Refresh Rate Test — What Hz Is Your Monitor Really Running?
Hit Measure and we'll sample your display's actual refresh rate using the browser's requestAnimationFrame timing. Find out if your 144 Hz monitor is actually running at 144 Hz — or if Windows is silently capping it at 60.
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Browser tabs are usually capped at the display refresh rate. If you measured 60 Hz on a 144 Hz monitor, check that your OS / browser is set to the right rate.
What refresh rate means (and what it doesn't)
Refresh rate is the number of times per second your monitor redraws the entire screen, measured in Hertz (Hz). A 60 Hz monitor redraws 60 times per second, a 144 Hz monitor redraws 144 times. The higher the rate, the less time each frame stays on screen — which means less motion blur, lower input lag, and a smoother feel for everything from cursor movement to fast camera pans.
It is important to understand that refresh rate is a property of the display itself. It has nothing to do with your graphics card, your CPU, or the game you are running. A 240 Hz monitor refreshes at 240 Hz even when you are staring at a static desktop wallpaper. The graphics card's job is to provide a new image in time for each refresh; if it cannot, you get tearing or stuttering, but the monitor keeps refreshing at its rated speed.
How to actually change your refresh rate
If our test reports 60 Hz on a monitor rated for 144 Hz or higher, your operating system is almost certainly not driving the panel at full speed. Here is where to look on each platform:
| OS | Path | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 | Settings → System → Display → Advanced display | Pick the highest rate your monitor supports. If only 60 Hz is shown, your cable or GPU driver is the bottleneck. |
| Windows 10 | Settings → System → Display → Advanced display settings | Same flow as Windows 11. Also check NVIDIA/AMD control panel for custom resolutions. |
| macOS | System Settings → Displays → your display | Apple only shows high refresh options on ProMotion displays (MacBook Pro 14/16). External monitors need a Mac with M1 Pro/Max or newer. |
| Linux (GNOME) | Settings → Displays | If your rate is missing, install and run xrandr to add a custom mode. Wayland users may need to log out and pick the Xorg session. |
| Linux (KDE) | System Settings → Display → Refresh rate | KDE handles high refresh rates more reliably than GNOME on multi-monitor setups. |
Refresh rates you'll see in the wild
The refresh-rate landscape has changed dramatically in the last few years. Here is what each tier actually feels like for everyday use and gaming:
| Refresh rate | Typical use | What you feel |
|---|---|---|
| 60 Hz | Office monitors, budget laptops, most TVs | Smooth for desktop work. Motion blur visible in games and on fast cursor movement. |
| 75–90 Hz | Slightly uprated office monitors, some Chromebooks | Marginally smoother than 60 Hz. Hard to tell the difference unless side-by-side. |
| 120 Hz | Flagship phones, iPads, premium laptops, entry gaming monitors | Clearly smoother scrolling and animations. Good for casual gaming. |
| 144–165 Hz | Mainstream gaming monitors | Sweet spot for competitive gaming. Fast pans stay readable, aim feels connected. |
| 240 Hz | Esports monitors (CS:GO, Valorant, Rocket League) | Even smoother, but the gain over 144 Hz is small for most players. Pros benefit. |
| 360–540 Hz | Top-tier esports monitors (2024+) | Diminishing returns. Only worth it if you play competitively at the highest level. |
What about variable refresh rate (VRR)?
VRR technologies like NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync and VESA Adaptive Sync let the monitor dynamically change its refresh rate to match the game's frame rate. Instead of forcing 144 Hz when the GPU can only deliver 90 FPS, the monitor drops to 90 Hz — eliminating stutter and tearing without vsync's input lag penalty. VRR does not change the maximum refresh rate; it changes whether the monitor is allowed to run slower than maximum.
If you have a VRR monitor, our test will still report the maximum refresh rate (because the browser is generating frames as fast as possible). To verify VRR is working in-game, cap your game's FPS to a value below the monitor's max (say 100 FPS on a 144 Hz monitor) and watch for smooth motion — if VRR is broken, you will see stutter.
Frequently asked questions
Complete your monitor check-up
UFO Test
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Ghosting Test
Single-object ghosting test with adjustable speed and background.
FPS Test
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Frame Skip Test
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Dead Pixel Test
Full-screen colour cycle to spot dead, stuck or hot pixels.
Input Lag Test
Estimate display + input latency with a click-to-flash reaction test.