Refresh Rate Test
Measures how many times per second your screen redraws. Use it to check that a 120 Hz or 144 Hz display really runs at its full rate.
Why is my refresh rate lower than expected?
It is usually a setting, a cable or power saving. Check these four things in order.
- Set the rate in your display settings: Windows Display settings, or System Settings on a Mac.
- Check the cable: some HDMI cables and ports cap high-resolution screens at 60 Hz.
- Turn off battery saver, which often limits laptops to 60 Hz.
- Adaptive displays such as ProMotion lower the rate when nothing on screen is moving.
How do I check my refresh rate in Windows or on a Mac?
Your system settings show the rate the screen is set to, while this test shows the rate it is running at. Both should match.
- Windows 11: Settings, then System, Display and Advanced display. The rate is under Choose a refresh rate.
- Windows 10: Settings, then System, Display and Advanced display settings.
- Mac: System Settings, then Displays. The Refresh rate menu shows on screens that offer more than one rate.
How do I test a 144 Hz or 120 Hz monitor?
Pick the highest rate in your display settings, then come back and press Run again. A 144 Hz monitor running at full rate reads 144 Hz here.
If it reads 60 Hz, the connection is the usual cause. Many monitors reach their top rate only over DisplayPort, or over one HDMI port, and the manual lists the rates each input supports. Use the cable that came with the monitor.
Is frame rate the same as refresh rate?
No. Frame rate (fps) is how many images a game or video makes, while refresh rate (Hz) is how many times the screen redraws. A 144 Hz screen showing a game at 60 fps still shows only 60 new images a second.
Can I test a TV’s refresh rate?
Yes, with a computer. Connect it to the TV, set the highest rate in its display settings and run this test on that screen. A TV’s own browser may read 60 Hz even on a 120 Hz panel.
How does this test work?
It times 120 frames in your browser and takes the middle value, which ignores the odd slow frame. A reading within 6% of a common rate, such as 144 Hz, is shown as that rate.
What does the refresh rate number mean?
It is how many new images the screen can show each second. At 60 Hz each frame stays up for 16.7 milliseconds, and at 144 Hz for 6.9 milliseconds.
Shorter frames make scrolling, mouse movement and fast games look smoother. Going from 60 Hz to 120 Hz cuts each frame by 8.3 milliseconds, but 120 Hz to 240 Hz cuts only 4.2 more.
Which rates can this test show?
It knows 10 common rates: 60, 75, 90, 100, 120, 144, 165, 180, 240 and 360 Hz. A reading that lands near none of them is shown as measured, rounded to a whole number.
Is my reading sent anywhere?
No. The reading is worked out in your browser and never leaves it. If you allow analytics, we count that a test ran, but not what it found.
Questions
Why does my reading change between runs?
Busy tabs and apps can delay the browser for a moment. Close them, keep this tab in front and run the test again.
Why does my 120 Hz phone read 60 Hz?
Some phones and browsers cap web animations at 60 Hz to save power. The screen itself can still run faster in apps.
How do I test a second monitor?
Drag this browser window onto that screen, keep it in front and press Run again. Test each screen on its own.
Does a higher refresh rate need a better graphics card?
Only for games and video that must draw a new frame each time. Desktop work at 120 Hz or 144 Hz runs on almost any modern computer.
Is this the same as the TestUFO refresh rate test?
Both read the rate from your browser. TestUFO also shows moving patterns for judging motion blur, which this page does not.