Motion Blur and Ghosting in High-Refresh Monitors

Published by BlackScreen Engineering Lab • January 9, 2026

Abstract: This article explores the temporal limitations of modern display panels. We analyze the physical causes of "Ghosting"—the persistence of previous frames—and "Motion Blur"—the result of human ocular tracking on sample-and-hold displays. We further examine the trade-offs of Overdrive technologies and the distinction between GtG and MPRT measurement standards.

For competitive gamers and high-end workstation users, a high refresh rate (144Hz, 240Hz, or 360Hz) is only half of the story. The physical speed at which the liquid crystals can transition determines the actual clarity of moving objects. This is the domain of Response Time.

1. GtG vs. MPRT: Two Different Worlds

In display marketing, you often see "1ms" claims. However, it is vital to know which standard is being used:

GtG (Gray-to-Gray): Measures how long it takes a pixel to change from one gray level to another. It represents the speed of the liquid crystal physical movement. Fast GtG reduces Ghosting.
MPRT (Moving Picture Response Time): Measures how long a pixel is visible on the screen. This is tied to the "Sample-and-Hold" nature of modern displays. Even with instant GtG, MPRT blur exists because your eyes move while the frame remains static.

2. The Physics of Ghosting

Ghosting appears as a faint "trail" behind moving objects, most noticeable in high-contrast scenes (like a white cursor on a Black Screen). This happens because the liquid crystals cannot twist fast enough to block or allow light before the next refresh cycle begins. The light from the previous frame "bleeds" into the current one.

2.1 Panel Type Impact

VA (Vertical Alignment) panels are notorious for "Dark Level Smearing" because their liquid crystals are particularly slow to transition out of a pure black state. In contrast, IPS and TN panels generally offer faster GtG speeds, with OLED being the king of near-instant response times.

Engineer's Note: The 50% Neutral Gray field in our Monitor Test is an excellent way to audit ghosting. Many panels that look fast in high-contrast transitions struggle with mid-tone gray-to-gray shifts, leading to unexpected smearing in complex game environments.

3. The Overdrive Paradox and Inverse Ghosting

To achieve those "1ms" marketing numbers, manufacturers use Overdrive. This technique applies a higher voltage than necessary to "kick" the liquid crystal into position faster.

However, if the voltage is too high, the crystal overshoots its target. This creates Inverse Ghosting or "Coronas"—bright, glowing trails that are often more distracting than standard ghosting. Finding the "Normal" or "Medium" Overdrive setting is usually the sweet spot for most gaming displays.

4. Persistence and Motion Blur Reduction

Because our eyes are constantly tracking movement, a static image held for 6.9ms (at 144Hz) will still appear blurry. To combat this, some monitors use Black Frame Insertion (BFI) or strobing backlights. This physically turns off the backlight between refreshes to clear the human eye's "retinal persistence," effectively mimicking the motion clarity of an old CRT monitor.

Conclusion

Clarity in motion is a delicate balance of liquid crystal speed and backlight management. When auditing a new high-refresh monitor, remember that the "Fastest" setting on your monitor's OSD often introduces more artifacts than it solves. By utilizing native rendering fields to observe these transitions, you can calibrate your display for the perfect balance of speed and image integrity.