lcd panel type mva pricelist

IPS is a general term of LG panel. There are three types, E-IPS, S-IPS and H-IPS. At present, there are basically no S-IPS. Low-end E-IPS and high-end H-IPS. The overall tone is cold and the response speed is fast, hard screen, suitable is to play games.

TFT “, currently widely used in LCD display and mobile phone screens and other display panels. Generally speaking, IPS screen is a screen using IPS technology. Compared with ordinary display screen, IPS screen has clearer and more exquisite dynamic display effect and more outstanding visual effect, therefore, when we choose LCD display or smartphone screen, IPS screen will perform better. Because of this, ordinary IPS screen LCD or smart phones will become a major selling point frequently mentioned by merchants.

Take Dell U2311H LCD as an example, it uses IPS panel with low price. Because Dell U2311H uses reflective coating, the figure is not very clear. However, we can see that similar to the PVA panel, the two halves of each sub-pixel are slightly segmented diagonals, but the difference is that when the screen brightness decreases, the brightness of the refracted light of the whole molecule will decrease, instead of the phenomenon that the middle becomes dark and the brightness of both ends is basically unchanged like PVA panel.

Large visual angle: the viewing angle of IPS screen panel can reach 178 degrees, and the color change degree generated when viewing from the front and different angles becomes the color distortion rate, the obtained value can hardly be distinguished by naked eyes. It means that the effect of viewing the picture from the front or the side is the same.

Energy saving and environmental protection: IPS screen technology is more energy saving and environmental protection. And because the liquid crystal molecules are arranged more reasonably, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer is reduced, thus changing the light transmittance of the liquid crystal screen, improving the display effect, and making the liquid crystal display panel thinner, more energy-saving.

1. Adopt 178 degrees wide-angle panel, no matter which viewing angle is bright, the screen with high light transmittance will bring you good visual enjoyment

2. The MVA screen has the characteristics of stable decomposition structure, high-speed response without smearing, and distortion-free viewing, better color restoration, longer service life, and a more comfortable eye experience

MVA stands for Multi-Domain Vertical Alignment. You can call it a sub-branch of the VA displays. The vertical alignment monitor is widely popular in the market and they are widely known for their competition with the IPS displays. But, as we all know there are various things which you will get with different types of monitors, knowing more about the MVA display can be pretty helpful for you.

The VA monitors are known for some of their main advantages over the traditional IPS panels. MVA works on the same principle of aligning the liquid crystals in the vertical formation. This helps the displays to produce a perfect black display when there is no voltage applied to those pixels pitch. The MVA monitors can surely have numerous advantages of the IPS panels. But, they also have some drawbacks and we are going to cover everything in this article.

If we talk about the technical specifications, there are very few differences between the original VA and the MVA monitors. But, they are really different from the IPS panels. Because of their special arrangements, the pixels in the MVA monitors will offer high light transmittance.

If we talk about the history of this technology, it was originally launched by Fujitsu in 1996. These display panels are known for their better color reproduction and overall visual quality. The contrast ratios are just great. There are various other things that make the MVA panels better in various terms.

The MVA monitors can be utilized for gaming and various other things. But, their availability can be a great issue for all of us. The vertically aligned crystal molecules are capable of producing the best visual quality along with impressive colors. Various other benefits are there for you.

The main feature of the MVA displays is that you get to see a protrusion in the LC molecule behavior. The position of this protrusion is between the liquid crystal layer and the orientation layer. Three subpixels will be there in each pixel creating one color at a time.

MVA can be called a specific implementation of the older Vertically aligned system which was utilized earlier in many display devices. But, the vertical alignment monitor comes over with numerous advantages that overcome the drawbacks of those VA displays.

In most cases, the MVA monitors are going to be cheaper as compared to the IPS monitors. These monitors will provide you with almost similar features but the display quality can be more in some cases.

The best thing about the MVA monitors is that they will come at almost a similar price range as you get with the IPS displays. So, there are no serious losses you will experience with these devices.

Just like any other monitor and display technology, the MVA monitors can also come up with numerous drawbacks for you. They can be related to the display quality or any other thing. Most of the time, the users will complain about the viewing angles or the color saturation.

These are some of the main cons you will experience with any popular MVA display in the market. You would definitely need to have all these things in mind if you really want to make the best use of your display.

The IPS panels are having a great reputation in the market. Most of the popular brands are using this display panel technology to develop and build their products.  But, the MVA monitors are not been that popular till now. However, you can find multiple applications if you really search in the market.

The vertical alignment monitor is not that popular but you can easily get a good monitor if you are searching properly. The main difference in the IPS and MVA monitors is really about the display quality.

However, the IPS panels can also bring it but at a very low level. However, the price of an MVA monitor is going to be lesser as compared to an IPS display.

The IPS and MVA monitors can have almost similar features in terms of contrast ratio but the MVA monitors will have was higher response time as compared to the IPS panel.

Another great thing about the vertical alignment multi-domain monitors is that they have lower power consumption about the IPS panels are going to consume a lot of system power for sure.

When the vertical alignment panel types were announced, there were a lot of people who were very excited about it. They said that they would buy this technology so that they could eliminate the problem of visual distortion when they are using computer monitors with VGA output.

However, what actually happened is that not all of them are able to recognize which type of this panel is made. This led to confusion and many were said to be asking questions whether this is just another term or a technology.

In fact, there are actually several reasons why the MVA panel is being called a true and advanced technology. The first and the most important reason is that the eye strain is eliminated from using computer monitors with VGA output. In fact, eye strain is eliminated because of this technology.

