Response-time labels can look like a simple race: 4ms GtG and 6ms typical. They are not. Each is a measurement with a mode and a test condition behind it, so the useful question is whether the picture stays clean at the way you use the monitor.
Quick Answer
A 4ms GtG figure describes selected grey transitions in a fast mode, while 6ms typical indicates a gentler baseline. Neither number covers every pixel change; judge refresh interval, overshoot and visible trails before treating 2ms as a verdict. The Lenovo L24-4e quotes 4ms GtG in Extreme mode, which makes the mode selection part of the decision.
🔬 What GtG actually measures
Grey-to-grey timing measures how quickly a pixel changes between selected shades of grey. It does not describe every possible colour transition, the time taken by your computer to make a frame, or the refresh interval of the panel. A single low number therefore cannot describe all motion behaviour.
"Typical" commonly represents a less aggressive baseline setting. "Extreme" normally refers to stronger overdrive, where the monitor pushes pixels harder to reach the next shade. These labels are useful for comparison only when you remember that they are not identical tests.
👁️ Test trails and inverse ghosting together
Use a scrolling text page, a moving cursor and a familiar game or video scene. If ordinary trails distract you, try a faster response mode. If a bright halo or odd outline appears behind moving objects, the mode may be overshooting. The best setting is usually the fastest one that still looks natural to your eyes.
The L24-4e is specified with 4ms GtG in Extreme mode. That tells you where the number applies. It does not claim that every transition always takes 4ms, which is why a short real-world test matters more than treating the label as a guarantee.
🧮 Put response time beside refresh rate
At 100Hz, the screen receives a new refresh opportunity every 10ms. A response setting should help pixels settle within that rhythm without creating a more obvious artefact. The monitor's stated 100Hz mode and 4ms Extreme figure belong to the same motion conversation, but neither replaces the other.
Compare office monitors for their whole motion setup, then look at gaming monitors if fast moving content is the main use case.
⚙️ Change one motion control at a time
Start from the monitor's ordinary response setting, then run one familiar moving test for several minutes. A scrolling webpage is useful because letters reveal trailing without requiring a game. A video with a slow pan can expose a different issue: a response mode that looks sharp on a cursor may add a pale outline around darker objects. If the display offers more than one setting, move up one step, repeat the same test and stop when the artefact becomes more distracting than the original trail.
Keep refresh rate separate from response mode. At 100Hz, the refresh interval is 10ms, so the display has a new image opportunity every 10 milliseconds. Selecting a stronger response setting does not make the source computer create more frames, and it cannot repair uneven frame delivery. It only changes how the panel attempts its pixel transitions between those refreshes.
This is also why the smallest number is not automatically the most useful one. A clean medium setting can be easier to live with than an aggressive mode that produces inverse ghosting. Check moving text, bright edges on a dark background and the application you use most. Your final choice should be the setting that makes those examples look least distracting over time, not the mode with the boldest label.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 4ms mean every pixel change takes 4ms?
No. It normally refers to selected grey-to-grey transitions in a specified mode.
Is Extreme mode always the best setting?
Not necessarily. A faster mode can introduce overshoot, so choose the one that keeps moving edges visually clean.
Is a 2ms difference decisive?
Usually not by itself. The active refresh rate, the panel's behaviour and visible artefacts are more useful checks.
Ready to judge motion by what you can see?
Compare response modes with your normal content and choose the cleanest setting, not merely the smallest printed number.