best lcd panel type brands

Based in South Korea, Samsung has become one of the world"s leading electronic brands. Like many companies in this list, their monitors mainly focus on gaming. Their models are unique since they don"t primarily use IPS panels, as many have VA panels with a high contrast ratio and curved screen. Although VA panels look great in dark rooms, the main downside is that they have narrow viewing angles, which isn"t ideal for sharing your screen with others. They"ve even started including Mini LED backlighting on some models, which further improves the picture quality, peak brightness, and dark room performance. It helps that Samsung already produces TVs with this Mini LED technology, so they"ve become an industry leader for monitors with it.

Like with their TV lineup, Samsung offers the best features and performance with their high-end models like the Samsung LS32BG852NNXGO, and lower-end models tend to sacrifice features and performance for a lower cost. For example, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 is a step down from the Neo G8 and costs less, but it has a lower 165Hz refresh rate compared to 240Hz on the Neo G8. It means that Samsung"s best options are their high-end ones, as their budget displays, like the Samsung Odyssey G3 S24AG30, have limited performance.

So, why would anyone ever buy a TN panel? For starters, they’re cheap. They don’t cost a lot to produce, so they’re often used in the most budget-friendly options. If you don’t value color reproduction or need excellent viewing angles, a TN panel might be fine for your office or study.

TN panels also have the lowest input lag—typically around one millisecond. They can also handle high refresh rates of up to 240 Hz. This makes them an attractive option for competitive multiplayer games—especially eSports, where every split-second counts.

IPS technology was developed to improve upon the limitations of TN panels—most notably, the poor color reproduction and limited viewing angles. As a result, IPS panels are much better than TNs in both of these areas.

In particular, IPS panels have vastly superior viewing angles than TNs. This means you can view IPS panels from extreme angles and still get accurate color reproduction. Unlike TNs, you’ll notice very little shift in color when you view one from a less-than-ideal perspective.

IPS panels are also known for their relatively good black reproduction, which helps eliminate the “washed out” look you get with TN panels. However, IPS panels fall short of the excellent contrast ratios you’ll find on VAs.

While high refresh rates were typically reserved for TNs, more manufacturers are producing IPS panels with refresh rates of 240 Hz. For example, the 27-inch 1080p ASUS VG279QM uses an IPS panel and supports 280 Hz.

Previously, TNs exhibited less input lag than any other panel, but IPS technology has finally caught up. In June 2019, LG announced its new Nano IPS UltraGear monitors with a response time of one millisecond.

Despite the gap being closed, you’ll still pay more for an IPS panel with such a low response time than you would for a TN with similar specs. If you’re on a budget, expect a response time of around four milliseconds for a good IPS monitor.

One last thing to be aware of with IPS panels is a phenomenon called “IPS glow.” It’s when you see the display’s backlight shining through it at more extreme viewing angles. It’s not a huge problem unless you view the panel from the side, but it’s something to keep in mind.

VA panels are something of a compromise between TN and IPS. They offer the best contrast ratios, which is why TV manufacturers use them extensively. While an IPS monitor typically has a contrast ratio of 1000:1, it’s not unusual to see 3000:1 or 6000:1 in a comparable VA panel.

In terms of viewing angles, VAs can’t quite match the performance of IPS panels. Screen brightness, in particular, can vary based on the angle from which you’re viewing, but you won’t get the “IPS glow.”

VAs have slower response times than TNs and the newer Nano IPS panels with their one-millisecond response rates. You can find VA monitors with high refresh rates (240 Hz), but the latency can result in more ghosting and motion blur. For this reason, competitive gamers should avoid VA.

Compared to TNs, VA panels do offer much better color reproduction and typically hit the full sRGB spectrum, even on lower-end models. If you’re willing to spend a bit more, Samsung’s Quantum Dot SVA panels can hit 125 percent sRGB coverage.

For these reasons, VA panels are seen as the jack of all trades. They’re ideal for general use, but they either match or fall short in most other areas except contrast ratio. VAs are good for gamers who enjoy single-player or casual experiences.

When compared to CRT monitors, all LCD panels suffer from some form of latency issue. This was a real problem when TN panels first appeared, and it’s plagued IPS and VA monitors for years. But technology has moved on, and while many of these issues have been improved, they haven’t been eliminated entirely.

Uneven backlighting is another issue you’ll find on all panel types. Often this comes down to overall build quality—cheaper models slack on quality control to save on production costs. So, if you’re looking for a cheap monitor, be prepared for some uneven backlighting. However, you’ll mostly only notice it on solid or very dark backgrounds.

LCD panels are also susceptible to dead or stuck pixels. Different manufacturers and jurisdictions have different policies and consumer laws covering dead pixels. If you’re a perfectionist, check the manufacturer’s dead-pixel policy before you buy. Some will replace a monitor with a single dead pixel for free, while others require a minimum number.

Office or study use: Your budget should be your primary concern here. VA is the do-it-all panel, with superior viewing angles to TN, but either would do the trick. You can save some money because you don’t need high refresh rates or ultra-low latency. They’re still nice, though. You’ll see a noticeable difference in smoothness just when moving the Windows cursor on a monitor with a 144 versus 60 Hz refresh rate.

Photo and video editors/Digital artists: IPS panels are still generally favored for their ability to display a wide gamut of colors. It’s not unusual to find VA panels that also cover a wide gamut (125 percent sRGB, and over 90 percent DCI-P3), but they tend to exhibit more motion blur during fast-paced action than IPS panels. If you’re serious about color accuracy, you’ll need to properly calibrate your monitor.