Generally, LCD TVs provide better color accuracy and contrast ratio. Furthermore, modern LCD TVs have fast response time, wide viewing angles, and advanced technology which offers better display performance with minimal backlight leakage.

One downside of LED televisions is their limited viewing angles. The latest generation of flexible LCD TV’s however resolves this issue by providing wider viewing angles and improved thinness.

For LCDs, the response time needs to be kept as low as possible to prevent image distortions. Also, the color distortion present in older TVs can be easily fixed with additional tweaks in the display settings.

Definitely, you can buy a good quality MVA monitor for any kind of gaming setup. But, keep a thing in mind that these monitors may have slow responsiveness and this is the main drawback you are going to experience with these devices.

The same thing will apply here as well. You should definitely know the refresh rate, color gamut, and total resolution of your display monitor. Without that information, you can’t just choose any monitor because it has the MVA panel. For gaming tasks, you would definitely need a monitor that has a good resolution and also has snappy feedback.

So, make sure to spend a good budget and go for the display that has the best offerings for you. The MVA monitors are surely great for providing the best experience when it comes to displaying quality.

We hope that you have not got all the information about the MVA monitors.If you want to buy a good vertical alignment multiple domain monitor for yourself, you can surely reach any online or offline shopping store and you will find a good one from there.

So, why is this important? A monitor’s panel technology is important because it affects what the monitor can do and for which uses it is best suited. Each of the monitor panel types listed above offer their own distinctive benefits and drawbacks.

Choosing which type of monitor panel type to buy will depend largely on your intended usage and personal preference. After all, gamers, graphic designers, and office workers all have different requirements. Specific types of displays are best suited for different usage scenarios.

The reason for this is because none of the different monitor panel types as they are today can be classified as “outstanding” for all of the attributes mentioned above.

Below we’ll take a look at how IPS, TN, and VA monitors affect screen performance and do some handy summaries of strengths, weaknesses, and best-case uses for each type of panel technology.

IPS monitors or “In-Plane Switching” monitors, leverage liquid crystals aligned in parallel to produce rich colors. IPS panels are defined by the shifting patterns of their liquid crystals. These monitors were designed to overcome the limitations of TN panels. The liquid crystal’s ability to shift horizontally creates better viewing angles.

IPS monitor variations include S-IPS, H-IPS, e-IPS and P-IPS, and PLS (Plane-to-Line Switching), the latter being the latest iteration. Since these variations are all quite similar, they are all collectively referred to as “IPS-type” panels. They all claim to deliver the major benefits associated with IPS monitors – great color and ultra-wide viewing angles.

With regard to gaming, some criticisms IPS monitors include more visible motion blur coming as a result of slower response times, however the impact of motion blur will vary from user to user. In fact, mixed opinions about the “drawbacks” of IPS monitor for gaming can be found all across the web. Take this excerpt from one gaming technology writer for example: “As for pixel response, opinions vary. I personally think IPS panels are quick enough for almost all gaming. If your gaming life is absolutely and exclusively about hair-trigger shooters, OK, you’ll want the fastest response, lowest latency LCD monitor. And that means TN. For the rest of us, and certainly for those who place even a modicum of importance on the visual spectacle of games, I reckon IPS is clearly the best panel technology.” Read the full article here.

IPS monitors deliver ultra-wide 178-degree vertical and horizontal viewing angles. Graphic designers, CAD engineers, pro photographers, and video editors will benefit from using an IPS monitor. Many value the color benefits of IPS monitors and tech advances have improved IPS panel speed, contrast, and resolution. IPS monitors are more attractive than ever for general desktop work as well as many types of gaming. They’re even versatile enough to be used in different monitor styles, so if you’ve ever compared an ultrawide vs. dual monitor setup or considered the benefits of curved vs. flat monitors, chances are you’ve already come into contact with an IPS panel.

TN monitors, or “Twisted Nematic” monitors, are the oldest LCD panel types around. TN panels cost less than their IPS and VA counterparts and are a popular mainstream display technology for desktop and laptop displays.

Despite their lower perceived value, TN-based displays are the panel type preferred by competitive gamers. The reason for this is because TN panels can achieve a rapid response time and the fastest refresh rates on the market (like this 240Hz eSports monitor). To this effect, TN monitors are able to reduce blurring and screen tearing in fast-paced games when compared to an IPS or VA panel.

On the flip side, however, TN panel technology tends to be ill-suited for applications that benefit from wider viewing angles, higher contrast ratios, and better color accuracy. That being said, LED technology has helped shift the perspective and today’s LED-backlit TN models offer higher brightness along with better blacks and higher contrast ratios.

The greatest constraint of TN panel technology, however, is a narrower viewing angle as TN monitors experience more color shifting than other types of panels when being viewed at an angle.

Today’s maximum possible viewing angles are 178 degrees both horizontally and vertically (178º/178º), yet TN panels are limited to viewing angles of approximately 170 degrees horizontal and 160 degrees vertical (170º /160º).

TN monitors are the least expensive panel technology, making them ideal for cost-conscious businesses and consumers. In addition, TN monitors enjoy unmatched popularity with competitive gamers and other users who seek rapid graphics display.

Vertical alignment (VA) panel technology was developed to improve upon the drawbacks of TN. Current VA-based monitors offer muchhigher contrast, better color reproduction, and wider viewing angles than TN panels. Variations you may see include P-MVA, S-MVA, and AMVA (Advanced MVA).

