twisted nematic tn lcd panel pricelist

When most people go shopping for a gaming monitor, their primary concerns are resolution and refresh rate. Those are certainly important considerations, but if you’ve ever had to put up with dull colors, murky blacks or terrible viewing angles, you’ll understand that panel types are important too.

TN, or Twisted Nematic panels, are the oldest variety of LCD panels, but they’re still quite common even today. They’re cheap to produce, and they have very low input lag, which makes them appealing for gamers. They also support refresh rates of up to 240Hz, another plus for fast-paced environments.

The problem with TN panels is that they have very poor color reproduction. While modern TN panels are far better than earlier models, it’s still relatively rare to find a TN panel with close to full sRGB reproduction. Even if they do have good color reproduction when you’re looking at them straight on, their viewing angles are limited, and they look washed out when viewed from the sides.

If you’re on a budget, enjoy playing competitive shooters or strategy games where reaction times matter, a TN panel could be fine for you. But if you want something that doubles as a media player, the average TN monitor might disappoint.

Fortunately, our GFT27CXB monitor is far from “average.” We engineered our TN panel to do what most TN panels simply cannot: deliver stunningly accurate colors. And with its 99% sRGB gamut, colors are rich and vibrant. And it’s fully customizable, with space to store up to 3 unique user profiles. So you get amazing color. But you also get full HD resolution with lightning-fast speeds up to 240hz refresh rate and 1ms response times.

IPS, or In-Plane Switching, monitors are almost the exact opposite of TN panels. They offer much wider viewing angles than TN panels as well as better black reproduction. The trade-off is that they’re more expensive. They have a history of slower refresh rates, too, although that has been changing lately. Today’s IPS panels can reach max. refresh rates as high as 200-240Hz.

There are some IPS monitors with very good refresh rates and response times, but they’re on the pricier side. You can expect to pay more than $500 for an IPS monitor with a 1ms response time. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly IPS monitor, then you’ll have to settle for response times of 4ms or slower. IPS panels are also prone to backlight issues. Color reproduction is better than on TN panels, even at extreme angles, but the backlight can sometimes be seen.

Our REAPER series monitor—starting with the RFI25CBA—has been designed to overcome this particular issue. It’s been engineered to reduce the amount of backlight bleed-through on its IPS panel. The monitor also features an MRPT Mode to produce extremely clear moving pictures with excellent color while significantly reducing backlight issues.

VA, or Vertical Alignment, panels are somewhere in between TN and IPS, offering the best of both worlds. This type of panel is common in TVs but is relatively uncommon for gaming monitors. TN panels offer very good contrast ratios, so you can expect vibrant colors and good color reproduction. They also offer good viewing angles, and while brightness may vary depending on the angle you’re looking at the screen from, they’re not susceptible to the backlight issues of IPS panels.

The downside of VA panels is that they have slower response times. As with IPS panels, newer models do have high refresh rates, but the slow response time means you may see ghosting or motion blur in fast-paced, competitive games. Fortunately, all VIOTEK monitors come with AdaptiveSync, which works with AMD® FreeSync® and NVIDIA® G-Sync™ technologies. AdaptiveSync eliminates image distortion (e.g., tearing, stuttering, ghosting and judder) and other glitches that can happen if the monitor’s refresh rate doesn’t match the frame rate of the computer’s GPU. The result is smoother action with clearer images.

There are benefits and downsides to each panel type, and there’s no one correct answer to the question of “which is best.” It depends on your budget, the type of games you enjoy playing, whether you prize response times over other features, and what else you do with the monitor.

If you’re a competitive gamer who wants the absolute best response time on a budget, TN panels will get the job done, but they may disappoint when you’re playing a heavily modded game of Skyrim and want to stop and enjoy the scenery. IPS panels can deliver a similar experience if you’re willing to spend a lot of money. But if you’re like most of us, you’d rather put that extra cash towards a slightly better GPU.

Looking for something with a little more power? The GNV32CBO or GFV24CB are two 1080p monitors. These offer super-fast 165Hz refresh rates for pro-motion with reduced input lag. They’re also VA panels, delivering great color reproduction, AMD FreeSync to reduce image ghosting, and other game-friendly features.