Programmers who mount monitors vertically: You might think TN panels are great for programmers, but that’s not necessarily the case. TN panels have particularly bad viewing angles on the vertical axis. If you mount your monitor in portrait mode (as many programmers and mobile developers do), you’ll get the worst possible viewing angles from a TN panel. For the best possible viewing angles in this scenario, invest in an IPS display.

Competitive online gamers: There’s no question TN panels are still favored in the eSports world. Even the cheapest models have fast response times and support for high refresh rates. For 1080p gaming, a 24-inch will do just fine, or you could opt for a 1440p, 27-inch model without breaking the bank. You might want to go for an IPS panel as more low-latency models hit the market, but expect to pay more.

Non-competitive, high-end PC gamers: For a rich, immersive image that pops, a VA panel will provide a higher contrast ratio than IPS or TN. For deep blacks and a sharp, contrasting image, VA is the winner. If you’re okay with sacrificing some contrast, you can go the IPS route. However, we’d recommend avoiding TN altogether unless you play competitively.

Best all-rounder: VA is the winner here, but IPS is better in all areas except contrast ratio. If you can sacrifice contrast, an IPS panel will provide fairly low latency, decent blacks, and satisfactory color coverage.

Even after the introduction of newer display technologies, LCDs still remain relevant even today.LCD displays are used for multiple purposes (TV, Monitor, Mobile Phones, Laptops, Automobiles, etc.) and one single configuration cannot satisfy all the purposes. So, LCD displays come with two different panels – VA (Vertical Alignment) and IPS (In-Plane Switching) to satisfy the different viewing needs of consumers.

A VA panel offers a superior contrast ratio but a narrow viewing angle. Contrarily, an IPS panel offers a wide viewing angle but a low contrast ratio.

As mentioned earlier, displays with VA Panels provide a great contrast ratio. You can find VA panels that typically come with contrast ratios of 3000:1 or 6000:1. A comparable IPS panel will only have a contrast ratio of 1000:1.

VA panels have narrow viewing angles. You will only be able to have an immersive experience when you sit straight opposite the display. The wider angles will not provide you the same experience.

In this, the liquid crystals are arranged parallel to the glass substrate instead of the perpendicular alignment. Furthermore, the structure of crystals and the placement of electrodes differ from the one used in VA panels. The electrodes occupy more space that results in lower contrast and brightness of the screen.

With the IPS panels, you can view the TV / monitor from a wide-angle and still get an impressive picture quality. Unlike VA panels, you will notice very little difference in color reproduction when you sit at a wide-angle from the display.

But when it comes to black uniformity, the IPS panels are sub-par. These panels do a poor job in displaying a bright image in the center of a completely black screen.

One more major drawback with the IPS panels is that they exhibit a distinct phenomenon called ‘IPS Glow’. You will notice some light patches on the corners of the screen. This happens when excessive light is passed through the screen.

Initially, IPS panels are mainly used in TVs due to their wide viewing angles, as we can watch TV in our living room from anywhere. But due to their better quality, color accuracy and response time, LCD panels gradually occupied the high-end computer monitor and laptop screens

IPS:These panels have the highest color range. You will be able to enjoy a realistic gaming experience. Besides, they have better viewing angles. So, you won’t notice any drop in picture quality even when you are not sitting in front of your TV / monitor.

VA:Even though the color range is not as great as the IPS panel, it does a pretty good job in showing the color variations. But the viewing angle is narrow. So, you have to sit straight opposite the TV / monitor.

VA panel compensates for its decent color range with an impressive contrast ratio. You will be able to see great detailing in the difference between light and dark colors.

IPS:IPS panels have one of the highest refresh rates. While you easily find an IPS panel with a refresh rate of 144Hz, some of the latest ones come with a refresh rate of 360Hz. If you are a serious online-gamer, digital artist, or video editor, then you have to go with the highest refresh rate within your budget.

VA:VA panels have lower refresh rates than IPS panels. Most VA panels come with a refresh rate of 120Hz. If you want to have a higher refresh rate, then you have to be willing to spend extra. VA panels have a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz.

IPS:IPS panels generally come with a response time of 4 milliseconds. This would suffice for watching TV or playing most games. But, if you are playing racing games or first-person shooting games, you need to have a response time of less than 2 milliseconds.

VA:VA panels generally have a slower response time than IPS panels with 5 milliseconds. So, there is a higher chance for you to experience motion blur. But, some of the VA panels that come with an expensive price tag have faster response times.

IPS:When it comes to the viewing angle, IPS panels far outweigh the VA panels. They have wider viewing angles. You will experience no drop in picture quality even if you sit and watch the TV from an extreme angle.

VA:The VA panels have a very narrow viewing angle. You have to sit as close to the straight axis of the TV to enjoy the picture quality. If you sit wider, there will be a significant loss in the picture quality.

IPS:IPS panels do a decent job in the contrast ratio segment but they are nowhere close to that of VA panels. An IPS panel offers a contrast ratio of 1000:1. When you watch a black color environment in an IPS panel, the black color will be slightly greyed out.

VA:VA panels offer a superior contrast ratio of 6000:1 that is very impressive. It has the capacity to show dark environments as darker. So, you will enjoy the picture detailing shown by the VA panels.

IPS:IPS panels are not really great at displaying the uniform black color throughout the screen. Due to the low contrast ratio, the black color will appear slightly greyed out.

VA:VA panels have a good black uniformity. But it also depends on the TV model you go with. Not all TV models with a VA panel have good black uniformity. But it is safe to say that in general, VA panels have better black uniformity than an IPS panel.