These high-end VA-type monitors rival IPS monitors as the best panel technology for professional-level color-critical applications. One of the standout features of VA technology is that it is particularly good at blocking light from the backlight when it’s not needed. This enables VA panels to display deeper blacks and static contrast ratios of up to several times higher than the other LCD technologies. The benefit of this is that VA monitors with high contrast ratios can deliver intense blacks and richer colors.

MVA and other recent VA technologies offer the highest static contrast ratios of any panel technology. This allows for an outstanding visual experience for movie enthusiasts and other users seeking depth of detail. Higher-end, feature-rich MVA displays offer the consistent, authentic color representation needed by graphic designers and other pro users.

There is another type of panel technology that differs from the monitor types discussed above and that is OLED or “Organic Light Emitting Diode” technology. OLEDs differ from LCDs because they use positively/negatively charged ions to light up every pixel individually, while LCDs use a backlight, which can create an unwanted glow. OLEDs avoid screen glow (and create darker blacks) by not using a backlight. One of the drawbacks of OLED technology is that it is usually pricier than any of the other types of technology explained.

When it comes to choosing the right LCD panel technology, there is no single right answer. Each of the three primary technologies offers distinct strengths and weaknesses. Looking at different features and specs helps you identify which monitor best fits your needs.

LCD or “Liquid Crystal Display” is a type of monitor panel that embraces thin layers of liquid crystals sandwiched between two layers of filters and electrodes.

While CRT monitors used to fire electrons against glass surfaces, LCD monitors operate using backlights and liquid crystals. The LCD panel is a flat sheet of material that contains layers of filters, glass, electrodes, liquid crystals, and a backlight. Polarized light (meaning only half of it shines through) is directed towards a rectangular grid of liquid crystals and beamed through.

Note: When searching for monitors you can be sure to come across the term “LED Panel” at some point or another. An LED panel is an LCD screen with an LED – (Light Emitting Diode) – backlight. LEDs provide a brighter light source while using much less energy. They also have the ability to produce white color, in addition to traditional RGB color, and are the panel type used in HDR monitors.

Early LCD panels used passive-matrix technology and were criticized for blurry imagery. The reason for this is because quick image changes require liquid crystals to change phase quickly and passive matrix technology was limited in terms of how quickly liquid crystals could change phase.

Thanks to active-matrix technology, LCD monitor panels were able to change images very quickly and the technology began being used by newer LCD panels.

Ultimately, budget and feature preferences will determine the best fit for each user. Among the available monitors of each panel type there will also be a range of price points and feature sets. Additionally, overall quality may vary among manufacturers due to factors related to a display’s components, manufacturing, and design.

Alternatively, if you’re into gaming and are in the market for TN panel these gaming monitor options may be along the lines of what you’re looking for.

Because OLED TVs are newer and generally more expensive, the average buyer is looking at LED/LCD TVs right now. And although there are several features and specifications to consider while shopping—the brand name, HDR compatibility, and refresh rate, just to name a few—there’s one important hardware spec that isn’t widely advertised: LCD panel type.

LED/LCD TVs are so called because of the two things that make up their displays: an LED (Light Emitting Diode) backlight and an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel for that backlight to shine through. LED backlights vary between a variety of implementations, but modern LCDs generally come in one of two panel technologies: IPS (In-Plane Switching) and VA (Vertical Alignment).

Unlike other hardware specifications (which are usually listed on the side of a TV box or on the manufacturer’s website), information about a TV’s LCD panel type is a bit more inside baseball. But panel type has a far greater impact on a TV’s performance than you might expect—it affects contrast, color, and viewing angle as well.

Individual pixels in an LCD display are made up of liquid crystals activated by voltage. How the display arranges its crystals is part of what sets IPS panels apart from VA panels.

IPS (In-Plane Switching) panels are a common display type for both the best computer monitors and TVs. Without getting too far down the rabbit hole, let’s talk a little about how IPS panels distinguish themselves from other types.

Every non-OLED TV on the market today is an LCD TV powered by LED lighting. Individual pixels in an LCD display are made up of liquid crystals activated by voltage—this is what produces color. An IPS panel aligns its crystals horizontally, parallel to the glass substrate.

IPS technology was developed in part to improve the color and wide viewing angle performance of a display. There"s also a range of variations under the IPS umbrella, including ADS, S-IPS, H-IPS, e-IPS, P-IPS, and PLS (Plane-to-Line Switching). But, while they all differ marginally from one another in operation, their core functionality (as compared to VA panels) is the same.

VA (Vertical Alignment) panels represent another common display type, used for both computer monitors and TVs, but especially for the latter where they greatly outnumber their IPS counterparts. Most LED/LCD TVs you"ll find on the market use a VA panel. While IPS panels align their liquid crystals horizontally, VA panels align them—you guessed it—vertically. They run perpendicular to the glass substrate rather than parallel to it. When met with voltage, the crystals tilt, letting light through and producing color.

This positioning changes how the liquid crystals behave. Without any voltage, the liquid crystals in a VA panel do not tilt, which is a better outcome if your goal is to block light and create image depth. Like with IPS, VA panels also come in a few varieties: PVA, S-PVA, and MVA, though again, their core functionality (as compared to IPS panels) is the same.

TN (Twisted Nematic) is an older LCD display type. They"re still relatively common display types for computer monitors—thanks to their lightning fast response times and excellent handling of motion blur. TN panels aren"t typically used in TV production anymore, though.

