What is a Refresh Rate Tester?
A refresh rate tester is a tool that helps you verify how many times per second your monitor updates its display. This measurement, expressed in Hertz (Hz), directly affects how smooth motion appears on your screen.
Whether you just bought a new 144Hz gaming monitor or want to confirm your display settings are correct, this tool provides visual tests that make it easy to see the difference between various refresh rates.
Why Test Your Refresh Rate?
Many users purchase high refresh rate monitors but never actually see the benefit because:
Wrong Display Settings
Cable Limitations
Browser Throttling
Driver Issues
This tester helps you identify these issues by showing you exactly what refresh rate your browser is currently rendering at.
Who Should Use This Tool?
Gamers
Verify your high refresh rate monitor is working correctly for competitive gaming.
- Confirm 144Hz/240Hz settings
- Detect frame drops
- Optimize display performance
Content Creators
Check display smoothness for video editing and motion graphics work.
- Verify smooth playback
- Test timeline scrubbing
- Ensure accurate preview
Tech Enthusiasts
Compare monitors or test new hardware configurations.
- Benchmark displays
- Test cable quality
- Validate upgrades
Curious Users
Anyone curious about their display's actual performance.
- Learn about refresh rates
- See visual differences
- Understand your hardware
How Does It Work?
The tester uses JavaScript's requestAnimationFrame to measure how often your browser renders new frames. It then displays animated patterns that make refresh rate differences visible to the human eye.
- 1. What is a Refresh Rate Tester?
- 2. How to Use the Refresh Rate Tester
- 3. Features
- 4. Frequently Asked Questions
- 4.1. Why does the tool detect 60Hz when I have a 144Hz monitor?
- 4.2. How accurate is the Hz detection?
- 4.3. What do the FPS colors mean?
- 4.4. Why am I seeing frame drops?
- 4.5. Does this test my monitor or my computer?
- 4.6. Why does the animation look different on my phone?
- 4.7. Can I test refresh rates higher than my monitor supports?
- 4.8. Is my data saved or sent anywhere?
How to Use the Refresh Rate Tester
Testing your monitor's refresh rate takes just a few seconds. Follow these steps to get accurate results.
Check the Detected Refresh Rate
When you open the tool, it automatically detects your current refresh rate. You will see a loading spinner while detection is in progress, then your detected Hz value will appear.
If the detected value seems incorrect (for example, showing 60Hz when you have a 144Hz monitor), click the Change button to manually select your correct refresh rate.
Choose a Test Mode
Select one of five test modes based on what you want to verify:
- Comparison Arena (Recommended) - See 30Hz, 60Hz, 120Hz, and your native rate side by side
- Frame Counter - Numbered boxes that reveal frame drops when numbers skip
- Orbital Motion - Circular movement that tests smoothness in all directions
- Precision Ruler - Moving ruler to test motion clarity
- Strobe Trail - Dot with trailing images showing frame persistence
Start the Test
Click Start Test or press Enter to begin. The animation will start immediately.
Enter Fullscreen Mode
For the most accurate results, press F to enter fullscreen mode. This ensures your browser has the highest priority for rendering and reduces interference from other screen elements.
Tips for Accurate Testing
- Close other applications to reduce system load
- Disable browser power saving mode
- Make sure the browser tab is in the foreground
- Increase the speed setting to make differences more visible
- Use the Graph feature (press G) to see frame timing data
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Space | Pause/Resume | Control animation playback |
| F | Fullscreen | Toggle fullscreen mode for accurate testing |
| G | Graph | Show/hide frame time graph |
| H | Help | Open help panel |
| 1-5 | Switch Mode | Quick switch between test modes |
| +/- | Speed | Adjust animation speed |
| Esc | Exit | Exit fullscreen or return to setup |
Features
This refresh rate tester includes multiple visualization modes and diagnostic tools to help you understand your monitor's performance.
Automatic Hz Detection
The tool automatically measures your browser's rendering frame rate when you first load the page. It takes about 120 sample frames and calculates the average, snapping to common refresh rates (60Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz, etc.) when the measurement is close.