TN (Twisted Nematic) is the most common technology and also the oldest monitor technology. The main advantage is that it provides the shortest response times, making them good for gaming.  TN monitors also offer high brightness and draw less power than competing technologies. Another important factor is that they are cheap to manufacture, resulting in low prices for end users.  A twisted nematic (TN) display is a common type of liquid-crystal display ( LCD ) that consists of a substance called a nematic liquid crystal that is confined between two plates of polarized glass.

The drawbacks to the technology is the color shifts that occur at wider viewing angles. There are large differences in quality between different products, but the lower-end ones will exhibit color shift even at moderate angle changes. A TN-based display can usually be identified through these color distortions when viewing the picture from above or from the sides.

Most TN displays have a characteristic black-on-gray or black-on-silver appearance, and are suitable for use in alphanumeric readouts such as those found in wristwatches, cell phone displays, and some calculator displays. The high-resolution LCD panels typically found in handheld and notebook computers use a different technology.

In-Plane Switching (IPS) was one of the first refinements to produce significant gains in the light-transmissive characteristics of TFT panels. Jointly developed by Hosiden and NEC, it is a technology that addresses the two main issues of a standard twisted nematic (TN) TFT display: colour and viewing angle.

The main advantages with IPS monitors is that the technology offer noticeably better color reproduction as well as much better viewing angles. The downside used to be a difficulty to emphasize blacks, which in turn meant problems with the contrast. IPS panels were also very expensive and slow in the beginning.

Now the manufacturers have started producing so-called Super-IPS (S-IPS) panels at reasonable prices. Response times have crept down considerably and the contrast is much better. In addition, color display and the options to calibrate the colors are superior to the other panel types. IPS panels keep colors constant, even in sharp angles.

IPS improves viewing angles of TFT monitors considerably, but means that two transistors are needed for every pixel, instead of the one needed for a TN TFT display. Using two transistors means that more of the transparent area of the display is blocked from light transmission, so brighter backlights must be used. The increased power consumption can make the displays unsuitable for notebook use, but in higher end, particularly multimedia focussed notebooks with widescreen movie viewing as a principle purpose IPS screens are employed. Wide angle viewing is certainly enjoyed, but the price is that battery life may be poor.

TN stands for twisted nematic. This is a type of LED (a form of LCD) panel display technology. TN panels are characterized as being the fastest and cheapest among the other main types of display panels, VA (vertical alignment)and IPS (in-plane switching). As such, they work great for gaming monitors and gaming laptops. However, TN panels also offer the worst viewing angles and color when compared to VA and IPS panels.

PerformanceFastest: low response times, highest refresh rates, minimal motion blur; Low input lagLongest response times typically; Higher refresh rates possibleSlower response times than TN, faster response times than VA; Gaming-quality refresh rates are rare

DisplayWorst viewing angles;Worst colorViewing angles typically better than TN, worse than IPS; Good color; Best contrast;Best image depthBest viewing angles; Best color

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.

Choosing a monitor has grown to be a more difficult task for the smart consumer. There are three dominating display panel technologies and a whole list of subsets of technical specifications to work through. The most common argument is between TN and IPS display panels. Both panel types are commonly found in today’s world, whether for office work or at a brick and mortar retail store.

As technology keeps on getting better, the difference between technology keeps getting smaller. However, TN and IPS still have some glaring differences. The most notable differences are the color contrast and viewing angles. TN has almost no viewing angle. Color clarity is lost when the user moves slightly to any side of the monitor other than directly in front of it.

IPS display panels have a much wider viewing angle that has no visual loss except at extreme angles that are unrealistic positions for computer users to be in. When TN and IPS monitors are placed side-by-side, the color contrast and clarity of the IPS panel shine brightly. IPS panels have an 8-bit color panel system that allows for a much wider color range than the 6-bit color panel used in TN technology.

Gamers will usually opt for a TN panel. Designers, artists, producers, and creatives that care about color contrast and image clarity will want to choose IPS displays. These are general recommendations and you may find that either technology will suit your purposes just fine.

Twisted Nematic, or TN, panels are among the most commonly-used monitor panels types around. TN is the monitor panel of choice for gamers. This is not because TN panels are known for visual clarity and increased definition, they aren’t.

It is because TN panels have better response times and refresh rates. This means gamers can take advantage of 144Hz or 240Hz monitors with smoother on-screen motion and less input lag. Responsiveness is critical to competitive gaming.

