Ultimate Guide: What Is MPRT on A Monitor?

Moving Picture Response Time (MPRT) has become one of the most quoted yet least understood specifications in today’s display market. This guide distills insights from the top Google results (engineering white-papers, review labs, and standards bodies) into one comprehensive resource.

1. What Is MPRT on A Monitor?

MPRT measures how long a pixel remains visible on-screen while it is in motion. Lower numbers (e.g., 1–4 ms) mean crisper moving images; higher numbers (8 ms and above) produce longer blur streaks.

Authoritative definition: VESA defines MPRT as “the time integral of a pixel’s luminance visibility during one refresh cycle.” (VESA CTS 1.1, 2023).

2. MPRT vs. GtG: Why They Differ

3. How Is MPRT Measured?

1. Scrolling film test – Record blur width with a high-speed camera.
2. Strobe width analysis – On strobing LCDs, pulse width equals effective MPRT.
3. Mathematical approximation – MPRT ≈ 1 / Refresh Rate (for 100 % visibility).

Example: A 144 Hz panel (no strobing) ≈ 6.94 ms MPRT.

4. Hold-Type vs. Impulse-Type Displays

LCDs are sample-and-hold (longer blur), while CRTs and strobing LCDs are impulse-type (short blur). OLEDs have lightning-fast GtG but still behave as sample-and-hold unless black-frame insertion (BFI) is enabled.

5. Technologies That Reduce MPRT

• Higher refresh rates – 240 Hz halves blur vs. 120 Hz.
• Backlight strobing / BFI – Cuts visibility to ≤2 ms but can introduce flicker.
• OLED + BFI – Micro-second pixel response plus short visibility window.

6. Typical MPRT Values in 2025

7. Why Gamers Should Care

Low MPRT reduces visual streaking, improving target tracking in competitive FPS, racing, and RTS titles. A 2022 IEEE VR study linked sub-4 ms MPRT to quicker reaction times.

8. Choosing Your Next Display

• Check whether the quoted number is MPRT or GtG.
• For non-strobed use, aim for ≥240 Hz.
• Look for optional backlight strobing/BFI if you crave CRT-like clarity.
• Consider OLED for fastest GtG plus BFI flexibility.

9. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can MPRT be converted to blur-trail length?
A: Yes. Blur ≈ object speed × MPRT.

Q: Does VRR affect MPRT?
A: Only indirectly; lower frame rates increase frame visibility, and thus perceived blur.

Conclusion

MPRT is now the de facto metric for perceived motion clarity. By understanding its nuances—refresh rate, strobing, and panel type—you can choose a monitor that matches both performance demands and visual comfort.