Last Updated on November 18, 2022 by
The time it takes for a monitor to go from one color to another is known as response time. This is commonly represented in milliseconds and represents the time it takes to change from black to white and back to black (ms). Gray-to-gray (GtG) and, on rare occasions, black-to-white are other options.
The average time from black to white to black is 10 milliseconds. LCD screens, on the other hand, have response times of less than 10 milliseconds. However, the faster the response time, the better the image and motion production. Certain panel types, however, are more sensitive than others, with TN panels being far more responsive than IPS panels in the past. However, this is all changing, particularly with nano IPS.
Black to White to Black
The usual response time indicator is black to white to black. The time it takes from fully active (white) to inactive (black). You can calculate how long it takes a pixel to change colors using this time measurement. The total time in an LCD, for example, is how quickly the liquid-crystal rises and subsequently lowers.
Response times from black to white to black are frequently longer, implying that they transition more slowly. These response times are more suited to regular computer users who are more concerned about monitoring ergonomics.
Gray-to-Gray (GtG):
Gray-to-gray (GtG) works on a medium gradation, which means that these pixels do not become completely inactive. The gradations of grey on LCD GtGs are around 256. Gray-to-gray response times are substantially faster, which is ideal for individuals who want to improve their gaming and filming.
It’s also worth noting how they’re calculated. While the entire duration from black to white to black is the same, gray-to-gray is calculated by averaging many different time sequences. This is the overall time it takes for a pixel to change color in milliseconds.
How Color is Made
With all of the debate about black, white, and grey, you’re certainly curious about how color is created. Each pixel on an LCD panel normally has three subpixels. On a single display, monitors might have millions of pixels (a 4K screen contains about 8.3 million). Within a single pixel, there are color filters for red, green, and blue light in each of these three subpixels. You can create different hues by adjusting the active and inactive regions of these three subpixels.
So, response time is the time it takes for these pixels to “switch off” or, to put it another way, to block out light. Gray-to-gray works by using a color scheme and toggling between several shades of grey. However, the hue variances are noticeable.
Latency :
When researching response time, you may come across the phrase latency. Although the two words are similar in that they both involve time and employ milliseconds, there is a distinction. The term “latency” relates to data that is awaiting a response, not the time it takes for a color shift to occur. Responsiveness time is sometimes mistaken with phrases like input lag, which is an error caused by the monitor’s lack of response.
Latency simply refers to the time it takes for a request to be issued and the time it takes for a response to arrive. You’ll have a summary of round-trip latency and service time once it’s been processed and received. Better latency, on the other hand, can enhance your response time by a millisecond!