To put it short, the main difference between the panels lies in the alignment of the liquid crystals. The alignment results in the differences in the performance and picture quality of the panels.

The VA panels are ideal for office/study use, high-end PC games, and online games. If you are looking for a panel for mixed usage, the VA panel should still suffice your needs.

As we head into the new year, we"re going to see a lot of new monitors and display technology coming out of CES 2023. From high refresh rates to mini-LED panels and more, there are going to be a lot of exciting monitor tech to come in 2023. If you"re not all into that razzle-dazzle though, this is also great news since many of the best monitors, including the best 4K monitors from 2022, are going to get some healthy price cuts as the new models get announced and retailers have to make room for new inventory.

Choosing the best monitor for you takes careful planning. You can blow your budget and get the priciest, most kitted-out option, even if it"s overkill for your needs, or you can be wise about your choice and go for something that"s the best value for you.

We"re also here to help. We do a lot of work with all kinds of displays over the years so we know how having the best monitor is an essential component of any PC, especially the best computer setups for work and playing the best PC games, whatever the case may be.

Whether you"re looking for the best 5K and 8K monitors for creative work or the best cheap gaming monitor deals for some casual esports, we"ve tried and reviewed just about all of them.

And, below we"ve broken down our top picks of the year – from the best 144Hz 4K monitors and the best high refresh rate monitors to the best monitors for video editing – and compiled them in this handy guide to make your buying decision easier than ever. We"ve also written up a guide for how to pick the best monitor to help you find what you"re looking for, no matter what your need or budget might be.

If you’re in the cinematography or photography sphere, that’s exactly what you need. And, that’s on top of all the other features this monitor boasts. This is among the best monitors for photo editing you’ll find, and the best part is you’re getting it for cheaper than all others.

The Dell S3221QS is a gorgeous monitor inside and out. Its simple yet elegant silver design gives it a unique look that sets it apart from all the gamer-centric or boring black office monitors you"re most likely to find. It comes with a stunning 4K VA panel to match, making everything from movies to gaming a pleasure to watch.

We don’t usually run into technology that’s so far ahead of the curve that we’re left dumbfounded, which is why the Dell UltraSharp UP3218K has impressed us even more. Finding one of the best monitors that can reach the raw gorgeousness this one can should be next to impossible. It’s not just the resolution, either.

Dell went so far as to ensure that the build quality and color reproduction are the best in the business as well. The Dell UltraSharp UP3218K is aimed at professionals, obviously, so if that sounds like it’s made for you, it’s probably the best monitor you’ll ever find.

It also boasts incredible color accuracy and beautiful picture quality. The best part is that you’re getting all that without burning a massive hole in your pocket. This is, without a doubt, among the best monitors out there, especially if you"re looking for an arm-supported display rather than one on a static stand you typically find on the shelves.

There are a number of arm-supported models coming out in the next few months though, so this monitor might lose the title of "best" in this particular class, but it is also a lot cheaper as a result, so you can"t really go wrong.

If you"re on a high-end gaming desktop with the best graphics card on the market, then a 4K monitor or even an 8K display might be more of what you"re looking for. 4K monitors are only just now starting to get higher refresh rates like 120Hz and 144Hz, so these are definitely the 4K panels that you need to keep an eye out for.Which monitor brand is most reliable?There are a lot of PC monitor brands out there making everything from cheap, portable office monitors to high-end gaming PC monitors with ultrawide aspect and 1000R curve rating, 1ms pixel response, and blazing fast refresh rates.

Among the best brands in this regard are Dell, Alienware, BenQ, Acer, LG, Samsung, HP, Lenovo, and Asus, but they are by no means the only ones.Which monitor quality is best?Well, this really depends on a couple of factors, but first and foremost is your use case.

If you"re just a typical PC gamer looking for the best image quality, getting a 4K monitor with 144Hz refresh is going to make your games look fantastic. If you"re an esports competitor (or want to be someday), then the only thing that matters is pixel response and refresh rate. Even a 1080p resolution is acceptable so long as it has at least 1ms pixel response or lower. The refresh on 1080p monitors can go as high as 360Hz or even higher with the very latest monitors coming onto the market.

For most people though, a 1440p monitor is often more than enough, since the jump from 1440p to 4K isn"t nearly as impressive as the jump from 1080p to 1440p.What is best screen size for 4K?Depending on how far away from the screen you are, there will be a point where it just doesn"t benefit you to upgrade to a new monitor with a higher resolution.

Typically, 32 inches is considered the best monitor size since this is the size where a person sitting about 3 feet away from a screen will be able to see the difference between 4K and 1440p. The difference isn"t going to be huge, but it will be there.

We review monitors based on a number of factors including price, design, and performance. We consider the size of each display, as well as the number and type of ports on each monitor to determine who each display would benefit most. Each monitor is used in a variety of scenarios, so we use it for work, media consumption and gaming to test what it’s best suited to.

Contrary to what you may think, not all LCD TVs are built around the same core panel technology. They can actually have at their hearts one of two really quite different technologies: VA or IPS.

Each, as we’ll see, has its own distinct advantages and disadvantages – so much so that we personally think the type of panel a particular TV uses should be presented right at the top of its specifications list, rather than typically left off altogether. Especially as some brands have been known to actually mix and match VA and IPS panels at different screen sizes within the same TV series.

The VA initialism stands for Vertical Alignment. This name is derived from the way VA panels apply voltage to vertically aligned liquid crystals that have been mounted perpendicularly to the panel’s glass substrate, making them tilt as required to let the necessary amount of light through for each image frame.

