Radio frequency (RF) phase detector in 2856 MHZ based on personal computer is designed, built, and tested in support of free electron laser development based on 200-MeV RF linear accelerator in National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, which means for Chinese middle and long term development programme for basic research. The tested resolution of the designed RF phase detector in 2856 MHZ is better than 0.3

. The potential applications of the high accuracy RF phase detector in RF linear accelerators and free electron laser are given.