While it may seem like a millisecond difference in motion, it can be the difference between winning and losing in-game. Other processes that rely on quick refresh rates like stock trading may also benefit from a TN panel monitor.

TN panels are the oldest panel technology available in a monitor. This helps to lower the price of TN monitors on the market versus VA or IPS panels. As TN panels are older technology, they offer a faster refresh rate and response time. This is because the panels are producing less clarity and color vibrancy. There are high-end TN panels that offer wide color ranges, but even then TN panels can’t compare to the image quality of IPS panel colors.

In-Plane Switching (IPS) panels were made to portray better color reproduction and viewing angles. This results in excellent color contrast that doesn’t lose clarity because the viewer is at the wrong angle. IPS monitors are known for their color contrast, brightness, and image clarity.

IPS panel displays can also be purchased at high refresh rates over 240Hz. TN panels still hold a slight advantage over IPS panels in response time, but some high-quality IPS displays are able to match the refresh rate and response time of a good TN panel without sacrificing the color vibrancy found in IPS displays. As time moves forward, IPS may displace TN as the go-to choice for gamers.

IPS panels are also excellent for everyday use. They have excellent image clarity that can suffice for digital graphic design. As IPS describes a wide range of products, there are both gaming-specific IPS monitors as well as sRGB focused IPS displays for designers. As it stands, TN monitors are still more commonly available with 1 ms response times than IPS displays.

IPS displays are commonly used for laptops and 2-in-1 devices. The high brightness, color contrast, and wide viewing angle create a better experience on laptop devices.

It becomes a necessity in modern society. LCD panel is the most important part of an LCD display. It determines LCD screen"s performance, e.g. brightness, contrast, color and viewing angle. Therefore, picking the right type of LCD panel is critical to your application.

These names reflect the alignment of crystal molecules inside the LCD, and how they change when they are charged electrically. All liquid crystal displays change the alignment of liquid crystal molecules to work, but the manner in which they do so can drastically affect the image quality and response time. Each panel type has its advantages and disadvantages. The easiest way to choose between them is to decide which attributes are most important to your project. It mainly depends on what you use your LCD display for, and your budget.

Twisted nematic or TN panel, vertically aligned or VA panel, and in-plane switching or IPS panel are three broad types of thin-film-transistor liquid crystal display or TFT LCD that have become very popular screen display technologies used in an array of consumer electronic devices.

Among these three variants, IPS is a more recent LCD technology. Furthermore, the advantages of an IPS panel over a TN panel or a VA panel have made it a more popular LCD option used in modern consumer electronic devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.

Depending on the functional scope of a particular device however, a TN panel or a VA panel can have more advantage over an IPS display. This article compares and contrasts these three LCD technologies using six common display characteristics: color reproduction, viewing angle, contrast ratio, pixel response time, power consumption, and cost and price.

Poor color reproduction is one of the disadvantages of twisted nematic LCD. Therefore, one of the advantages of a VA panel and an IPS panel over a TN panel is color accuracy and better image quality due to better color reproduction.

Most VA and IPS panels have an 8-bit RGB color depth compared with the 6-bit RGB color depth of TN panels. Among the three however, IPS panel has the better color reproduction. Several IPS panel variants have featured 16-bit to 24-bit RGB color depth.

Note that a 6-bit display panel means that the red, green, and blue channels of its single pixel are capable of 64 levels, thus producing 262,144 possible colors. Meanwhile, an 8-bit display has 256 levels in each single pixel, thus producing 16.7 million possible colors.

The color reproduction advantage of VA panel has made it a popular LCD technology used in high-end computer monitors and large HD television sets. But IPS panels are becoming more popular in smartphones and tablet computers. Because of its superior color reproduction, IPS is also a favorable LCD option for color critical works such as graphic design and video editing.

Strong dependence on viewing angle is another disadvantage of twisted nematic LCD. A user needs to view a TN panel from a straight up 90-degree angle to maximize its visual performance. When viewed from other angles, colors and images on a TN panel will appear duller and darker.

However, a close comparison between a VA panel and a TN panel will reveal that the former has a better viewing angle. But most VA variants suffer from color shifting. This means that uneven brightness levels across a VA screen become noticeable when viewed from a slightly different angle.