The main advantage of VA panels is contrast. Their perpendicular crystal alignment provides greater control over the light passing through each pixel, meaning dark scenes and dark areas look less grey / enjoy better black levels.

The extent to which this strength is exploited can vary greatly between different manufacturers, and depends on any number of secondary factors. The type and position of LED lighting a particular VA screen might be using can have an impact, for instance. There are multiple variations on the VA theme available from different manufacturers, too. As a basic principle, though, black levels and contrast are consistently and often considerably better on LCD TVs that use VA panels.

Because of their ability to control light better, high-end VA panels generally deliver more brightness in real world conditions than IPS ones do. This further enhances their contrast capabilities, and arguably makes them more consistently able to do fuller justice to the wider light range associated with high dynamic range technology.

Being able to deliver dark scenes with relatively little overlying low-contrast greyness additionally means that VA panels tend to achieve more consistent colour vibrancy and toning.

VA panels for use in LCD TVs come from a number of panel manufacturers, including Samsung Display (which makes a so-called SVA variant) and AU Optronics (which makes an AMVA variant). TV brands are able to buy in panels from these and other VA panel manufacturers as they see fit.

Samsung Electronics is the most consistent user of VA panels in its LCD TVs. In fact, until recently pretty much every Samsung TV at every price level used a VA panel. For the past couple of years, though, IPS panels have unexpectedly cropped up in one or two parts of Samsung’s TV range, including 2021’s high-end QN85 series.

Sony predominantly uses VA panels on its most premium TVs, but it also habitually mixes IPS and VA panels across its wider mid-range and entry level LCD ranges. The same goes for most of the other big brands, too, including Panasonic and Philips.

IPS stands for In-Plane Switching. Like VA panels, IPS panels work by manipulating voltage to adjust how liquid crystals are aligned. Unlike VA, though, IPS panels orient their crystals in parallel with (rather than perpendicular too) the glass substrates present in every LCD panel, and rotate their crystals around to let the desired amount of light through rather than tilting them.

By far the biggest and most talked about advantage of IPS technology is its support for wider viewing angles. In fact, one way of identifying IPS panels has traditionally been to look for quoted viewing angles of 178 degrees.

When we talk about wide viewing angle support in relation to LCD TVs, we’re talking about how much of an angle from directly opposite the screen you can go before the picture starts to lose contrast, colour saturation and, sometimes, brightness.

With VA panels the angle you can watch them before the picture starts to deteriorate sharply can be really quite limited – as little as 20 degrees off axis. While we’d say the 178-degree claims for regular IPS panels are rather exaggerated, you can typically sit at a significantly wider angle than you can with VA and still enjoy a watchable picture.

The VA/IPS viewing angle situation is muddied a little by the introduction into a few high-end VA TVs of wide angle technologies based around filters or sub pixel manipulation. These technologies can be associated with other problems, though, such as reduced resolution, and can still struggle to suppress backlight blooming around stand-out bright objects with LCD TVs that use local dimming backlight systems.

Traditionally IPS panels have been associated with – on high-end screens, at least – wider colour gamuts than VA panels can readily manage. They retain this colour gamut better, too, when viewing the screen from an angle. This is why many professional designers, for instance, have tended to prefer IPS technology to VA. There can be some pretty extreme variance in the range of colour supported across different IPS price points, though, and improvements in premium VA solutions – especially the widespread use of Quantum Dot technologies – have largely evened things up, at least at the premium end of the VA market. In fact, with dark scenes, at least, IPS’s issues with black levels and ‘grey wash’ effect can give good VA panels a colour advantage.

As with VA, there are different variations on the basic IPS theme made by different panel manufacturers. LG Display is by far the biggest manufacturer of IPS LCD panels for TVs, but AU Optronics also makes them, as well as, more surprisingly, Samsung – though some of the non-LG Display IPS products seem to be more focused on PC monitors than TVs.

Given how dominant LG Display is in manufacturing IPS LCD panels, it’s not surprising to find that pretty much every LCD TV LG Electronics makes features an IPS panel at its heart. Other TV brands that use IPS panels on at least a few of their TVs each year include Panasonic, Philips, Sony and Hisense. In fact, the only big brand that has tended to shun IPS is Samsung (perhaps because of arch rival LG Display’s dominance of the IPS market).

If you’re able to actually get your hands on an LCD TV, try knocking gently on its screen. If it’s an IPS panel it will feel solid and the picture will only be slightly affected – or completely unaffected – by the impact of your knocks. If it’s a VA panel, the picture will distort quite noticeably around points of impact.

It’s tempting to assume that any TVs with obviously low contrast are IPS while any screen with a narrow viewing angle is VA. As well as depending on having a wide experience of lots of panels, though, there’s just too much variation in the high and low-end fringes of each technology for this approach to be reliable.

Arguably your best bet is to check out a TV model you’re interested in on an industry website called Displayspecifications.com(opens in new tab), which includes usually reliable information on the core panel of pretty much every TV released.

Our long experience of testing VA and IPS TVs, though, has led us to conclude that in general, the sort of person most likely to be turning to us for buying advice will be happier with an LCD TV based on VA technology.

For people that aren’t the most tech-savvy, it would seem that LCD monitors are all the same. But in reality, the opposite is true. There are four major types of LCD monitor panels, all with unique benefits and drawbacks depending on your needs. So, when shopping for an LCD screen, it’s important to consider how you’ll use it, and which type of computer monitor is best suited for that goal. To learn more about LCD, LED, QLED, and other monitor technology types, check out our guide on the types of monitors.

