Refresh rate is a metric that measures how many times a monitor can update its image per second, measured in Hz. Many users find that after purchasing a new monitor, the picture still has ghosting or stuttering, not realizing that the problem may lie in the system or drivers not correctly outputting the target refresh rate. Rather than trusting the merchant's claims, it's better to personally verify your screen's actual performance using the UFO Test tool.

This article will introduce how to use the UFO Test online refresh rate testing tool, combined with frame rate testing to determine whether your screen reaches 60Hz, 144Hz, or higher refresh rates, and provide complete step-by-step instructions, result interpretation, and common troubleshooting methods.

1. What is the UFO Test Refresh Rate Test?

UFO Test is a free online monitor refresh rate testing page that uses a continuously moving flying saucer animation to detect the monitor's actual frame rate and refresh stability. It doesn't rely on local software and can be tested simply by opening a browser, making it ideal for quickly troubleshooting whether a monitor's refresh rate is being limited to 60Hz by the system.

  • Flying saucer movement trajectory: Exposes the gaps between frames through high-speed moving graphics; if the refresh rate is low, noticeable stuttering or ghosting will be visible.
  • Real-time frame rate display: The page shows the current browser rendering frame rate in real time, helping determine whether the system is outputting the target refresh rate.
  • Multiple tier comparison: Can simultaneously display flying saucers at different frame rates such as 30fps, 60fps, and 120fps, allowing intuitive comparison of smoothness differences.

2. Pre-Test Preparation

  • Confirm system refresh rate settings: In Windows, go to "Settings > System > Display > Advanced Display Settings" and check whether the refresh rate is set to the highest value your monitor supports. Many new monitors default to only 60Hz and need to be manually switched to 144Hz or higher.
  • Use a supported browser: Chrome, Edge, or Firefox have better support for high refresh rates; avoid using IE or outdated browsers.
  • Close high-load background programs: During testing, close GPU-intensive games, video rendering, etc., to prevent the frame rate from being dragged down by other programs.
  • Disable V-Sync interference: If the system graphics card settings force V-Sync on, it may limit the frame rate; it's recommended to temporarily disable it before testing.

3. UFO Test Online Testing Detailed Steps

  • Step 1: Open the test page
    Enter the official UFO Test website (www.testufo.com) in your browser's address bar to access the refresh rate testing page.
  • Step 2: Observe the flying saucer movement
    After the page loads, a row of moving flying saucers will be displayed, each labeled with a different frame rate. Focus your eyes on the 60fps and 144fps flying saucers and compare their movement smoothness. If the 144fps flying saucer appears noticeably smoother, it means the monitor is outputting a high refresh rate.
  • Step 3: Check the real-time frame rate
    The top of the page will display information such as "Refresh Rate" and "Pixels Per Frame." If the browser supports it, it will show the current actual refresh rate. If it shows 60Hz, it means the system is not outputting a high refresh rate.
  • Step 4: Switch test modes
    In the upper-right corner of the page, you can select the "Frame Skipping" mode to detect whether frame skipping is occurring. If large white blocks are continuously skipped, it indicates a frame skipping issue with the monitor or driver.
  • Step 5: Record the results
    It's recommended to test each refresh rate tier for 1-2 minutes and take screenshots for later comparison with target values.

4. Test Result Interpretation

  • Refresh rate displays normally: If the page's real-time frame rate remains stable around 144Hz and the flying saucer moves smoothly, it means the monitor and system settings are correct.
  • Refresh rate stuck at 60Hz: If high refresh rate has been selected in settings but the test still shows 60Hz, it may be due to an unsupported cable (such as HDMI 1.4 being unable to output 2K 144Hz), outdated graphics card drivers, or monitor firmware limitations.
  • Frame skipping or flickering: If the Frame Skipping mode reveals discontinuous white blocks, it may be caused by insufficient cable bandwidth, driver issues, or monitor hardware failure.
  • Unstable frame rate: If the frame rate fluctuates between 80-144, it may be due to background programs consuming resources, browser hardware acceleration not being enabled, or insufficient graphics card performance.

5. Common Troubleshooting and Solutions

  • Problem 1: Bought a 144Hz monitor, but tests show 60Hz
    Check whether the cable supports high refresh rates; it's recommended to use a DP cable or HDMI 2.0 or above; enter the graphics card control panel and set the refresh rate to the value supported by the monitor.
  • Problem 2: Tearing or stuttering on the test page
    Disable the browser's power-saving mode and enable hardware acceleration; disable "Variable Refresh Rate" or "Vertical Sync" in the system and retry.
  • Problem 3: Browser cannot detect high refresh rate
    Confirm that the monitor driver is installed; enter chrome://flags in the browser's address bar, search for "Choose ANGLE graphics backend," switch to OpenGL or D3D11, and restart the browser.
  • Problem 4: External high refresh rate monitor on a laptop fails to meet standards
    Check whether the laptop's output port supports high refresh rates; some models limit bandwidth when connected via Type-C adapters; it's recommended to use a Thunderbolt port or direct HDMI/DP connection.

6. Daily Usage Recommendations

  • Regularly check system refresh rate: After system updates or graphics card driver updates, refresh rate settings may be reset; it's recommended to verify with UFO Test periodically.
  • Choose high-quality cables: Prioritize using the original DP or HDMI cable that came with your monitor; avoid low-quality cables that may prevent stable high refresh rate output.
  • Enable browser hardware acceleration: When viewing web pages and videos on a high refresh rate screen, enabling hardware acceleration provides smoother scrolling and animation effects.
  • Combine with frame rate testing: For gamers, use in-game frame rate display alongside UFO Test to determine whether the bottleneck is the monitor or insufficient graphics card output.

7. Summary

UFO Test is a simple and efficient online refresh rate testing tool that can verify within minutes whether your monitor is truly running at its advertised 60Hz, 144Hz, or higher refresh rate. With proper settings and connections, most refresh rate issues can be quickly resolved. If you've just purchased a high refresh rate monitor or feel that the picture isn't smooth enough, open UFO Test and run a test first to confirm the problem with data.