Frame Skip Test
The most advanced browser frame skip detector. 3 test patterns with real-time algorithmic frame drop detection, live frame time chart, and automated PASS/FAIL verdict — plus the traditional camera verification method.
Recent Sessions
Last 8 runs| Pattern | Duration | Hz | Drops | Consistency | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No sessions yet. Run a test to start tracking. | |||||
What is Frame Skipping?
Frame skipping occurs when your monitor receives frames from the GPU but fails to display every one — dropping frames silently. This is common when overclocking monitors (e.g., forcing 60Hz to 75Hz). Unlike low FPS, this is a monitor-side issue: your GPU is fine, the display is the bottleneck.
Key Metrics
- Refresh Rate (Hz) — Detected frame delivery rate. Should match your monitor setting.
- Avg Frame Time (ms) — Time per frame. 60Hz = ~16.67ms, 144Hz = ~6.94ms.
- Dropped Frames — Frames exceeding 1.5x expected delivery time.
- Jitter — Standard deviation of frame times. Below 3ms is stable.
- Consistency — Percentage of frames within acceptable timing. 100% = zero drops.
Test Patterns
- Numbered Squares: Cycling 0-9 digits, one per frame. Missing numbers in photos = skipped frames.
- Column Sweep: White column scans left-to-right. Gaps in long-exposure photos = skipping.
- Color Cycle: Active column cycles 6 colours. Missing colours confirm skipped frames.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is frame skipping dangerous for my monitor?
No hardware damage, but it defeats the purpose of higher Hz. If detected, lower your refresh rate to the stable native rate for genuinely smoother motion.
Can a GPU cause frame skipping?
Rarely. Frame skipping is almost always a monitor/scaler limitation. GPU issues manifest as low FPS, not dropped refresh cycles.
Why does the test show drops on a good monitor?
Browser timing is affected by background tabs and OS scheduling. 1-2 drops over 30 seconds is normal jitter. 5+ drops or consistency below 95% is a real concern — confirm with the camera method.