Technically, there are 11 different types of LCD panels, but they’re usually divided into three main categories — In-Plane Switching (IPS), Twisted Nematic (TN), and Vertical Alignment (VA). IPS is considered the top choice while VA is often associated with burn-in, a condition where pixels lose brightness over time and leave image silhouettes on the screen.

IPS panels tend to offer the best color accuracy, image quality, and viewing angles. As a result, these types are the best monitors for designers who demand better image quality to complete their graphic design work. In particular, IPS panels can provide fidelity at viewing angles as wide as 178 degrees.

However, these panels tend to be more expensive because of their enhanced image quality. Likewise, they don’t score as well for refresh rates, which makes them suboptimal for gamers.

IPS panels can be further divided into seven additional versions. While they’re all somewhat similar, how the pixels are structured is different. These include:S-IPS

Super PLS, or Plane to Line Switching, is another twist on IPS panels but is proprietary to Samsung. Their patented technology promises to offer wider viewing angles and 10% more brightness than standard IPS displays.

AHVA — not to be confused with VA panels — was developed by AOU and stands for Advanced Hyper-Viewing Angle. However, it still relies on IPS technology.

And Nano IPS was created by LG Electronics and promises to create a wider color range because of its use of nanoparticles instead of traditional pixels. Additionally, Nano IPS panels tend to have faster refresh rates.

Touchscreen monitors can be any panel variation, it depends on which one you need. However, if you can’t afford one, as they are expensive, then you’ll need to learn how to convert a monitor to touchscreen.

If you’re a budget shopper looking for an LCD screen, TN panels are going to be the most widely available option. While they’re wallet-friendly, this option has fantastic response times. Some TN-based LCDs can offer response times as low as one millisecond, which makes them ideal for gaming. However, TN panels aren’t as competitive when it comes to color accuracy. These panels are only six-bit instead of eight-bit like IPS panels and therefore can’t display all 16.7 million colors found in 24-bit true-color displays.

VA panels are a median choice for people who have a little bit more to spend but aren’t ready to invest in IPS panel technology. While they provide truer color than a TN panel and wider viewing angles, their response time isn’t as competitive. Additionally, VA viewing angles aren’t as wide as an IPS panel.

Although VA panels have higher contrast ratios for better black levels, they struggle with color shifting. This means that depending on your viewing angle, the brightness can vary. And especially for watching television, this can create a lack of detail in darker scenes. However, because of its affordability, this panel is incredibly popular with manufacturers and is often used in computer monitors and televisions. If you need something with closer to 100% of the sRGB color gamut, you’ll want a different option.

This is going to depend on how you plan on using your LCD monitor, along with your budget. Remember that the lowest price isn’t always the best, especially when considering computer monitor lifespan. You want a monitor that will last you a while. And, also consider the different monitor sizes as well. But as a general rule, the three main panel categories are most compatible in the following ways.

IPS panels are ideal for professionals who need true color accuracy for their work. Gamers who are more concerned with image quality will also do well with this pick. Likewise, serious tech aficionados with exacting standards regarding color accuracy, want to avoid color shifting and maximize viewing angles will like IPS panels. Remember that IPS panels include a wide array of subcategories, many of which are proprietary to select electronics brands.

Budget-conscious shoppers that want a decent LCD monitor that won’t break the bank can’t go wrong with a TN panel LCD. Additionally, gamers who want faster response times will also like these panels. And, anyone who isn’t obsessed with technical specs and simply wants an affordable monitor for general use will like these LCDs.

There’s an almost overwhelming amount of options in the display market: OLED, MicroLED, and TN panel types just to name a few. But if you’re looking for a gaming monitor or simply don’t want to drain your bank account on a display, IPS and VA are generally the best choices. In-plane switching (or IPS) is an LCD-based technology that is used in just about every kind of display, whereas Vertical Alignment (or VA) is a more niche LCD technology used in gaming monitors, gaming TVs, and wide displays.

Although IPS is much more popular than VA and is often seen as the more premium option, both panel types have strengths and weaknesses that you should consider before you buy.

IPS panels have traditionally been used for making displays that have high color accuracy and large coverage of wide color gamuts like DCI-P3 or Adobe sRGB. Not only do IPS displays usually look good, but they also look good from wider angles, so you don’t need to look exactly head on at an IPS monitor to get accurate colors.

Although IPS is generally better than VA when it comes to color accuracy and coverage, VA panels have perfectly fine color accuracy and coverage for the vast majority of users. Only professional photo and video editors could really be disappointed with a VA monitor that only covers 90% of the DCI-P3 color space, which is actually a very good amount of coverage for gamers and content consumers.

Contrast ratio is a metric that measures how dark the color black is depicted on a display, measured as a ratio of x:1. The higher x is, the better. Although IPS is very good with color accuracy in general, it really struggles with making the color black, and even the best IPS monitors and TVs can only show a very dark grey rather than true black. Most IPS monitors are rated at a 1000:1 contrast ratio, which isn’t terrible but isn’t great either. Some monitors can get up to around 2000:1 however.

Response time is the amount of time it takes to fully refresh the display and show a new image. This is an area where both IPS and VA struggle, but nowadays very good IPS displays have overcome traditional issues with response times, and VA displays have not shown the same amount of progress. There is no standard that display manufacturers adhere to when it comes to measuring response time, but according to BenQ, which makes both IPS and VA monitors and TVs, IPS has a response time of 1-2ms whereas VA can only achieve 4-5ms. The specific values here aren’t important because this is a best-case scenario. What’s really important is that VA is much slower.

