Refresh rate test
This page counts how often your browser gets a new frame from the display and turns that into hertz. Keep this tab in front and the mouse still for a few seconds while the reading settles.
Estimated refresh rate
… Hz
- Frame time
- ms
- Jitter (σ)
- ms
- Long frames (last 240)
Last 120 frame intervals. The dashed line is the median; red bars took more than 1.5× as long (a missed refresh).
Check a specific refresh rate
60Hz test75Hz test120Hz test144Hz test165Hz test240Hz test360Hz test
How much refresh rate do you need?
| Use | Typical rate | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Office, browsing, documents | 60–75 Hz | Scrolling is smoother at higher rates, but 60 Hz is perfectly usable |
| Films and TV | 24–60 Hz | Content is 24–60 fps; a rate that divides evenly avoids judder |
| Casual and console gaming | 120–144 Hz | Consoles top out at 120 fps; a clear step up in smoothness from 60 |
| Competitive PC gaming | 240–360 Hz+ | Less motion blur and lower latency, if your GPU can render the frames |
| Phones and tablets | 60–120 Hz (adaptive) | Rate drops when idle to save battery |
If the number is lower than your monitor's rating
- Set it in the OS. Windows 11: Settings → System → Display → Advanced display → Choose a refresh rate. macOS: System Settings → Displays → Refresh Rate. Linux: your desktop's display settings or
xrandr. - Check the cable and port. High refresh at high resolution needs DisplayPort 1.4 or HDMI 2.1 on both ends. Many monitors only reach their top rate over DisplayPort.
- Plug into the graphics card, not the motherboard's video output, on desktops with a dedicated GPU.
- Laptops: turn off battery saver or "dynamic refresh" and plug in the charger.
- Browser: disable energy-saver modes, and make sure hardware acceleration is on. Then restart the measurement.
Why this is an estimate. Browsers don't expose the monitor's refresh rate directly. We use the timestamps the browser passes to requestAnimationFrame, which fire once per display refresh when things are running smoothly. The median interval is robust to the occasional hiccup, but variable refresh (G-Sync, FreeSync, ProMotion), background load and multi-monitor setups can move the reading. Use it to confirm the ballpark: 60 vs 144 vs 240, not 143.9 vs 144.
How refresh rate and frame rate interact
At a fixed refresh rate with VSync on, the monitor can only show a new frame on a refresh tick. When your frame rate is below the refresh rate, some ticks repeat the previous frame, which your eye reads as judder. Drag the sliders to see which of 24 consecutive refreshes carry a new frame.
15 of 24 refreshes show a new frame. The rates don't divide evenly, so some frames are held longer than others: that uneven pacing is judder. Variable refresh (G-Sync/FreeSync) fixes it by making the monitor wait for each frame.
Questions people ask
Why does the test show 60 Hz on my 144 Hz monitor?
Most often the refresh rate is still set to 60 Hz in the operating system. Other causes: an HDMI cable or port that cannot carry the higher rate, a DisplayPort cable plugged into the wrong port on the PC (motherboard instead of graphics card), battery saver on a laptop, or the browser window sitting on a different monitor.
How accurate is a browser refresh rate test?
It is an estimate. The page times requestAnimationFrame callbacks, which browsers align to the display's refresh. The median interval is usually within a fraction of a hertz of the true rate at fixed refresh. With G-Sync/FreeSync (VRR), power saving or a busy system, readings can wander. It reliably tells you whether you are getting 60, 144 or 240 Hz, but it is not a lab instrument.
What is the difference between refresh rate and FPS?
Refresh rate (Hz) is how often the monitor redraws the image. FPS is how many new frames your game or app renders. If FPS is lower than Hz, some refreshes repeat an old frame; if higher, frames are discarded or tear unless you use VSync or VRR.
How do I check my monitor refresh rate in Windows or on a Mac?
Windows 11: Settings → System → Display → Advanced display shows the current refresh rate and a dropdown to change it. Windows 10: Settings → System → Display → Advanced display settings. macOS: System Settings → Displays → Refresh Rate (shown for displays that support more than one rate).
How do I check my phone's refresh rate?
Open this page on the phone and scroll a little to wake the display, then hold still. Many phones lower their refresh rate when idle or in battery saver, so the reading can drop to 60 Hz or less until you interact. On Android the setting is usually under Settings → Display → Smooth display / Motion smoothness; on iPhone Pro models ProMotion adapts automatically.
How do I check my TV's refresh rate?
TV menus usually don't show the live rate. Open this page in the TV's browser or on a PC connected to it; for a PC, the OS display settings show what the TV is receiving. 120 Hz on a TV generally needs HDMI 2.1 ports and Game Mode or PC mode.
Why does the reading change when I move the window?
On a multi-monitor setup the browser follows the refresh of the monitor the window is on. Some browsers also throttle to 30 or 60 Hz in power-saving mode or when the tab is in the background.