The cornerstone of picture quality, contrast ratio refers to the range between a display’s darkest black levels and brightest highlights. Because VA-style panels excel at producing deep, dark black levels, this is arguably their biggest strength. VA panels almost always feature deeper black levels than their IPS counterparts, and this goes a long way in creating a detail-rich picture. An IPS panel can mitigate this by serving up an exceptionally bright image to offset relatively shallow black levels.

A TV’s total viewing angle describes how much a viewer can move away from an ideal, head-on viewing position before the contrast and color of the picture begins to deteriorate. Due to the positioning of their liquid crystals, IPS panels excel in this department; they typically offer significantly more viewing flexibility than TVs with VA-style panels. In other words, IPS panels are more reliable for group viewings (or any situation where a viewer might need to sit at an off-angle).

While impressive color production is possible on both display types, IPS panels tend to offer wider colors, given the nature of their hardware. While a wider range of colors tends to spell better color accuracy, the advent of additional TV technologies like quantum-dot color have evened the playing field considerably. In other words, you’re far more likely to notice the benefits of an IPS TV’s wider viewing angle than you are to notice its tendency for wider color.

Here’s the final takeaway: IPS panels are significantly better than VA panels when it comes to viewing angle and somewhat better than VA panels when it comes to color. VA panels, however, almost always offer deeper black levels and better overall contrast. And because they block light better, TVs and monitors using VA panels tend to have better backlight uniformity regardless of LED backlight type.

Unfortunately, not only is it rare to find a TV’s panel type listed on a manufacturer’s website, but it’s increasingly rare for a brand to reveal a TV’s panel type at all—even when we contact brands directly for information. The reason for this caginess has everything to do with marketing; it’s better to keep shoppers focused on the bells, whistles, and impressive performance specs of a TV rather than its potential shortcomings.

To add to the confusion, it’s common for different sizes of the same TV series to mix and match display types; you might find that the 55-inch version of a TV features a VA-style display while the 75-inch model uses IPS.

Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to determine panel type if you have the proper equipment and you know what to look for. Certain test results and viewing characteristics act as tell-tale signs. This is why my colleagues and I make a point of discussing panel type in just about every TV review we publish, and why you should make a point of reading reviews before making a purchase.

Panel type is not the end-all-be-all for LED/LCD TVs. Many other factors, most of them related to the style and intensity of the LED backlight, can have a major impact on factors like contrast, viewing angle, and color intensity. Ultimately, you need to see a TV in person (and ideally in the space it’s going to live in) to get the best idea of how well it creates an image. But by knowing the core differences of IPS vs VA LCD panels, you can at least make some good guesses before you buy.

Unlike the best gaming monitors, IPS and VA TV panels are on an even playing field. TVs with both technologies are capable of high refresh rates of 120Hz, or occasionally 240Hz (although it usually comes at a premium).

If you’re buying a large screen and intend to host movie nights with friends and family, a TV with an IPS-style panel is far more accommodating thanks to its superior viewing angle. Just be aware that certain content—particularly dark content—won’t pop as much on account of the panel’s shallower black levels.

On the other hand, if you want the best possible picture overall, we recommend investing in a TV with a VA-style panel. They’re not always ideal candidates for group viewings, but the vast majority of the best non-OLED TVs you can buy feature this display type.

There are many display technologies, but do you know which one would be better for your application? Particularly when considering optimum viewing angle, resolution and colour contrast. We discuss 2 of the best options, IPS and MVA.

In-Plane Switching (IPS) is a technology that overcomes the viewing limitations and enhances colour reproduction of conventional TFT-LCDs. It is also known as Super TFT.

Multi-Domain Vertical Alignment (MVA) technology differs from both the TN and IPS systems. In the VA system, the liquid crystal molecules are aligned perpendicular to the substrates when no voltage is applied, therefore producing a black image. When voltage is applied, by an electric field, liquid crystal molecules are tilted parallel to the substrate, resulting in a high transmittance of source light.

The age of the CRT (cathode ray tube) display is well and truly over. Although some people are rediscovering how great CRTs can be, the vast majority of displays today are flat panels. However, just because modern screens have more or less the same appearance, doesn’t mean that they’re the same under the hood.

There are multiple flat panel display technologies to be found all around you. The specific type of technology in your flat screen display influences everything from how the image is reproduced to what the display costs.

We’ll be looking at the most important current and upcoming panel technologies and the pros and cons of each. Armed with this information, you can make an informed decision the next time you have to purchase a television or monitor.

TN panels are the most basic form of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The name refers to the basic principle of how all LCDs work. A special liquid crystal material twists into alignment or out of alignment based on an electrical current. In this way these displays can reproduce full-color images by varying the amount of red, green or blue light passing through each pixel.

Modern TN panels are much better than those early models that really made you regret switching from CRT, but these days general audiences would be happy with a typical mainstream TN screen.

There are two main advantages to choosing a TN screen. The first is a fast response time. That’s a measurement of how long it takes for the display to change from one state to the next. Slow response times can lead to blurry images and ghosting. This is why competitive gamers tend to favor TN panels, since it’s not uncommon to find ones with a response time under a millisecond.

The second major advantage of TN panels is price. With all other things being equal, TN screens are almost always less expensive than other technologies.

IPS technology was one of the new LCD approaches developed specifically to address the major weaknesses in TN technology. IPS displays offer accurate color reproduction, vibrant colors and fantastic viewing angles.