Although the best IPS panels beat the best VA panels when it comes to response time, there are plenty of IPS displays that have very bad response times. It’s also worth noting that response time only needs to be equal to the refresh rate of the monitor for there to be no smearing. On a 60Hz display, for instance, it takes 16.66ms to show a new image, so a response time of 1ms doesn’t really do much. Response time matters much more at higher refresh rates, and even at 144Hz a response time of around 7ms is sufficient to avoid ghosting.

While IPS displays are usually a safe recommendation for most people, sometimes there are very good reasons to buy VA monitors and TVs. VA has found its home in midrange gaming monitors, gaming TVs, and ultrawide displays, and many of the best gaming monitors use VA. If you’re shopping outside of these categories, however, you probably won’t have to worry about choosing between IPS and VA because VA is not very often used elsewhere.

When buying a TV with LED technology, we can find different screen technologies. Choosing a TV with one type of screen or another is a factor that will influence the image quality significantly. Mainly two types of panels are manufactured: IPS and VA panels. As we will see now, depending on the use you are going to give to your TV, you may be more interested in a TV with VA panel or IPS panel.

Next, we are going to explain the differences between IPS panels and VA panels. In this way, we hope to help you choose the best TV for your particular use.

First of all, comment that the name IPS comes from the fact that the liquid crystals of the panel are aligned horizontally (In-Plane Switching). These crystals are parallel to the glass substrates allowing the orientation to be changed by rotating the liquid crystal molecules in the same plane.

This is the technical explanation, but the interesting thing is to know, what performance this type of panel is going to give us and what pros and cons it offers.

An IPS panel offers as a great advantage, wide viewing angles. This means that even if the TV is viewed from a side angle, contrast and color are maintained.

Some IPS panels offer lossless viewing angles up to 178°. Thanks to this, a TV with an IPS panel can be viewed correctly from the sides. The good thing about this is that color saturation and contrast will remain almost lossless when viewed from the side.

So, you may be interested in buying an IPS panel TV if you are going to watch it from different points or if you are several in the family and there are some of you who watch the TV from a more foreshortened position.

Their response time is usually somewhat lower than those offered by VA panels. The time it takes for the pixels to change is somewhat less and they can deliver moving images with a little more clarity.

As weaknesses, their contrast is usually quite low. The contrast values of any IPS panel are always poorer than those offered by a VA panel. In this type of panels, the black level achieved is very low and are usually dark grays instead of blacks.

The black level, however, can be improved in Full Array TVs with Local Dimming and in Mini LED models. The models with this system use more LED bulbs and with the possibility of adjusting the illumination by zones, achieving better black values. The downside is that as a general rule, IPS panels tend to have more light leakage problems than VA panels, although this varies from unit to unit and the type of backlight used.

Generally, they are not the best choice for movie buffs as a lot of information is lost in dark scenes. Compared to a VA panel, this problem is noticeable.

IPS panels are widely used in monitors, thanks to what we have said about their better response time and better color reproduction and are especially recommended for photo editing.

The main manufacturer of IPS panels is LG. Some Sony and Panasonic models carry IPS panels, and these are mostly manufactured by LG Display. Although recently LG announced that it was cutting back on LCD panel manufacturing.

Within IPS panels there are different variants with different names but which are based on the same concept and obtain very similar performance. The best known are the PLS and ADS panels, which are mounted in some current Samsung TVs.

Unlike an IPS panel, a VA type panel has an alignment of liquid crystals in a vertical plane to the glass substrate and which tilt when a voltage is applied to let light through.

VA panels achieve much higher contrasts than IPS panels. Their major advantage is the reproduction of deep blacks and better detail in shadow areas, so that not as much information is lost as in IPS type displays.

The contrast levels of a VA panel, can be up to 300% higher than that of an IPS panel. The black tones it achieves are always much deeper. This is very noticeable in dark scenes in movies. Therefore, it is the best choice for moviegoers.

(The following images are for guidance only, as it depends on each particular model and the type of backlighting used, whether Full Array, Edge LED or Direct LED).

However, new versions of these panels are being produced and the angles are improving, especially in the high end, and in some cases are equal to the angles offered by IPS.

The main manufacturer of VA panels was Samsung and their own TVs mainly mounted panels manufactured by themselves. However, like LG, they have greatly reduced production and it is now very common for them to carry panels from other manufacturers such as BOE, AUO, etc.

The other manufacturers such as Sony and Panasonic have long since stopped making panels and carry panels made by companies such as Chi Mei, Sharp or AUO. In any case, the fact that a brand does not produce its own panels, does not mean in any case, less image quality.

We leave you with a summary of the advantages offered by each type of panel for you to value which is the option that suits you best according to the use you give to the TV.

Here the winner is IPS panels by offering better viewing from extreme angles. Colors and contrast are best maintained when viewed at angles greater than 35°..

Anyway, there are some TVs with VA panel, which incorporate a filter that improves the viewing angle. An example is the Samsung’s top-of-the-line QLED models. and the X95K and Z9K from Sony.

In summary, especially in the low and mid ranges IPS panels provide a better side view than VA panels, so they are better if you view them from different points.

The winner in this field is VA panels. The contrast is much higher than that offered by IPS panels, which are far inferior in this respect. Blacks tend to be purer on VA panels than on IPS panels.

The difference between IPS and VA panels is usually quite noticeable in this aspect reaching up to 300% in some cases. Therefore, they are always much more recommendable for users who like movies.

