Abstract: The scintillator detector plays an important role in the detection of ray energy and arrival time. Aiming at the new domestic cerium bromide (CeBr₃) scintillator crystal, the experimental system for testing its key performance was established. A fast coincident timing resolution measurement device was established, and it’s found that the timing resolution of the new scintillator detector is 142 ps. And the results show that the decay time of the cerium bromide crystal is 16.8 ns and the rise time is 0.18 ns. The relative light output measurement device was established and tested to obtain the relative light output to NaI(Tl), and the relative light output of the cerium bromide crystal scintillator detector is 161% for 661.66 keV energy ray. At the same time, the energy response of the detector was measured, and the energy resolution is 4.7% for 661.66 keV energy ray. The performance of the novel scintillator crystals made in China was compared with that of aboard cerium bromide crystal and other kinds of scintillator crystals, such as barium fluoride, lanthanum bromide and sodium iodide, and its application prospect was discussed.