One area where IPS screens fall a little short compared to TN panels is in the reproduction of blacks. However, poor black reproduction is a problem all LCD technologies share. It’s an issue that’s being improved across the board.

IPS screens are also suitable for gamers, especially those who don’t care for refresh rates above 60Hz. While high refresh rate IPS screens do exist, they carry a stiff price premium compared to equally speedy TN panels. Overall, when it comes to computer monitors, IPS displays are the best choice for most users.

VA panels put the liquid crystals that all LCDs use into a different orientation. That is, they are aligned vertically relative to the glass of the display when a current is applied. This changes what happens to light as it passes through the display compared to the TN and IPS approaches.

One of the most important advantages of VA panels is the fact that they produce the best black levels among LCD displays. This flat panel display design also offers much wider viewing angles than either TN or IPS.

This is why VA panels are often used in televisions, rather than computer monitors. Computer users generally work solo and view the screen from the optimal central viewing position. Televisions are watched by groups of people, with some looking at the screen from an off-axis position. VA panels minimize color shift and other distortions for those viewers sitting far to the left or right of the screen.

MVA flat panel display technology was developed as a middle-ground between TN and IPS displays. With the improvements of both TN and IPS, the need for this compromise is lessened, but modern MVA technology has its place in the form of “Advanced” and “Super” MVA technology.

OLED or Organic Light-Emitting Diodedisplays use a completely different principle than LCDs. They consist of pixels that contain organic chemicals which produce light. LCDs use a backlight through the panel to make the display visible. This makes it hard for LCDs to produce true black, since there’s always light shining through the panel. OLEDs achieve perfect black levels by simply switching off those pixels.

Premium smartphones and high-end TVs make use of OLED flat panel display technology. It’s superior to LCD technology in almost every way, apart from a higher tendency to suffer “burn-in”, where an image is retained on the screen. Oled can also be made incredibly thin, making for stylish wall-mounted TVs or ones that are easily hidden when not in use.

That being said, LCD manufacturers have been making improvements to their technology to bring it closer to what OLED can do, at a much lower price. Samsung’s cheekily-named QLED televisions is one example of this.

Mini LED flat panels are just standard LCD panels which can be of any type. The difference comes from the backlight technology. At first, LCDs were backlit with fluorescent tube lights, which produced uneven brightness and various other problems. Then LED backlights, dotted around the edges of the screen dramatically improved the situation. Today higher-end TVs use “local dimming” where numerous LEDs are placed behind the panel across its surface.

Finally, we have microLED flat panel display technology. You can’t buy a display using this technology yet, but it probably won’t be long. If you thought mini LEDs were small, hold on to your hat. microLEDs are so small that they can be used as pixels themselves. That’s right, a microLED display doesn’t have an LCD panel. You’re looking at millions of microscopic lights.

Which flat panel display technology do you think offers the best overall experience? Do you care mainly about cost or performance? Are there other display technologies you think should be included in this list? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

With so many companies in the market churning out newer and newer gaming monitors, shopping for LCD monitors can be confusing. Not only is there a lot of marketing noise out there today, but there are also debates on what panel/monitor type is the best?

When it comes to buying either a TV for home or a monitor for your office or a display for that gaming setup in your basement, things can be distilled down to usage and based on that; you can compare what different panels have to offer and how they will suit you. In this article, we will be having a quick look at the three most commonly used panels – TN, IPS and VA and helping you understand what they have to offer, and what they can be best used for. But first, a basic run on what an LCD is.

The major drawback of the CRT (cathode ray tube) technology was that it occupied quite a significant amount of space. The CRT displays worked on the principle of ‘light emission’ and they consumed a lot of power, which just added up to the size issue. The solution to these problems came in technological research on developing a screen that consumes less power (hence, increasing productivity), and which was smaller. Lit using fluorescent tubes, LCDs (liquid crystal displays) consume less power, are way thinner than the CRTs, and work on the principle of ‘blocking light’ rather than emitting it.

LCDs are made from a passive/active matrix grid made of conductors, the latter called as thin film display (or a TFT). Pixels are mounted on this grid at each intersection (and an active matrix has a transistor located at each pixel intersection). This network structure controls a pixel’s luminance and consuming a little amount of current. This ability leaves us with a choice to switch the current on and off more often on the grid, and this leads to a high ‘refresh rate.’ And a high refresh rate means a ‘smoother’ operation.

Developments in these screen types lead to LED TVs. The main difference between these and the LCDs is that they are lit using Light Emitting Diodes instead of fluorescent tubes. So technically, a LED display is a ‘LED backlit LCD screen.’

This LED backlighting helps in enhancing the color contrast and it consumes less power as compared to fluorescent tube lit panels. It significantly improves the overall picture quality by tapping into a wider RGB color range, and there is a better brightness achieved which allows you to see the images clearly, even in well-lit environments. On top of these things, LED backlit displays to consume less power and are lightweight too. So there are no drawbacks of this technology as such, resulting in backlighting being used in more and more panels every day. Today, we have three types of backlighting: White Edge, Full LED array, and Local Dimming LEDs.

White edge implements a diffusion panel, with white LED around the edges of the screen. This helps disperse the light evenly throughout the screen. A full LED array, as the name suggests, implements arrays of LED lights placed right behind the screen that collectively controlled for an even light dispersion. The third one is the Local Dimming LED system, which implements an array of dynamic led lights that can either be controlled in groups or individually to obtain an even light pattern.

