Monitor AOC 22B20JHN2 Reduce Ghosting and Black Smearing

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What Are Ghosting and Black Smearing on VA Panels, and Why Do They Happen

Ghosting on VA (Vertical Alignment) panels happens when pixels don’t change colors quickly enough, leaving a faint afterimage or residual image behind moving objects.

Black smearing, a type of ghosting, specifically happens when dark pixels, such as those transitioning from black to gray, change slower than expected. This delay creates a visible dark trail or blur during fast-moving dark scenes.

AOC 22B20JGN2 Key Specifications

Screen Size & Type: 21.45” VA Panel
Resolution & Refresh Rate: Full HD (1920×1080), 100Hz (HDMI) / 75Hz (VGA)
Response Time: 1ms (MPRT)
Adaptive Sync: Yes
Connectivity: HDMI 1.4 × 1, VGA × 1
Design: 3-Sided Frameless, Tilt: -5° to 15°

How to Reduce Ghosting and Black Smearing of 22B20JHN2

First, make sure the refresh rate is at the highest available—100Hz.

Comparison of Before (Top) and After (Bottom) Adjustment

The image below shows a comparison between the monitor's default factory settings and the adjusted settings that reduce ghosting and black smearing.

This setting only changes two options to ensure that the black on this VA panel still looks great and deep.

Color Setup (Color Gamut)
Game Setting (Overdrive)

Color Setup

Change Color Gamut to sRGB.
You might notice some pixelation during dark scenes on Youtube or Twitch because the panel is not as dark as before.

Game Setting

Change Overdrive to Medium or Strong

To Further Reduce the Black Smearing By Sacrificing the Quality of Black

If you don't mind with black looking slightly 'grey', change these settings:

Under Color Setup,

Color Gamut: Panel Native

Under Luminance,

Gamma: Gamma 3

Under Game Setting,

Shadow Control: 60

If you want a slightly better black than above, or have control on the brightness of black, try these settings: