Gaming Monitor Tests — VRR, Ghosting & Blooming
Sixteen test videos aimed at gaming-monitor shopping and tuning: VRR/G-SYNC/FreeSync smoothness, ghosting and local-dimming blooming around bright objects on a dark background.
What these files actually are
Enable G-SYNC/FreeSync (or your display's VRR mode) in your GPU and monitor settings before comparing with it off. Free download, no watermark, no attribution required, each with a SHA-256 hash and VirusTotal link.
Online full-screen test
Run the test right in your browser, no download needed. Press Start, then click or use the arrow keys to switch patterns. To test a TV or projector without a browser, use the video files further down.
Click / → / Space: next · ←: previous · A: auto-play · Esc: exit
How to run the test
- Clean the screen and set the display to its native resolution with 100% scaling.
- Press Start (or pick a pattern below). The test fills the whole screen; the controls hide after a moment.
- Look over the whole screen on every pattern, from normal viewing distance and then up close.
- Press Esc to leave. Note where any defect is and photograph it on the pattern that shows it best, e.g. for a warranty claim.
Test patterns and what to look for
- UFO motion test
- Saucers move at 960, 480 and 240 pixels per second. A trail or a doubled, blurry saucer means ghosting or motion blur; jerky motion means dropped frames. The measured refresh rate should match the Hz set in your display settings.
- Black level
- Squares 1–19 on black. You should be able to tell at least the squares from 3 or 4 upward apart from the background. If they merge into black, shadows are crushed: raise brightness or black level, or check the RGB range (full vs limited).
- Gradient
- Gray and red, green and blue ramps should be smooth. Visible steps (banding) point to a low bit depth, over-processing or a wrong colour profile.
- Gamma
- Step back and squint: the block where the striped surround and the solid centre look equally bright shows your display's approximate gamma. 2.2 is the standard for PCs and the web.
- Sharpness
- 1-pixel lines and checkerboards should look crisp and even. Moiré, colour fringes or blur mean the image is scaled or sharpening is too high. Use native resolution, 100% scaling, and on TVs 'Just Scan' or 'Screen Fit'.
Common use cases
Buying a gaming monitor
Compare VRR smoothness, ghosting and blooming before committing to a purchase.
Tuning VRR and overdrive together
Toggle G-SYNC/FreeSync and overdrive settings while this plays to find a combination without artifacts.
Starfield Local Dimming Test
Small drifting stars on pure black: local dimming either dims stars or halos around them. View in a dark room.
Mini-LED Blooming Test
Larger bright objects on black - watch the halo size around each; smaller halos mean more dimming zones.
White Cross on Black Background Test
A static white cross on pure black: glow along the arms shows blooming; on OLED the edges should be perfectly clean.
Small Highlight Blooming Test
A small bright highlight crossing pure black - the hardest case for local dimming.
Local Dimming Zone Transition Test
The box jumps between three positions: watch zones light up and shut down, and how long they lag.
Local Dimming Lag Test
The box blinks on and off: brightness that ramps instead of snapping is local dimming lag.
Black Bar Blooming Test
A bright object inside a letterboxed picture: glow spilling into the cinema bars is blooming.
Bright Object Moving on Black Test
A single bright object crossing pure black at speed - halos trailing it reveal dimming zone response time.
Black Equalizer and Shadow Boost Test
Toggle Black Equalizer/Shadow Boost on your gaming monitor: more dark steps should become visible without washing out the background.
Gaming Shadow Detail Test
Can you spot enemies in the dark? Every step should be separable from black at your game settings.
Game Mode Picture Processing Test
Compare Game Mode on/off: detail should stay identical while input lag drops - heavy 'enhancement' modes blur this chart.
OLED Black Crush Test
The first steps above black are where OLED crushes detail - adjust brightness/gamma until steps 1-4 are just visible.
OLED Tint Test – White and Gray Screen
Full white and gray fields - look for pink/green tint patches, common on OLED.
OLED ABL Brightness Test
As the white window grows, ABL dims the whole image - watch the label and compare brightness at 2% vs 100%.
Small Window vs Full Screen Brightness Test
Compare peak brightness on the 2/10/25/50/100% windows - with a light meter if you have one.
Display Scanout Direction Test
Film the sweeping bar in slow motion: the direction the new frame 'paints in' is your panel's scanout direction.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need VRR enabled to test this?
- Enable G-SYNC/FreeSync (or your display's VRR mode) in your GPU and monitor settings first, then compare with it off.
- What am I looking for?
- Smooth, consistent motion with no stutter, tearing, or brightness flicker as the frame rate changes.
- Which test should I start with?
- Turn on VRR and start with the FreeSync/G-SYNC smoothness test, then check ghosting and blooming with VRR left on, since that is how you will actually use the monitor.
More test categories
- Dead Pixel Test — Online Full-Screen Check + 33 Free Videos
- UFO Test & Refresh Rate Test — Online + 57 Free Videos
- OLED & Backlight Bleed Test — Online Full Screen + 27 Videos
- Brightness & Contrast Test Patterns — 10 Free Calibration Videos
- Flicker, BFI & Motion Clarity Tests — 23 Free Videos
- HDMI Signal & Chroma Processing Tests — 26 Free Videos
- Monitor Test Online — Full-Screen Patterns + 38 Free Videos
- Projector Test Patterns — 17 Free Downloads (Focus, Grid)