(The following images are only for orientation, since it depends on each specific model and the type of backlight used, whether Full Array, Edge LED or Direct LED).

In the contrast variant, the brightness level also comes into play. In this aspect, an IPS or VA panel can reproduce a similar brightness, but having a better black level, the contrast ratio of a VA panel is usually much higher than that provided by an IPS.

It is unusual for burn-in or retentions to occur on LCD displays whether they are IPS or VA type. This problem occurs when an image is left static for a prolonged period of time. However, the risk is higher for IPS type displays.

VA panels are more recommended for watching movies and series in dark rooms and in a location that is quite in front of the TV. They give us the highest contrast values and allow us to see better details in the dark parts of the image. Also, although it depends on each specific model, they usually have less reflections.

IPS panels on the other hand, are the best option, if the location from where you sit is not fully frontal to the TV and you usually watch it in a brightly lit room. Colors and contrast are maintained with less variation when viewed from the sides.

2022 models2021 modelsQNED96, QNED91, QNED86, QNED80: VA or IPS depending on inchAll the range mounts IPS panel except in 50 and 70 inches which is VA.

As you can see, each type of panel has its advantages and disadvantages. With this comparison, hopefully the differences between IPS and VA panels are clear to you. Moreover, these panels are not only found in televisions, but are also manufactured for monitors and cell phones.

For viewing in dark or very dimly lit rooms, the best choice is a TV that mounts VA screen, as it will provide better blacks as well as less blooming and light leakage.

If in your case you are going to be viewing the TV from a fairly foreshortened angle, IPS panels are going to offer you a better angle than VA panels. The colors will maintain better saturation as well as the contrast will be maintained, making the picture look less washed out.

As we have seen, it depends on each situation, but generally in the absence of assessing other important aspects such as the image processor, refresh rate, etc., we recommend a TV with VA panel. They are the most recommended for watching movies and series due to their better contrast and detail in the dark parts.

Recently, TVs with Mini LED technology have been launched, which still use an LCD panel with backlighting by LED bulbs, but now the size of these is much smaller. In this way, they can have many more bulbs, so that the backlighting is more accurate, improving blacks and reaching a higher peak brightness. In this last aspect of brightness, Mini LED TVs are superior to OLED models.

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.

If you"re in the market for a new gaming monitor, you"re going to brush up against three distinct types of displays that all come with their own pros and cons. We"re here to break down exactly what you need to know about TN, IPS, and VA panels and help you make the right choice for your exact gaming needs.

There are three display panel types that cover most gaming monitors (cutting-edge technology like mini-LED and OLED are coming, but we won"t cover that here). TN (twisted nematic), IPS (in-plane switching), and VA (vertical alignment) all use the same technology at their core--molecules that react according to different voltages to move and produce an image--but their differences and evolutions have made each one good for specific use cases.

TN panels have the worst viewing angles of the three, with colors able to drastically shift from even slight angles off the center of the display. TN also has the worst color coverage, with the inability to show a high color depth and producing noticeable banding due to interpolation. Contrast ratios are also poor, with the overall image looking washed out compared to IPS and VA.

So, if TN is this poor, why is it still on the market? For one, TN panels are incredibly cheap, which is why you"ll often find them in budget gaming monitors that can still deliver a good, if not great, image. TN is also still the fastest panel type on the market, with pixel response times (the time it takes for a pixel to change color) as fast as 1ms. While IPS and VA panels have managed to get there, they often make use of methods that lead to other issues (such as smearing or inverted ghosting), which keeps TN panels relevant for speed.

For that reason, TN panels are ideal for competitive gaming, especially in the realm of esports where response time is much more important than image quality. If you"re primarily playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Fortnite, or Call of Duty: Warzone, you"ll probably benefit the most from a TN monitor if all you care about is securing those wins. Plus, you"ll save a bunch of money in the process.

One big disadvantage across the board with IPS panels are their poor contrast ratios, making them worse options for dark rooms than VA. It can make dark areas in games look more milky grey than black, made worse by the uneven backlighting that can be viewed at different angles (also known as IPS glow). The color reproduction is still the best it can be on an IPS display, but if you mostly play games at night or in a dim room, you might want to consider a VA panel.

Speaking of VA (vertical alignment) panels, there"s a reason the majority of LCD TVs use this panel type. It"s the jack-of-all-trades panel, with better color reproduction than TN panels as well as a much better contrast ratio compared to IPS. VA panels, depending on the overall display specs, can also be cheaper than IPS panels in most cases, occupying a good middle ground between performance and price that is difficult to argue against.

One area where VA truly excels is contrast. It"s a night-and-day difference compared to IPS, with VA panels able to produce far inkier blacks and really accentuate dark areas in games, especially when you"re playing in a dim environment. This is one of the strongest reasons for owning a VA panel, especially if the "IPS glow" really bothers you. You do, however, lose out on the wider viewing angles that IPS offers.

One issue with VA is its response times, like IPS. It can reach 1ms in very specific cases, but this often leads to a lot of smearing or inverse ghosting (where ghost trails behind shifting pixels have colors inverted), which make the gains moot. On average, a VA panel will have worse smearing at the same pixel response times when compared to an IPS panel, primarily down to how the vertical alignment of the molecules in the display function. It"s something you might notice when playing at very high refresh rates and in fast-paced games, but it"s also something that a lot of people don"t have an issue with at all.

If getting the fastest response times and highest frame rates possible is crucial to your gaming, there"s no question that a TN panel is still your best option. Competitive gamers who benefit from the fractions of a second that a pixel can take to update will find no corners cut on any TN panel out there, and they"ll benefit from the high refresh rates most offer.

