Refresh Rate Tester: Free Refresh Rate Test for Monitor Hz
Refresh Rate Tester. Click Start Test on this refresh rate tester to measure your monitor's real Hz and frame times. The ppi calculator calculates PPI from any combination of diagonal size and resolution in seconds.
Interactive Tool
Visual Frame Rate Test
Higher refresh rates show more distinct squares. Press Start Test to begin.
Refresh Rate Comparison
| Refresh Rate | Frame Time | Common Use | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 Hz | 16.67 ms | Standard monitors, most TVs | — |
| 75 Hz | 13.33 ms | Budget gaming monitors | — |
| 120 Hz | 8.33 ms | Gaming TVs, some monitors | — |
| 144 Hz | 6.94 ms | Popular gaming standard | — |
| 165 Hz | 6.06 ms | High-end gaming monitors | — |
| 240 Hz | 4.17 ms | Competitive esports | — |
| 360 Hz | 2.78 ms | Professional esports | — |
Press Start Test and this refresh rate tester counts frames in real time, showing your detected Hz, average ms/frame, and total frame count. A moving square lets you see the smoothness for yourself, while the comparison table flags which rates (60–360 Hz) your monitor matches.
Your new monitor says 165Hz on the box, but is your computer actually drawing that many frames? This refresh rate tester times every frame the page paints and turns the gaps into a live Hz reading, so you can see whether your display gives you the smoother motion and quicker responsiveness you paid for. A 120Hz panel only helps when each new image arrives on schedule, and the refresh rate you measure here tells you exactly that.
How the Refresh Rate Tester Measures Hz
The check runs a tiny animation loop through requestAnimationFrame and records the frame timings, the gap in milliseconds between one painted frame and the next. Because drawing is locked to v-sync, that gap follows your display. One second divided by the gap gives the rate in hertz: The screen resolution checker detects your display's native resolution instantly — no downloads or sign-up required.
$$\text{Refresh rate (Hz)} = \frac{1000}{\text{frame interval (ms)}}$$
A worked example on a 165Hz monitor: seven frames arrive 6.02, 6.07, 6.05, 6.10, 6.04, 6.06 and 6.03 ms apart. The median gap is 6.05 ms, so the reading is \(1000 \div 6.05 = \) 165.3Hz. The slowest frame sets the rolling minimum at 163.9Hz and the fastest sets the rolling maximum at 166.1Hz, a narrow, stable spread.
Frame Time vs Frame Rate and Frames per Second (FPS)
Frame time is that interval itself. Frame rate is how many frames your GPU finishes each second, the FPS figure games show. Here the two are tied, so the result reflects the display, not your graphics load. In games they split: a 60fps game on a 144Hz monitor still looks like 60, so your frame rate should match or beat the refresh rate. Steady frame time matters more than a high average.
Is a Browser Refresh Rate Test Accurate?
Normally the reading lands very close to your rated refresh rate. It dips when the system saves power: browser throttling, a busy CPU or a heavy page can stretch the gaps. Keep this tab in the foreground, close background tabs and wait about ten seconds.
How to Test Your Refresh Rate in Three Steps
Nothing to install: it runs in your browser on a desktop monitor, laptop or phone. Use the screen size comparison to check whether two monitors with different aspect ratios have similar visible screen area.
- Open the page; it begins on its own, with no start test button. While it shows Measuring, keep the mouse still.
- When the number settles, compare it with the rate chosen in your operating system.
- Press Test Again after changing a setting, cable or power mode, so you test refresh rate changes one at a time.
Check Motion Smoothness with the Moving Object
Watch the moving object, the motion block sliding across the strip. At a high rate its edges stay crisp; at 60Hz you see motion blur and faint ghosting behind it. If it looks no smoother after you switch rates, the change did not take effect.
Common Hz Values from 60Hz to 360Hz
Most displays ship at one of a few rates. The table converts each into the time available per frame, using the formula above. The backlight bleed test is the standard check for IPS and VA panels before using a display for photo or video editing.
| Refresh rate (Hz) | Frame interval | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 60Hz | 16.67 ms | Office work, 24fps and 30fps films |
| 75Hz | 13.33 ms | Budget office monitors |
| 120Hz | 8.33 ms | Phones, laptops, console gaming |
| 144Hz | 6.94 ms | Mainstream gaming monitors |
| 240Hz | 4.17 ms | Competitive gaming |
| 360Hz | 2.78 ms | Esports specialists |
Going from 60Hz to a high rate is the jump most people notice, especially while scrolling. A 120Hz rate also shows 24fps and 30fps video in whole multiples, while odd rates lean on frame interpolation. iPhone ProMotion and many Android flagships use LTPO adaptive refresh, dropping the rate on still content to save battery. A faster display refresh rate also cuts flicker, which can ease eye strain and visual fatigue.
High Refresh Rate for Gaming and Esports
In fast-paced shooters, a higher rate shows each new frame sooner, lowering input lag and sharpening visual clarity. Pair it with a quick response time, or fast motion still smears. 144Hz is the usual entry point and 240Hz suits serious players, but diminishing returns apply: each step trims fewer milliseconds per frame. Your GPU must keep up too, so check performance in your games.
Variable Refresh Rate, G-Sync and FreeSync
VRR lets the monitor wait for each frame the game sends, removing screen tearing when output dips. With G-Sync or FreeSync on, the reading here can wobble slightly; that is normal.
