How to Use the Ghosting Test
- Launch the test above and press F to enter fullscreen.
- Observe the trailing edges of the moving object at medium speed. This is your baseline with your current overdrive setting.
- Open your monitor's OSD (on-screen display) — the menu button on your monitor's bezel. Navigate to Response Time, Overdrive, or AMA (varies by brand).
- Test each overdrive level. Cycle through Low → Medium → High → Extreme while watching the trailing edge. Find the setting with the least visible artifacts.
The goal: minimal dark trailing behind the object AND no bright halo ahead of it. These two artifacts indicate opposite overdrive problems.
Types of Ghosting — What You're Looking At
Dark ghosting is the most common type — a dark smear or shadow behind the moving object. This indicates the pixels aren't switching fast enough from their previous state. The overdrive setting is too low, or the panel is inherently slow.
Inverse ghosting (coronas) appears as a bright or white halo leading the moving object — a bright fringe ahead of the edge rather than a dark trail behind. This indicates overdrive overshoot: the monitor is pushing extra voltage to switch pixels faster, but overshooting the target color. Reduce the overdrive level by one step.
IPS trails are a specific artifact on some IPS panels: a faint dark trace behind a moving object specifically on light-to-dark or black transitions. Typically subtle and not addressed by overdrive adjustment — it's a characteristic of the IPS liquid crystal response.
VA ghosting is the most severe type — a pronounced purple-grey smear on dark-to-grey transitions. VA panels have excellent static contrast but their dark-grey pixel transitions are significantly slower than IPS or TN. VA ghosting is most visible during dark gaming scenes.
Panel Type Ghosting Comparison
| Panel Type | Ghosting Severity | Worst Case |
|---|---|---|
| TN | Very low | Minimal at all transitions |
| Fast IPS / Nano IPS | Low | Occasional IPS trails on dark transitions |
| Standard IPS | Low–moderate | Visible at slow-to-medium transitions |
| VA | Moderate–high | Severe on dark-to-grey; known limitation |
| OLED | Effectively none | No liquid crystal; sub-0.1ms response |
VA ghosting is the most common complaint in monitor reviews. It is not a defect — it is a limitation of VA panel technology. If you primarily use your monitor for dark-scene gaming, consider IPS or OLED over VA.
OLED monitors (LG UltraGear OLED, ASUS ROG Swift OLED) have effectively zero ghosting — pixel response time is below 0.1ms with no liquid crystal transition delay.
How to Reduce Ghosting — Overdrive Settings
Every monitor OSD includes a response time or overdrive setting, though the label varies by brand:
| Brand | OSD Label |
|---|---|
| ASUS | TraceFree |
| BenQ | AMA |
| LG | Response Time |
| Samsung | Response Time |
| Dell | Response Time |
| AOC | Overdrive |
| Gigabyte | Overdrive |
To dial in the optimal setting:
- Start at Medium or the middle value.
- Run this ghosting test at speed 5–7 (medium-fast movement).
- If you see dark trailing behind the object: increase the overdrive level by one step.
- If you see a bright corona/halo ahead of the object: decrease by one step.
- The optimal setting shows the cleanest edges with neither artifact.
Most monitors perform best at Medium or High. Extreme/Maximum settings commonly introduce visible inverse ghosting (coronas) that is worse than the ghosting they were meant to eliminate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is monitor ghosting?
Monitor ghosting is a visual artifact where moving objects leave a trailing smear or shadow. It is caused by pixels switching too slowly between colors — the previous color bleeds through during the transition, leaving a ghost of the object's previous position. It is most visible on dark backgrounds and is worst on VA panels during dark-to-grey transitions.
How do I test my monitor for ghosting?
Launch the ghosting test above, press F for fullscreen, and observe the trailing edges of the moving object at medium speed. Dark smears behind the object indicate ghosting. Bright halos ahead of the object indicate overdrive overshoot. Adjust your monitor's overdrive setting in the OSD until both artifacts are minimized.
Ghosting vs motion blur — what's the difference?
Ghosting is caused by slow pixel response time — a colored or dark trail specific to the transition between particular colors. Motion blur is caused by LCD sample-and-hold rendering — a uniform blur as your eyes track motion that affects all LCDs regardless of response speed. Ghosting is improved by overdrive settings; motion blur is reduced by higher refresh rates.
How do I fix monitor ghosting?
Increase the overdrive/response time setting in your monitor's OSD by one level, then retest with this tool. If you see a bright corona appearing ahead of the moving object, the overdrive is too high — reduce it by one level. The optimal setting has clean edges with minimal dark trailing and no bright halos.
Why is VA panel ghosting worse than IPS?
VA panels use a different liquid crystal alignment that gives them excellent static contrast (2500:1 to 6000:1) but slower pixel response time on dark-grey transitions. The transition from dark grey to a lighter shade is significantly slower on VA than on IPS — typically 10–15ms on dark transitions versus 1–4ms for fast IPS. This produces the characteristic grey smear visible in dark game environments.