editing and Content Creation
Response time matters less than color accuracy. Some ghosting in preview playback doesn't affect your output quality. Prioritize color gamut and accuracy over speed.
Recommended: Under 10ms is acceptable. Focus on color accuracy specifications instead.
Office Work and Productivity
Static content like documents, spreadsheets, and web pages don't benefit from fast response times. Even 15ms monitors perform identically for office use.
Recommended: Not a relevant specification for this use case.
Movie and Video Watching
Film content runs at 24fps, TV at 30fps. Even relatively slow monitors handle this without visible artifacts. Dark scene performance and contrast matter more.
Recommended: Under 10ms. Focus on contrast ratio and HDR support instead.
How to Decide if This is Right for You
- Good fit if: You play competitive multiplayer games where tracking fast-moving targets matters, you're sensitive to motion blur and ghosting, or you're upgrading from a noticeably slow panel and want the clearest possible motion.
- Not ideal if: You primarily do office work, photo editing, or watch movies. Paying extra for 1ms response time provides no benefit for these use cases. A slower panel with better colors serves you better.
- What to compare: Look at independent reviews with measured response times rather than advertised specs. Compare panel type (TN vs IPS vs VA) as this affects real-world response more than marketing claims.
Tradeoffs and Limitations
Overdrive and inverse ghosting: Monitors use overdrive to achieve advertised response times. Aggressive overdrive settings create inverse ghosting (bright trails) that can be worse than the blur they're trying to eliminate. Many "1ms" monitors perform better at their medium overdrive setting.
Panel type limitations: TN panels are naturally fastest but have poor viewing angles and color accuracy. IPS panels offer better colors but typically range 4-6ms at best. VA panels have deep blacks but struggle with dark transitions, sometimes exceeding 20ms in certain scenarios.
Marketing vs reality: Advertised 1ms often requires aggressive overdrive that introduces artifacts. Independent testing frequently shows "1ms" monitors performing at 3-4ms in real use, or having significant overshoot when pushed to achieve that speed.
Diminishing returns: The visual difference between 1ms and 4ms at 144Hz is approximately 0.4% of frame time. Most humans cannot perceive this difference in actual gameplay.
Common Mistakes When Evaluating Response Time
Trusting advertised specs at face value
Marketing specs show best-case scenarios. Look for independent reviews with actual measurements across multiple transition types.
Confusing response time with input lag
Response time is pixel transition speed. Input lag is the delay between your action and screen update. Both matter for gaming, but they measure different things.
Maxing out overdrive settings
The fastest overdrive setting often creates worse visual artifacts than medium. Test different settings to find the optimal balance.
Prioritizing speed over everything else
A 1ms TN panel with poor colors may provide worse gaming experience than a 4ms IPS with vibrant visuals. Consider the complete picture.
Ignoring refresh rate interaction
Response time must be faster than your frame time to matter. At 60Hz (16.7ms frames), anything under 8ms is effectively equivalent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 1ms response time actually noticeable compared to 4ms?
For most users, the difference is not perceptible. In controlled testing, even experienced gamers struggle to identify which monitor is faster when both are under 5ms. The difference becomes more apparent when comparing against monitors above 10ms.
What causes ghosting and motion blur?
Ghosting occurs when pixels can't change color fast enough before the next frame arrives. The previous frame's image lingers, creating a trail behind moving objects. Higher refresh rates make this more noticeable because frames arrive faster.
Why do IPS monitors have slower response times than TN?
IPS technology uses a different liquid crystal alignment that provides better colors and viewing angles but requires more time to rotate. TN crystals can switch faster but create the viewing angle and color limitations characteristic of that panel type.
Does response time affect non-gaming use?
For office work, web browsing, and static content, response time has no practical impact. Even 30ms monitors display text and still images identically to 1ms panels. It only matters when there's motion on screen.
What is inverse ghosting or overshoot?
Inverse ghosting appears as bright trails instead of dark ones. It occurs when monitor overdrive pushes pixels too hard, causing them to overshoot their target color before settling. This is often worse than the blur it attempts to fix.
Should I prioritize response time or refresh rate?
Refresh rate typically has more perceptible impact. Going from 60Hz to 144Hz is immediately noticeable to most users. Going from 4ms to 1ms at the same refresh rate often isn't. If choosing between a 144Hz 4ms monitor and a 60Hz 1ms monitor, the 144Hz option usually feels smoother.
How do I test my monitor's actual response time?
Use motion blur tests like the UFO test to observe trailing artifacts. While you can't measure exact milliseconds without specialized equipment, you can compare monitors side-by-side and evaluate ghosting severity at different overdrive settings.
Do OLED monitors have better response times?
OLED panels have near-instant pixel response because they don't use liquid crystals. Each pixel emits its own light and can switch almost immediately. OLED response times are typically under 0.5ms, though this advantage is offset by other considerations like burn-in risk.