Wide viewing angle is an advantage of an IPS panel over TN and VA panels nonetheless. High quality IPS panels produce consistent brightness and contrast levels when viewed from different angles. This is the reason why in-plane switching has become an ideal LCD technology for entertainment devices such as television sets and mid-range to high-end smartphones and tablet computers.

A narrow viewing angle provides some privacy and security however. This can be an advantage of TN panel over an IPS panel. This means that a TN panel can be an ideal LCD option for individuals or organizations that handle sensitive information in the presence of other people.

Low contrast ratio is another disadvantage of twisted nematic LCD technology when compared against vertical alignment and in-plane switching LCD technologies. However, between a VA panel and an IPS panel, the former has a better contrast ratio.

Backlighting can be blocked effectively in a vertical alignment LCD technology, thus producing deeper blacks and a higher contrast ratio compared to in-plane switching LCD technology.

Higher contrast ratio naturally corresponds to better display panel quality and manufacturers have banked on this to promote the superiority of their product over their competitors. Still, some argues that contrast ratios are all hype because of the absence of testing standards in the industry.

A shorter and better pixel response time is a very notable advantage of TN panel over a VA panel and an IPS panel. Both vertical alignment and in-plane switching LCD technologies inherently suffer from longer pixel response time. However, a comparison between a typical VA panel and a typical IPS panel will reveal that the former has the worse pixel response time.

The response time advantage of TN panel makes it a perfect LCD option for fast-paced gaming and hardcore gamers. Although there are VA and IPS variants that feature reduced pixel response times, these panels are more expensive than TN panels.

TN technology does not require a current to flow during operation. It also uses low operating voltages. These advantages make TN panels popular in low-powered LCDs found in portable and miniscule electronic devices such as digital watches and calculators.

Note that VA panels and IPS panels are largely popular in power-intensive devices such as computer monitors, smartphones and tablet computers, and television sets.

Among the three LCD technologies, twisted nematic LCD technology is easier to implement. This means that twisted nematic panels are inexpensive to manufacture, thereby resulting in low prices for end users.

VA panels are more expensive than TN panels. However, they are relatively inexpensive when compared against IPS panels. This is the reason why VA computer monitors and television sets were very popular before the advent of IPS panels.

Because IPS panels are more expensive among the three LCD technologies, they are usually found in mid-range to high-end consumer electronic products. But the growing popularity of in-plane switching LCD technology is currently driving down the prices of IPS panels. Some IPS units are actually considerably cheaper than high-end VA panels.

The aforementioned comparison among TN panel, VA panel, and IPS panel revealed that there is no LCD type that is better at everything. Each type of LCD technologies has its own advantages and disadvantages.

From the list above, TN panels have remained an ideal LCD option used in minuscule electronic devices such as digital watch and calculator because they are very cheap to manufacture and consumes less power. They also remain a popular computer monitor option because of their affordability and fast response time.

On the other hand, IPS panels have the best color reproduction, color accuracy, and wider viewing angle compared with TN and VA panels. These panels have been featured in mid-range and high-end consumer electronic devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablet computers. IPS is also an ideal computer output display for color critical tasks.

VA panels are situated between TN panels and IPS panels. They are more expensive than TN but are relatively cheaper than IPS panels. They offer better color reproduction and more decent viewing angle than TN panels although these characteristics are not superior over IPS panels.

HP V24 24" FHD 75Hz Monitor Black - 1920 x 1080 Full HD Display @ 75Hz - AMD FreeSync Technology - 1ms Response Time - Twisted Nematic Panel (TN) - Anti-glare panel w/ Low Blue Light Mode

Shopping for a new computer monitor, maybe something for gaming that"ll also let you watch the coolest commercials from next week"s big game in style? Depending upon what you"re looking for, you can spend $80 at the low end all the way up to $1,000 or more. At the budget end of the spectrum, $80 will typically buy you a 1080p LED display that uses a TN (Twisted Nematic) panel. TN displays are cheap, but don"t hold that against them, since they can look quite good and have the added advantage of having a fast response time that"s good for gaming. Right now,  Rakuten is offering a

The LED-backlit LCD monitor has a TN panel and a native resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels. It comes on a tilt stand, though you can also mount the monitor on a wall. Lenovo also claims that it is Low Blue Light certified, for less eyestrain. It features VGA and HDMI ports as well as a headphone jack.  Be aware, though, that this monitor ships without a connection cable, so you"ll need to supply your own.