This information, however not essential for everyone to know, is a good bit for panel enthusiasts and pro gamers, as having a high refresh rate depends on the panel’s build and it’s resolution. Now, let’s go ahead and have a look at the three most commonly used panels on these LCD monitors – TN, IPS, and VA.

The most common LCDs are based on TN (Twisted Nematic) panel designs. Manufactured on a vast scale and pretty cheap, TN displays can be found in most homes. Primarily made for supporting low response times, TN panels remain to this day, a cheaper option for gamers who want a massive resolution with a low response time and a high refresh rate. Not to say that the IPS panels don’t have these features, but an IPS panel with the same features as a TN (1ms response time, QHD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate for example) will always be more expensive. However, while the price is good with the TN, the color quality and viewing angles take a toll. They are the drawbacks of a TN panel when compared to other panels out there.

TN displays, (TFT-LCDs for example), work by passing light through two polarized screens, a color filter and liquid crystals that tend to twist and block light in correspondence of the current applied to them. This type of an arrangement leaves a lot in your hands as you can change the amount of current applied to adjust the crystal twists. Hence, you can achieve virtually any color or shade reproduced on the screen. But while precise adjustments are possible with a TN display, there are some drawbacks to this structure.

Every LCD’s pixel is constructed using some red, green and blue sub-pixels. Colors and shades are produced by mixing different brightness levels for these pixels that result in the perception of a particular solid color by the user’s eyes. The problem with TN panels comes from its adoption of a 6-bit per channel model, which outputs 64 shades per color, instead of the 8-bit per channel, 256 shades implementation. Needless to say, color accuracy takes a toll here. And while the TN compensates for this issue with ‘dithering,’ (using alternating colors to produce a certain perceived shade) it is still a poor substitute for 24-bit color reproduction. On top of that, narrow viewing angles don’t help the case, as there is a ‘washout’ produced that puts TN panels at a low level concerning color accuracy.

But if your main concern is not the aesthetics of the performance, but the performance itself, TN LCD screens reign supreme over other panel types because of providing us low response times and high refresh rates on a budget.

TN panel displays have very fast GTG pixel response times that are usually well under the typical 5ms TFT-LCD average. This makes these displays a good choice for competitive gamers who are willing to sacrifice some color accuracy and viewing angles for great performance at a good price.

In-Plane-Switching, or IPS, was designed to overcome the shortcomings of a Twisted Nematic panel and they are replacing TN panels. These panels also use polarized filters, liquid crystals, and transmitters. However, in this case, the arrangement is different. The liquid crystals in an IPS panel design are aligned in a way that allows less light to distort and achieves better color visibility. Additionally, IPS panels use 8-bits of depth per color unlike TN’s 6-bit, which results in a wider 256 shades spectrum. This takes care of the color accuracy problem.

The second thing that is improved in IPS panels is the range of viewing angles. While Twisted Nematic panel displays ‘washed out’ at shallow angles, IPS displays have rich colors that don’t shift/fade when viewed from side angles. One other significant improvement of the IPS screen was that there were no trailing distortions when you touched them. This made them ideal for Touch-screen applications.

While marketed as the best of the best, IPS screens have some drawbacks of their own. The major one happens to be the cost. The construction of IPS panels requires a greater number of transmitters and lighting for each pixel. Now, the higher the resolution of the constructed panel will be, the greater number of pixels will be mounted on the panel. This results in a complex architecture, and they cost more than their TN counterparts. However, with the rising competition in the market, the prices of IPS panels have come down from expensive to reasonable, and you can get a decent IPS display for a few hundred dollars. However, the more you want from your monitor as a consumer, the more pricey it will become. This leaves high-end IPS monitors most commonly found at the desks of editing professionals and competitive gamers – people who want a lot of color accuracy and detailing along with decent speed and longevity.

IPS’s complex technology introduced some additional overhead that reduced the responsiveness of these panels. For quite some time, these panels clocked in around 8ms grey-to-grey. However, due to the popularity of these panels, response times, as well as refresh rates, have been improved quite a lot (the majority averaging at 60Hz)- at the cost of bigger price tags, of course.

Today, many variants of the IPS also exist, like Samsung’s popular PLS (plane line switching) panels. These variants are not entirely different from IPS, though there are subtle ‘generational improvements’ like enhancements in viewing angles, brightness and whatnot. LG also has a variation to the IPS, called as the eIPS, which is basically a IPS panel you can get on a budget. However, in real world use, the usage experience varies by a little factor.

VA (Vertical Alignment) panel technology sits between the high speeds of TN and the color richness of IPS panels. Constructed implementing IPS’s 8-bit color depth per channel approach (that has a crystal design capable of reproducing rich colors), VA (and its variants) also retain some of the low latency of TN panels. This results in a display that is ‘almost’ as fast as TN and as colorful as IPS.

Often reaching 5000:1, VN panels have a superior contrast as compared to both IPS and TN screens, and this remains the highlight among other features. These panels reproduce better black levels than TN or IPS. However, there are more issues with VA panels today than there are advantages, and some of these issues can’t be ignored.

First on the list of cons is the color (and contrast) shift that happens when we view media from a wide angle. And while the viewing angles of VA panels are wider than TN, the shift is similar to a TN panel and renders most VA panels ‘not ideal’ for tasks that require a great amount of color accuracy. When it comes to gaming, there’s another issue. VA panels offer rapid light-to-dark pixel transitions. However, darker color shifts aren’t as speedy, and it can lead to blurring during high-performance tasks.

