A browser motion pattern can look clear while a game leaves a trail behind a character, weapon or fine detail. The game and browser can use different rendering, frame rates and display conditions.

Describe the symptom before changing settings

  • Pauses or jumps: movement advances unevenly. Start with the timing and ghosting guide.
  • A dark smear or bright outline: note the object, background and direction of movement. This may be worth comparing across display response settings.
  • A trail around particular game objects: note whether it follows foliage, a weapon, particles or newly revealed background. Investigate the game’s rendering as well as the display.

Several effects can appear together. Use the description to choose which setting to compare first.

Compare a simple pattern first

Open the motion comparison. Keep the page speed and display mode fixed, and check the requested and observed lane rates. If the display exposes an overdrive or response setting, note the current option before trying another one.

Dell’s Gaming and Alienware FAQ explains that excessive overdrive can introduce visible artifacts on its monitors. Use your own model’s manual and compare the result; compare which response setting gives the clearest movement in your setup. Record which setting changes the trail and how its appearance changes.

Return to the same game scene

Choose a repeatable view and camera movement. Record the game version, resolution, frame cap and relevant graphics options. Change only one available option at a time, such as temporal anti-aliasing (TAA), an upscaling mode or motion blur, then return to the starting setting to check whether the difference repeats. Changing rendering options may also change FPS, so note that too.

Temporal rendering can reuse information from earlier frames. Epic’s TSR documentation describes how that process can produce ghosting in particular circumstances. Use it to understand a possible source in the rendered image, then compare the options available in your game.

Use the result to choose the next check

If only a game option changes the trail, keep that observation and look for the developer’s guidance for that game and version. If a monitor option changes trails in both places, keep the model and display conditions with your notes. Record the setting, scene and conditions so you can repeat the comparison.

Games have their own variable-refresh behavior, frame delivery and image processing to compare. When seeking help, share the repeatable scene and the single changes tested. Use the new-monitor checklist for a broader first inspection.

Manufacturer and engine sources checked 26 October 2026.