After choosing what CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage you need in a laptop, sometimes the next in line is its display. Now, depending on what you’ll use it for (maybe competitive gaming, maybe content creation or maybe even both), there are a lot of factors to be considered. We know most of you have already come across terms like refresh rate or response time, or TN panels, some may have even asked the question “What in the world is G-sync?” Well today, we’ll answer those questions for you in our Laptop Display 101: Display Types guide. Alright then, let’s go find that display you need.

Let’s discuss the most commonly known factor in choosing a display, its display type. Similar to mobile phones, laptops are also equipped with different kinds of panels, though they have fewer options. There are currently three display types available for laptops, and the third one only recently popped up in the market — Twisted Nematic (TN), In-Plane Switching (IPS),and Organic Light-emitting Diode (OLED). Each of these panels have their own advantages and disadvantages.

First up, is Twisted Nematic or more commonly known as TN. TN panels are actually the oldest of the three display types, as they have been widely used since the 1980’s and were even considered as a technological breakthrough in display technology during its early development. Of course, today it now has fierce competition from other display types, but it still remains as one of the most widely used panels for laptops, especially in the entry-level and budget segment.

The main reason why TN panels are so famous is that they are cheaper to manufacture than the two other types. There are more expensive TN panels on the market though, and these are the high-quality ones that are mainly used in some high-end laptops and gaming monitors. It is also widely regarded in the gaming community and is one of the go-to panel types for professional and competitive gaming. That is because TN panels can have high refresh rates and low response times at a much lower price compared to IPS and OLED.

While TN panels are great for competitive and professional gaming, it’s generally not good for content creation, media consumption or even on some games like RPGs or Adventure games, which have vivid sceneries. This is because TN panels have poor viewing angles and bad color reproduction and accuracy. There are high-quality TN panels with excellent color reproduction and accuracy and overall better viewing angles, but they still can’t compete with the likes of IPS or OLED in these regards. Not to mention, they will cost an arm and a leg.

Okay next up, is In-Plane Switching or more commonly known as IPS. There was a need to address the underlying issues with TN panels, namely their poor viewing angles and subpar color reproduction and accuracy.  So, what developers came up with was IPS, a panel that can maintain all-around good viewing angles and consistently provide excellent color reproduction and accuracy. The drawbacks were that response times became longer and refresh rates got capped at a certain point (60Hz max). Only recently did IPS panels with >60Hz refresh rates start to pop up. Apart from that, these panels are also more expensive to manufacture than TN, which is why most laptops with IPS displays are in the upper-mid range to high-end category.

IPS panels are a good fit for content creation and media consumption due to their improved viewing angles, color reproduction, and accuracy. They also offer a good gameplay experience for games that take advantage of better colors such as RPGs and Adventure games. Although, they are no longer much of a choice for competitive and professional gamers due to their slower response times and lower refresh rates. There are IPS panels on the market now with higher refresh rates but, like high-quality TN panels, these cost an arm and a leg.

Organic Light-emitting Diode or OLED for short is a type of display that has been available on the market for quite some time already. It has been more utilized in TVs and mobile phones rather than in mobile PCs. It has only recently made its way into the laptop market. OLED displays are like IPS panels, but on steroids. This means that they have even better color reproduction and accuracy while maintaining good viewing angles. Blacks are also more vivid on OLED displays more than on any other kind of panel.

Just like with IPS panels, OLED displays are perfect for content creators, movie lovers, and those who enjoy playing games that do not require fast response times. Still, the biggest caveat is that OLED displays are even much more expensive than IPS.

Let’s wrap up. TN panels are generally better for tasks requiring fast response times such as fast-paced games. These are also cheaper to manufacture so consumers on a budget can lean on them more.

IPS, on the other hand, provides better viewing angles and better color reproduction and accuracy than TN, which is a perfect fit for content creators, movie lovers and for playing games with vivid sceneries. However, IPS panels are generally more expensive, so these are for consumers with extra money to spare.

Then we have OLED displays, which is essentially IPS on steroids, but carries the risk of burn-in, and is more power-hungry. Devices with these panels are the most expensive of the bunch, so these are only for consumers with very deep pockets.