Almost all monitors use LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panels illuminated by LED backlights. There are three main types of LCD panels; IPS (In-Plane Switching), VA (Vertical Alignment) and TN (Twisted Nematic). No matter which brand of monitor you buy, there are three different display technologies to choose from; TN, VA and IPS panel.

Different display technologies uniquely affect the image quality. Each panel technology has its strengths and weaknesses. Also, the best of them all depends on your general use and personal preferences. VA panel or IPS panel? TN panel or VA panel? We will compare three display technologies to help users who are having a hard time choosing. We will talk about the three most common display panel types and the differences between them.

What is IPS panel?

In-Plane Switching is the most popular among monitor panels. It uses a different crystal orientation compared to the VA and TN panel. As the TN and VA crystals bend, the IPS crystals rotate within the plane of the substrate to allow light to pass through. IPS panels are by far the most common in monitors today.

IPS is by far the panel that offers the best display and the widest color gamut and viewing angle. After extensive research on IPS, different types of IPS panels have been produced over time. PLS (Plane-To-Line Switching), AHVA (Advanced Hyper Viewing Angles) and eIPS are some of the IPS panel types. For example; PLS is the IPS variant that Samsung uses. There are a few differences between these IPS variants. But the basic working principle is the same. Manufacturers claim that their IPS panels are better due to advanced technology.

The Refresh Rate of an IPS Panel

The refresh rate of an IPS panel is between 60 – 240Hz. These monitors are best suited for highly sensitive tasks such as photo and video editing, rendering. Because these monitors have the best colors and viewing angles. The contrast ratio on these monitors is pretty good, however not the best.

IPS panels offer a lot compared to other panel technologies. One of the biggest advantages of choosing an IPS LCD screen is excellent color quality. It offer the widest variety, while other panels are limited to sRGB. Even the entry-level IPS monitor offers up to 95% sRGB color coverage, most IPS monitors offer full sRGB color coverage. IPS panels offer 8-bit native display. On the other hand, it can decrease down to 6-bit in entry-level models. Professional-grade monitors offer true 10-bit experience. IPS panels have by far the best viewing angles compared to TN and VA panels.

What is a VA panel?

Vertical Alignment, or VA for short, uses vertically aligned crystals to allow light to pass through. IPS crystals are parallel to the glass substrate while VA crystals are perpendicular to the substrate. While VA panels are not as common in monitors as IPS panels, they are one of the most common choices in TVs.

These panels offer the IPS and TN experience together. Compared to IPS panel, VA has far superior contrast ratio than IPS. The contrast ratio of VA monitors reaches a static 5000:1 ratio. It delivers better blacks than the other two panels. VA panels can also achieve a higher refresh rate than IPS. It also offers better color reproduction, higher maximum brightness, and excellent viewing angles.

Some Problems of a VA Panel

One of the problems with VA panels is that they offer high latency like 10 ms. On some high-end VA monitors, the latency can be as low as 4 ms. However as you can imagine, in this case the price increases. VA monitors typically offer 8 to 10 ms latency. If you are looking for a monitor to play games other than online games, but also to do business, you can consider it.

VA is the panel that offers the brightest and highest contrast ratio compared to other panels. These panels offer better viewing angles than TN. The viewing angle is good, though not as impressive as IPS panels. When it comes to color gamut, by far VA panels are the best. Compared to IPS, these panels are much more affordable. VA monitors offer the best performance. VA displays can often be cited as the best option for any type of business, even gaming.

The refresh rate of VA panels is not very high unless you choose a rare very expensive monitor. Another disadvantage is the slow response times. These panels are the slowest in the TN, IPS, VA panel comparison. Except for hard-to-find and high-priced models, VA monitors have a response delay of 5-10 ms.

What is TN panel?

Twisted Nematic, or TN for short, is the oldest of all available panels. We can also say that it is the first LCD display technology on the market. TN panels consist of liquid crystals squeezed between two polarizing filters. When electric is applied, the crystals bend. Then, they allow light to pass through.

VA and IPS are much better and superior technologies compared to TN panels. But, they are still among the most preferred monitors with their price advantage and excellent response time with up to 1 millisecond delay. The reason people buy TN monitors is being the fastest panel type apart from being affordable. TN panels have made great strides in just a few years. Moreover, the gap between other monitor panels is getting narrower with each new generation.

About Color Reproduction, Color Gamut and Viewing Angle

However, when it comes to color reproduction, color gamut and viewing angle, TN panels do not perform as impressively as IPS or VA panels. If you look at the middle from different viewing angles, you’ll notice that the monitor has higher saturation and gamma than the lower part of the screen. TN panels have the worst contrast ratio of the three panels. The difference between TN and IPS panel is not that big. In terms of color quality, TN panels are very poor. Most TN panels are 6-bit. But some expensive high-end monitors are native 8-bit.

Fınal Thoughts

Although TN panels are weak in every category such as contrast ratio, color depth, color gamut and viewing angles, they have a superior side which is about achieving high refresh rates. The TN panel can reach a refresh rate of up to 240 Hz. Of course, there are non-TN panel monitors that support 240Hz, but their prices are high.

Another advantage of TN panel is the reaction time. These panels are the fastest panels on the market. Besides, the latency can be as low as 1ms. With the exception of other panels, the response time can reach 4ms. Most TN monitors offer a response time of 3ms. That’s why most gamers prefer these display panels instead of IPS and VA.

To sum up, the game industry is one of the most important elements of today. Good image quality, being powerful and extensible are among the most significant features to look for in the games you will play. We can help you in this regard with our sectoral knowledge and extensive connections. For more detailed information on the subject, visit our website. At the same time, you can reach us through our communication channels and review our work through our social media channels (Instagram, Reddit, Twitter, and GitHub).

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