What a refresh rate test actually measures
This refresh rate test runs entirely in your browser and reports how many times per second your display redraws the picture, measured in hertz (Hz). It does not need a download, a plugin, or admin rights. The number you see is the real cadence your current screen, cable, and graphics settings are producing right now, which is often more useful than the figure printed on the box. If you have ever wondered "what is my refresh rate" after buying a 144Hz panel, this is the fastest way to find out whether you are getting it.
Refresh rate (Hz) versus frame rate (FPS)
People mix these two up constantly, and the difference matters. Refresh rate is a property of the display hardware: a 144Hz monitor is physically capable of painting 144 distinct images every second, whether or not anything is feeding it that many. Frame rate, measured in frames per second (FPS), is how many fresh images your computer actually generates, usually from a game or a video.
Think of the monitor as a slideshow projector with a fixed click speed and the GPU as the person handing it slides. If the GPU only produces 60 FPS on a 144Hz screen, you still see new content 60 times a second, with the panel repeating frames in between. If the GPU pumps out 200 FPS on a 144Hz screen, the extra frames are thrown away because the panel cannot show them. The smoothest result happens when frame rate and refresh rate are close and stay in sync, which is exactly what technologies like G-SYNC and FreeSync coordinate.
Why higher Hz feels smoother
At 60Hz each frame lingers on screen for about 16.7 milliseconds. At 144Hz that drops to roughly 6.9 ms, and at 240Hz to about 4.2 ms. Shorter intervals mean less distance an object jumps between updates, so motion looks continuous rather than stepped. The effect is obvious the moment you drag a window, scroll a long web page, or whip the camera around in a first-person game: text stays legible while moving, and fast targets are easier to track.
Higher refresh rates also tend to come with lower input lag, because the screen has more frequent opportunities to show the result of your last action. In competitive games like CS2, Valorant, or Apex Legends, that smaller delay can decide a close fight. For everyday desktop use the payoff is gentler but real: scrolling and animations on a 120Hz or 144Hz display simply feel calmer on the eyes.
Common refresh rates you will encounter
Most displays land on one of a handful of values. 60Hz remains the baseline for office monitors, budget laptops, and many phones. 90Hz and 120Hz are now common on mid-range phones and tablets. 144Hz is the popular sweet spot for gaming monitors, offering a dramatic jump over 60Hz without the price of the top tier. 240Hz and beyond (360Hz, 480Hz) target esports players chasing every last millisecond. Diminishing returns set in as the numbers climb, but the step from 60Hz to 120Hz or 144Hz is the one almost everyone notices immediately.
How the browser estimates your refresh rate
The test leans on a browser API called requestAnimationFrame. When you ask the browser to call a function with this method, it schedules that call to run right before the next screen repaint, so the callback fires in step with the display. By counting how many of those callbacks happen over a measured stretch of time and dividing by the elapsed seconds, the tool works out your effective Hz. That is why an accurate reading needs a few seconds: it averages out noise so a brief stutter does not throw off the result.
A couple of honest caveats. This method reports the refresh rate of the display the browser window is currently on, so on a multi-monitor setup it follows the active screen. Background tabs, heavy CPU load, or a struggling page can briefly drop the count, so close other demanding tabs for the cleanest measurement. For the most reliable figure, leave the test running and stay on this tab.
Why you might not be hitting your monitor's maximum
Plenty of people own a high-refresh panel yet quietly run at 60Hz. The usual suspects are easy to check. First, the operating system: on Windows the refresh rate often defaults to 60Hz and must be raised under Display settings, and macOS has a similar setting. Second, the cable: an older or low-spec HDMI cable, or a port limited to an early HDMI version, may not carry enough bandwidth for 144Hz at your resolution. DisplayPort, or a properly rated HDMI 2.0/2.1 cable, usually fixes this. Third, GPU drivers and control panels: outdated NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel drivers can hide higher modes, and the GPU control panel sometimes needs the higher rate selected manually. Finally, the monitor's own on-screen menu occasionally ships with a high-refresh mode that has to be switched on.
If this test reads 60 on a screen you expected to be faster, walk through those four areas in order. Want to check the rest of your setup while you are here? Try our device tests for screen, browser, and hardware details, or run a quick speed test to see how your connection is doing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good refresh rate for a monitor?
60Hz is fine for browsing and office work. For gaming or noticeably smoother scrolling, 120Hz or 144Hz is the popular sweet spot, while 240Hz and above mainly benefit competitive esports players.
Is refresh rate the same as frame rate?
No. Refresh rate (Hz) is how many times the display can redraw per second, a hardware limit. Frame rate (FPS) is how many images your computer produces. You only get the full benefit when the two are close and stay in sync.
Why does the browser test show 60Hz when my monitor is 144Hz?
The most common causes are an operating-system setting still at 60Hz, an underpowered or wrong cable, outdated GPU drivers, or a mode that has to be enabled in the GPU control panel or the monitor menu. Check those four areas in order.
How accurate is a browser-based refresh rate test?
It is a close estimate. The tool counts repaint callbacks over a few seconds and averages them, so the result is usually within a hertz or two. Background load or other busy tabs can lower it, so close them for the cleanest reading.
Does a higher refresh rate reduce input lag?
Generally yes. A faster display has more frequent chances to show the result of your last action, which trims the delay between input and what you see. The effect is most noticeable in fast-paced games.
Can my phone or tablet be tested too?
Yes. The test works on any device with a modern browser. Many recent phones and tablets run at 90Hz or 120Hz, and this tool will report the rate the screen is actually using.