Similarly, if you"re on a very tight budget and you"re looking for the right monitor to accompany a machine built for games like League of Legends, Dota 2, or Fortnite, then choosing a TN panel could help you put more money toward the hardware that powers your games instead. You"ll be missing out on the better color reproduction that TN lacks, but if you"re just planning to play games casually and not take in their sights, then you can save yourself a lot of money.

If single-player games are mostly what you use your PC for and you"re strictly keeping it for recreational use, then it"s difficult to argue against a VA panel. It"s a considerable step up from TN and will let you enjoy your games with visuals as their designers intended. The deep blacks will let you immerse yourself in moody atmospheres, while the cheaper prices could afford you the ability to get a bigger monitor with a decently high refresh rate.

VA panels also give you a lot of range to stretch your budget, whether you"re just looking for a slightly-above-average display or one to really bring out the best in your hardware. From 1080p to 4K, it"s easy to find a great VA-equipped display that won"t break the bank or go ultra-premium with one of Samsung"s top-of-the-line products. The company"s latest G7 (or Odyssey G9, if you have the space and the money for it) feature outstanding HDR support, incredible contrast, and great color, if you"re willing to invest in their high price points.

If you"re looking for a monitor that can do it all, there"s nothing beating out an IPS panel. Many new monitors feature the more advanced fast IPS panels, which remove many of the compromises you used to have to make with regards to pixel response times and high refresh rates.

The viewing angles, the color reproduction, and the overall experience of an IPS panel just can"t be beat right now, making it the perfect accompaniment to a high-powered gaming PC, console, or workstation. They"re accurate enough for some professional work, whether you"re color-correcting photos or videos, and fast enough to keep up with your favorite competitive games or engrossing single-player adventures.

IPS panels are also ideal for local multiplayer gaming with their wide viewing angles, but these come at the cost of good contrast ratios and potential backlight bleeding. If you"re only planning to play games in a dark environment, a VA might be better suited to your needs. But if you"re looking for a panel with the fewest compromises, it"s hard to argue against IPS.

We"ve highlighted some of our favorite monitors with each display panel type above, but if you"re looking for more options for well-priced displays, check out our guide to the best cheap gaming monitors on the market right now as well as the best monitors for PS5 and Xbox Series X. If monitors are just too small, we also have recommendations for the best 4K TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X, some of which can also work well for PC gaming. If you’re looking for some more information on the types of monitors out there, we’ve got a list of the differences between LCD and LED Monitors. Let us know what your favorite displays are in the comments below.

When it comes to thebest gaming monitors available on the market, the dizzying array of sizes, resolutions, refresh rates, response times, FreeSync versus G-Sync and panel types can make purchase decisions difficult. Our job is to make the buying process easier for you, so in this article, we"re going to look at two of the popular panel types used in today"s best gaming monitors: IPS and VA.

VA stands for vertical alignment, in which liquid crystals are aligned vertically, perpendicular to the substrate surface. As a result, these panels tend to have greater viewing angles than TN panels (but lower than IPS) and excellent contrast ratios and excel at providing incredible levels of detail in gaming (or movie) scenes.

Pixel response time refers to how fast a monitor can shift from one color to another (typically black to white or gray to gray) and is measured in milliseconds. But what does a low response time mean for gamers in the real world? A lower response time will garner less motion blur and allow for a clearer picture with fast-moving scenes in games. Of the two, IPS panels tend to have the lower response times, typically at 1 to 3 ms for the fastest panels (some even going as low as 0.5 ms).

On the other hand, the many gaming monitors with VA panels are advertised with a 4ms or lower (GTG) value for gaming monitors. In fact, we"ve seen some VA monitors spec"d as low as 1ms GTG with overdrive. However, those lower response times can come at the expense of inverse ghosting, leaving bright artifacts behind fast-moving objects on a screen.

IPS panels can be had from the standard 60 Hz up to 360 Hz on the fastest 1080p panels (like theAsus ROG Swift PG259QN). For a long time, 4K IPS panels were stuck at a maximum of 144Hz. However, that changed recently with the introduction of theViewSonic Elite XG320U, which overclocks to 150Hz (at the expense of Adaptive-Sync).

While neither IPS nor VA panels can match the "infinite" contrast ratio of newOLED panels, VA does have the upper hand. A good VA panel can exhibit a static contrast ratio of 2,000:1 to 3,000:1. However, the very best panels can crank that figure to 4,000:1 and beyond (for example, theAOC C32G2ZE can hit 4,000:1). The advantage that VA panels hold over IPS in contrast ratio is even more pronounced in darkened rooms, where "IPS glow" can be a serious problem.

Most IPS panels feature horizontal/vertical viewing angles of up to 178 degrees. This means if you"re viewing content off-center, there isn"t much color-shifting or a dramatic drop in picture quality until you reach the extreme edges of the viewing angles.

While VA panels have made great strides over the years in viewing angles, they are still not entirely up to par compared to IPS panels. VA panels are typically a bit weaker with respect to color/contrast shifts when viewing content off-center. However, for gamers who are likely to be sitting dead-center in front of the screen and not moving along the periphery of a monitor"s optimum viewing angle, this is likely less of an issue.

IPS panels, in general, have greater color gamut performance, leading to richer colors for your games. Most IPS monitors can hit a higher percentage of the DCI-P3 and sRGB color gamuts. Higher color gamut scores generally lead to greater accuracy and more vibrant color representation.

VA panels are slightly behind the curve on color accu