Just like there are variants of IPS, VA panels also have their own. To put it simply, they progressed from 1998 to 2005 (and beyond) from MVA, AMVA to AMVA+. MVA or Multi-domain Vertical Alignment technology first came out in 1998 and provided a 25ms response time with 160-170 degree viewing angles. This was, of course, a lot of value at the time. Today, these panels can be found as AMVA (Advanced MVA) in many displays, and they offer a contrast ratio as high as 5000:1 (which is the best contrast ratio in LCD technology), and QHD (2560 x 1440p) resolution at a wide screen size like 32 inches. So again, a lot of value here as well. After that, we have the AMVA+ which had improved viewing angles on the standard AMVA.

So in a nutshell, while VA panels are much better than average TN panels regarding color reproduction, they are still not good enough if you were to switch to premium TN panels oriented for gaming purposes. And when it comes to IPS panels, they dominate the list but with one disadvantage – price. If we were to talk about performance, high-end IPS panels reign over all else, with response times as low as 1ms, 144Hz refresh rates and supporting resolutions all the way up to 4K and 5K. If, however, you want to talk ‘value for money,’ TN panels give you decent colors and speed at decent rates. And if you have some more money in your pocket after selecting a TN panel of certain specifications, you can look for a VA panel that will offer you some added color quality and viewing angles. It’s all about comparison here, and understanding the fundamentals of these panels is a good starting point.

The black LFE7 Series TH-65LFE7U 65" Full HD Widescreen Edge-Lit LED MVA LCD Display fromPanasonic features a slim design that combines a 0.5" (10.8mm) bezel and a depth of 2.1" (52mm). The slim bezel draws the viewer"s attention directly to the image being displayed.

Our guide to the best monitors for PC gaming explains why those monitors are ideal for playing games at high resolutions and high framerates, but it doesn’t dig deep into the details of monitor technology. That’s what this guide is for: it breaks down what you need to know about modern displays: resolutions, aspect ratios, refresh rates, and the differences between panel types like IPS, VA, and TN.

LCD displays have a native resolution, and running games (or the desktop) below that resolution degrades image quality due to the scaling process of enlarging the image. Using lower resolution modes isn"t really a substitute for picking the right number of pixels in the first place.

1440p has become our recommendation as the best overall option. It"s great for office work, professional work, and gaming. You can still get higher refresh rate 144Hz panels (see below), plus G-Sync or FreeSync, and you can run at 100 percent scaling in Windows. For gaming purposes, however, you"ll want at least a GTX 1070/RTX 2060 or RX Vega 56 (or equivalent) graphics card.

The most common and least expensive LCD panels are based on TN, or Twisted Nematic designs. Since TN screens are made on a vast scale and have been around a long time, they are very affordable. Online retailers stock an abundance of attractive 27-inch 1080p monitors(opens in new tab) with reasonable features starting at just $150. The price is nice, but the pixel density isn’t—and neither are the color quality or viewing angles, TN’s greatest weaknesses.

All TFT LCDs work by passing light, such as an LED, through a pair of polarized screens, a color filter, and liquid crystals that twist when current is applied to them. The more current applied, the more the liquid crystals twist and block light. Precise adjustments allow virtually any color or shade to be reproduced, but TN implementations have some limits.

Each pixel in an LCD display is made of red, green and blue subpixels. Colors are made by mixing varying brightness levels for these pixels, resulting in a perceived solid color to the user. The problem with TN is its widespread adoption of a 6-bit per channel model, instead of the 8-bit per channel used in better displays.

TN compensates for this shortcoming via FRC (Frame Rate Control), a pixel trick that uses alternating colors to produce a perceived third, but it"s a poor substitute for proper 24-bit color reproduction. When combined with the inversion and washout that comes from narrow viewing angles, TN"s elderly status in the LCD display world becomes clear.

IPS, short for In-Plane-Switching, was designed to overcome TN"s shortcomings as a display technology. IPS screens also use liquid crystals, polarized filters, and transmitters, but the arrangement is different, with the crystals aligned for better color visibility and less light distortion. Additionally, IPS panels typically use 8-bit depth per color instead of TN"s 6-bit, resulting in a full 256 shades to draw upon for each color.

The differences are pretty dramatic. While TN displays wash out at shallow angles and never truly "pop" with color no matter how well they are calibrated, IPS panels have rich, bright colors that don"t fade or shift when viewed from the sides. Moreover, pressing a finger on an IPS screen doesn"t cause trailing distortions, making them especially useful for touchscreen applications.

The complexity introduces additional overhead that reduces panel responsiveness. Most IPS displays clock in a few milliseconds slower than TN panels, with the best models managing 5ms grey-to-grey, and the more common 8ms panels can have noticeable blurring in gaming. Most IPS displays use a 60Hz refresh rate, though the best gaming displays now utilize IPS panels with 144Hz refresh rates, and a price to match.

A lot of research has been done with IPS and many variants exist, including Samsung"s popular PLS panels and AU Optronics AHVA (Advanced Hyper-Viewing Angle). The differences amount to subtle manufacturer variations or generational improvements on the technology, which has been around since 1996.

In between the high speed of TN and the color richness of IPS sits a compromise technology, the VA, or Vertically Aligned, panel. VA and its variants (PVA and MVA, but not AHVA) normally take the IPS approach with 8-bit color depth per channel and a crystal design that reproduces rich colors but retains some of the low latency and high refresh speed of TN. The result is a display that"s theoretically almost as colorful as IPS and almost as fast as TN.