Five Unique Test Modes
Comparison Arena (Recommended)
The most intuitive mode for understanding refresh rate differences. Four lanes display dots moving at simulated 30Hz, 60Hz, 120Hz, and your native refresh rate. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the motion appears.
Frame Counter
Large numbered boxes scroll across the screen. If you see consecutive numbers (1, 2, 3, 4...), your display is rendering every frame. Skipped numbers (1, 3, 5...) indicate frame drops.
Orbital Motion
Three dots orbit around a central point in different directions and speeds. This mode tests motion smoothness in all directions simultaneously, not just horizontal movement.
Precision Ruler
A detailed ruler with numbered markings moves across the screen. On high refresh rate displays, you can read the numbers clearly even while they are moving. On lower refresh rates, the numbers blur.
Strobe Trail
A single dot moves across the screen, leaving ghost images behind. The number of visible dots in the trail corresponds to how many frames your monitor renders. More dots means higher refresh rate.
Real-Time Statistics
The HUD displays important metrics while testing:
Hz (Refresh Rate)
FPS (Frames Per Second)
Drops (Frame Drops)
Frame Time Graph
Press G to enable the frame time graph. This shows the time between each frame in milliseconds. A steady line indicates consistent frame delivery. Spikes indicate stuttering or frame drops.
Frame Drops Detected
- Irregular spikes in graph
- Stuttering visible
- FPS below target
- Performance issues
Smooth Performance
- Steady flat line
- No stuttering
- FPS matches Hz
- Optimal performance
Speed Control
Adjust the animation speed from 1 to 20. Higher speeds make differences between refresh rates more obvious and help reveal frame drops that might not be visible at slower speeds.
Fullscreen Mode
Press F to test in fullscreen mode. This removes browser UI elements and gives the animation the highest rendering priority, resulting in the most accurate test conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the tool detect 60Hz when I have a 144Hz monitor?
There are several reasons why this might happen:
- Windows Display Settings - Your monitor might be set to 60Hz in Windows. Go to Settings → Display → Advanced display settings, and check the refresh rate dropdown.
- Browser Power Saving - Some browsers throttle frame rates to save battery. Check your browser settings for power saving or efficiency mode options.
- Background Tab - If the browser tab is not in the foreground, it will be throttled to 60fps or lower.
- Hardware Acceleration - Make sure hardware acceleration is enabled in your browser settings.
- Cable Limitations - Some HDMI cables cannot carry 144Hz. Try using DisplayPort or a certified high-speed HDMI cable.
How accurate is the Hz detection?
The detection measures your browser's actual rendering frame rate, which should match your monitor's refresh rate when everything is configured correctly. It takes 120 samples and removes outliers for accuracy. The result is typically within 2-3 Hz of the actual value.
What do the FPS colors mean?
The FPS counter changes color based on performance:
- Green - FPS is at or above 95% of your target refresh rate (good)
- Yellow - FPS is between 80-95% of target (minor issues)
- Red - FPS is below 80% of target (significant frame drops)
Why am I seeing frame drops?
Frame drops can occur due to:
- High CPU or GPU usage from other applications
- Browser extensions interfering with rendering
- System power saving modes limiting performance
- Thermal throttling if your system is overheating
- Background downloads or updates consuming resources
Does this test my monitor or my computer?
This test primarily measures how well your browser and computer can deliver frames to your monitor. If your system cannot render frames fast enough, you will not see the full benefit of a high refresh rate monitor.
The test evaluates the entire rendering pipeline: GPU performance, browser efficiency, driver quality, and display capabilities working together.
Why does the animation look different on my phone?
Most smartphones have 60Hz displays, though some newer models have 90Hz, 120Hz, or even 144Hz screens. Mobile browsers may also have additional frame rate limitations to preserve battery life.
Can I test refresh rates higher than my monitor supports?
No, the test can only show up to your actual monitor refresh rate. The simulated refresh rates (30Hz, 60Hz, 120Hz in Comparison Arena) are created by skipping frames, not by actually rendering faster than your display can show.
Your monitor's physical refresh rate is the maximum ceiling for what you can observe, regardless of how fast the computer renders frames.
Is my data saved or sent anywhere?
No. All tests run entirely in your browser. No data about your monitor, refresh rate, or test results is collected or transmitted to any server.
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