IPS vs VA vs TN panel: What do display technologies mean?

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, each uniquely affecting the image quality. Each panel technology has its strengths and weaknesses, and 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 in monitors and the differences between them.

What is IPS panel?

In-Plane Switching, or IPS for short, 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, parallel to the glass substrate and similar to a camera shutter. 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. More precisely, the naming of brands. For example; PLS is the IPS variant 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 better and improved technology.

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. This is because; that these monitors have the best colors and viewing angles of all available panels. The contrast ratio on these monitors is pretty good, but 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; delivering excellent color quality. IPS panels offer the widest variety, while other panels are limited to sRGB. Even the entry-level IPS monitor offers up to 95% sRGB color coverage, while most IPS monitors offer full sRGB color coverage. IPS panels offer 8-bit native display, down to 6-bit in entry-level models. Professional-grade monitors deliver 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 oblique 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, delivering 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 overall, and excellent viewing angles.

One of the problems with VA panels; They offer high latency like 10 ms. On some high-end VA monitors, the latency can drop to 4ms, but as you can imagine, this time the price goes up. 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 angle than TN. The viewing angle is good, though not as impressive as IPS panels. When it comes to color gamut, VA panels are by far the best. Compared to IPS, these panels are much more affordable. VA monitors offer the best all-around 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; 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 sandwiched between two polarizing filters. When electric current is applied, the crystals bend and 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; being the fastest panel type apart from being affordable. TN panels have made great strides over the past few years, and the gap between other monitor panels gets narrower with each new generation.

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, be it color depth or color gamut, TN panels are very poor. Most TN panels are 6-bit, but some expensive high-end monitors are native 8-bit.

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

Another advantage of TN panel; reaction time. These panels are the fastest on the market and 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 over IPS and VA.

Is it a TN panel?

TN monitors, despite being relatively inexpensive, generally perform quite well. It’s a good option for desktop use and offers better performance and color on most TVs. We will not say the same for the point of view alone. It’s fine if you look directly at the screen, but when you change your position, the colors shift. TN panels are primarily preferred to achieve these high refresh rates in game-oriented monitors that force the 144 Hz – 360 Hz range. Other types of panels can also provide high refresh rates, but TN has a particular advantage due to its low response time and cost.

Is it a VA panel?

A common standard for VA panels, desktop monitors and even TVs. VA panels are very successful in displaying high-contrast content. VA panels support per-pixel dimming. VA panels are known for having better image quality than TN panels, but they don’t show colors as vividly as IPS panels. VA panels are the slowest display technology. VA panels occupy a unique place in the market alongside TN and IPS panels as the primary choice for PC monitor users today. Cheaper than IPS, more expensive than TN.

Is it an IPS panel?

IPS panels are used in high-end desktop monitors and some TVs. IPS monitors are the most expensive to manufacture, but they provide excellent color accuracy and viewing angles. IPS are panels designed to be used by professionals who have always done color-important work, but in recent years we have seen it frequently used in gaming or consumer-oriented monitors. Although we see IPS panels with low response times and high refresh rates in the market, they are much more expensive than TN panels, since this is not their production purpose. IPS panels don’t manage contrast, dark scenes nearly as well as a VA panel, or offer the fast refresh rates and response times of a TN panel. If you have a budget, you can choose.