Response Time vs Input Lag: They're Not the Same

These two specs get mixed up constantly. They measure different things.

Response time (pixels)

How long a pixel takes to change color, in milliseconds (ms), usually gray-to-gray (GtG). Slow response → ghosting/blur. Test it visually with the Ghosting Test. "1ms" claims are best-case; real-world is often higher.

Input lag (system)

The delay between an input (mouse/keyboard) and the result showing on screen. It's the sum of:

• Mouse polling and USB delay.
• Game engine and render time.
• Display processing (scaler, image enhancements).

High input lag makes a game feel "floaty" even at high frame rates.

How to reduce input lag

• Enable the monitor's Game Mode (it bypasses image processing).
• Turn off dynamic contrast, motion smoothing, and noise reduction.
• Use a wired mouse with a high polling rate.
• Cap your frame rate slightly below your refresh rate when using V-Sync, or use adaptive sync.

Bottom line

Fast response = clearer motion. Low input lag = more responsive feel. For competitive play you want both — and a high refresh rate on top.