Tracking Down Missing Hertz on a 180Hz Monitor, One Reading at a Time
I'm deciding whether to keep a 27-inch 1440p monitor rated at 180Hz or return it inside its 30-day window. It connects to a work notebook through a USB-C dock, and motion never felt faster than the old one. The answer turns on the refresh rate this page measures for each connection, so I run the check twice and change only the link between runs.
Run one, the dock's HDMI 1.4 output: the reading settles at 59.94Hz, and I confirm the interval by hand: 1000 ÷ 59.94 = 16.68 ms. The system's rate menu lists only 59.94 and 60, so the dock is the cap, not the monitor. That matches the spec: at 2560×1440, that output runs out of pixel clock near 85 even on a perfect link.
Run two, USB-C straight from the notebook (DisplayPort alt mode, HBR2 on four lanes): the reading climbs to 164.8Hz, or 6.07 ms per frame, and the menu now stops at 165. By my sums, 165 needs 16.29 Gbps of the link's 17.28 Gbps, while 180 would need 17.91, which is why the measured rate can't go higher on this connection.
| Connection | Measured rate | Per frame | Highest rate offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dock HDMI output | 59.94Hz | 16.68 ms | 60 |
| USB-C, HBR2 | 164.8Hz | 6.07 ms | 165 |
| Rated maximum | — | 5.56 ms | 180 (not offered) |
The gap between 165 and 180 is 0.51 ms per frame, about a twentieth of the 10.6 ms I gained by leaving the dock. I keep it and plug in over USB-C. In my view the number to watch is the first reading, not the last: 59.94 told me the display was fine and the link wasn't.
One caveat the reading won't flag: it shows the rate the connection delivers, not what the display can do. Switching on 10-bit HDR adds bits to every pixel, and this link then falls back below 165. If the measured rate drops after you enable HDR, check colour depth before blaming the display, then run the check again.
Screen Refresh Rate Test Stuck at 60Hz? Fixes That Work
If the screen refresh rate reads near 60 on a monitor rated for 144Hz, the monitor itself is rarely faulty.
Display Settings on Windows 11 and macOS
Many fast monitors ship set to 60Hz. On Windows 11, open Settings, System, Display, Advanced display, and pick the highest value under Choose a refresh rate. On macOS, open System Settings, then Displays, and choose a higher rate; not every Mac offers one. Also check your monitor settings menu for an eco mode capping the rate.
Cable, Port and Hardware Acceleration
HDMI 1.4 caps most gaming rates at 1080p, HDMI 2.0 carries 4K only at 60Hz, and DP 1.4 doubles that, so use a DisplayPort lead in the graphics card port, not the motherboard. In your browser, turn on hardware acceleration, or drawing may stay at 60 frames.
Battery Saver, Graphics Card and Refresh Rate Settings
On a laptop, battery saver and low power mode often drop the display to 60Hz, so stay plugged into power and switch off any power saving profile while you test. Update your graphics driver, then confirm in the NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Software that the refresh rate settings match the system.
What Your Hz Result Means
If your refresh rate tester reading sits near the rated speed with a narrow gap between the rolling minimum and maximum, everything works. A number well below the rating, or one that swings widely, points to a setting, connection or power issue. If it matches but games feel choppy, the limit is frame output: lower your graphics settings or adjust game settings. Still stuck? Update the monitor firmware before blaming the hardware.
Dropped Frames and Stutter in the Reading
A gap about twice the median means the display skipped a slot. In the worked example, one 12.1 ms gap would count as a dropped frame, since a whole 6.05 ms refresh passed with nothing new. Frequent ones show up as stutter and usually come from background work, not the monitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I know if my monitor is really running at 144Hz?
- Let the test run for about ten seconds with the tab in the foreground. A median reading close to 144 Hz with a narrow gap between the rolling minimum and maximum confirms it. A reading near 60 Hz means your system is still set to a lower rate.
- Why does the refresh rate test show 60Hz on a 144Hz monitor?
- Most often the operating system is still set to 60Hz. Other causes are an older cable or port (such as HDMI 1.4), browser hardware acceleration being off, or a laptop running on battery saver or low power mode.
- Is a browser refresh rate test accurate?
- Under normal conditions it lands within a hertz or two of your display's real rate, because the browser draws in step with v-sync. Background tabs, a busy CPU or power-saving modes can pull the reading down, so close other tabs and retest if the number looks low.
- What is the difference between refresh rate (Hz) and frames per second (FPS)?
- Refresh rate is how many times per second the display redraws the picture. FPS is how many frames your graphics card renders. For smooth motion in games, the frame rate should match or exceed the refresh rate.
- Why does my measured refresh rate keep changing?
- Variable refresh rate (G-Sync, FreeSync), browser throttling, battery saver and other busy tabs can all make the reading move. Keep the page visible, plug in a laptop and close heavy tabs for a steadier result.
- What do dropped frames in the result mean?
- A dropped frame is a gap roughly twice the normal frame time, where the display showed the same picture for an extra refresh. A few are normal; frequent ones cause visible stutter and usually come from background work rather than the monitor.
- Is 120Hz or 240Hz better?
- 240Hz is smoother and has lower input lag, but the gain over 120Hz or 144Hz is smaller than the jump from 60Hz. It mainly pays off in fast-paced competitive games, and only if your graphics card can keep frame rates that high.