VA panels have a few unique qualities, both positive and negative. They have superior contrast to both IPS and TN screens, often reaching a static 5000:1 ratio, and produce better black levels as a result. Advanced VA variants, such as the MVA panel used by Eizo in the Foris FG2421, support 120Hz officially and offer pixel latencies on par or better than IPS.

The flood of innovation in the display market shows no signs of abating, with TVs on one side and smartphones on the other driving new technologies such as curved screens and desktop-grade OLED panels that promise speeds, contrast and color beyond anything seen so far.

Most standard TFT-LCDs support a refresh rate of 60Hz, which means the screen is redrawn 60 times each second. While 60Hz may be sufficient for many desktop applications, higher refresh rates are desirable since they provide a smoother experience moving windows, watching video, and especially when gaming.

One method popular in gaming monitors is the inclusion of a strobed backlight, which disrupts eye tracking blur by cutting off the backlight for an instant, creating a CRT-like stable image. A strobed 120Hz display is more blur-free than a non-strobed 144Hz panel, but flickering the backlight understandably cuts down on the overall brightness of the image. Users with sensitive eyes can suffer from eyestrain and headaches induced from the flicker as well.

While OLED panels produce true blacks and have an instantaneous pixel response time speed, you have to look out for image burn-in and retention. Moreover, OLED displays can’t get as bright as some high-end LED-backlit LCDs with IPS or VA panels.

IPS panels have a slower response time and lower contrast, which when combined with IPS glow and backlight bleed results in grayish blacks in comparison to that of OLED displays and an overall inferior viewing experience, but there’s no risk of burn-in.

With OLED prices steadily going down, you are probably wondering whether you should finally get one or stick with the old and trusted IPS technology. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when choosing between these panel types.

Most OLED monitors and TVs use the same 4K 60Hz or 4K 120Hz 42″ – 97″ panels. For most people, even the smallest of the bunch 42″ screen is too big for regular PC/desktop use.

The Dell AW3423DW is a 34″ 3440×1440 175Hz OLED monitor based on Samsung’s QD-OLED panel, which is very popular. You can check out our full review for more information.

As each pixel is self-emissive on an OLED display, you essentially get over 8 million dimming zones on a 4K panel, resulting in a much better image quality overall without any blooming.

The main advantage of IPS panels is that they can get much brighter, especially if they’re enhanced with a mini LED backlight. Mini LED displays can reach over 2,000-nits of peak brightness, while OLED displays are usually limited to around 1,000-nits.

1,000-nits is still enough to create punchy highlights under normal lighting conditions, but if you’re watching the screen in a particularly bright room, HDR content can appear underwhelming on OLED displays in comparison to mini LED LCDs.

Keep in mind that mini LED and FALD backlights aren’t exclusive to IPS technology. You can also find them paired with VA panels, which have a higher native contrast ratio, but not as wide viewing angles or as consistent colors as IPS.

In terms of color consistency and accuracy, both IPS and OLED panels have precise color reproduction and wide viewing angles, though the picture is a bit better on OLED displays when viewed from particularly skewed angles.

Another big advantage of OLED panels is the instantaneous pixel response time speed that ensures there’s no noticeable ghosting or overshoot behind fast-moving objects, regardless of the refresh rate.

With IPS displays, the response time performance varies from panel to panel. However, even the fastest IPS panel isn’t as quick as OLED, but as long as its pixels transitions can keep up with the refresh rate, gaming performance will be smooth.

Most OLED displays have a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, which is plenty for most gamers, especially at 4K UHD. Samsung’s QD-OLED panel has the highest refresh rate of 175Hz.

However, because high refresh rates bring lower input lag, competitive and professional gamers will always aim for the fastest panel and there are IPS monitors with up to 390Hz!

Unlike LG’s W-OLED panels with a WBGR subpixel layout, QD-OLED doesn’t require white subpixels but relies on a blue self-luminescent layer that basically allows it to achieve higher brightness, wider color gamut and better burn-in resistance.

Mini LED LCDs are brighter and don’t suffer from the burn-in risk, but they have an inferior contrast ratio with blooming artifacts and slower response time yet they’re basically double or triple the price! This is why most users opt for OLED technology for HDR content.

In the future, Samsung’s QD-OLED panels should bring even better image quality at a lower cost, so mini LED FALD displays, with either IPS or VA panels, will need to drastically drop in price in order to be competitive.

The viewing angle monitor has is measured from the display’s normal axis to each of the four directions. Theoretically, the maximum LCD view angle is 90° and might vary for each measuring direction. The three-dimensional angular range is called a viewing cone.

TN type is the most cost-efficient technology. In TN type the angles are in most cases narrower, compared to other types.  Low prices and short matrix reaction time compensate for the smaller viewing cone. To extend the monitor viewing angle, you can add theO-film to the display. When buying a TN-type display you should always pay attention to the viewing direction expressed in an hour angle. It describes the direction from which the user should look at the display.

IPS matrix technology has most of VA’s advantages. It also has incredibly good color reproduction and the highest viewing angles on both axes. The most common IPS disadvantage is the black color depth which is lower than in the VA type.

If the application requires a high viewing angle monitor, choose the display with full viewing angles (178.5°~180° on each axis). In this case, you should look for MVA and IPS type displays.

The in between solution is the TN type with viewing angles extended by adding O-film. We described the O-film solution in one of the earlier articles: