lcd panel types linus tech price

2023-01-03 12:32:11

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.

lcd panel types linus tech price

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

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

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

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

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

IPS monitors continue to be the display technology of choice for users that want color accuracy and consistency. IPS monitors are really great when it comes to color performance and super-wide viewing angles. The expansive viewing angles provided by IPS monitors help to deliver outstanding color when being viewed from different angles. One major differentiator between IPS monitors and TN monitors is that colors on an IPS monitor won’t shift when being viewed at an angle as drastically as they do on a TN monitor.

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

When it comes to color accuracy, IPS monitors surpass the performance of TN and VA monitors with ease. While latest-gen VA technologies offer comparative performance specs, pro users still claim that IPS monitors reign supreme in this regard.

Another important characteristic of IPS monitors is that they are able to support professional color space technologies, such as Adobe RGB. This is due to the fact that IPS monitors are able to offer more displayable colors, which help improve color accuracy.

In the past, response time and contrast were the initial weakness of IPS technology. Nowadays, however, IPS monitor response times have advanced to the point where they are even capable of satisfying gamers, thus resulting in a rising popularity in IPS monitors for gaming.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For general-purpose use, these shifts in color and contrast are often irrelevant and fade from conscious perception. However, this color variability makes TN monitors a poor choice for color-critical work like graphic design and photo editing. Graphic designers and other color-conscious users should also avoid TN displays due to their more limited range of color display compared to the other technologies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As a result, active-matrix technology was invented and transistors (TFTs) began being used to help liquid crystals retain their charge and change phase more quickly.

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

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

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

lcd panel types linus tech price

To understand IPS Black, a new type of IPS panel, it helps to have a basic understanding of IPS, or in-plane switching. IPS is one of the three types of LCD panels in PC monitors and TVs, alongside VA (vertical alignment) and TN (twisted nematic).

The three technologies work a bit differently, resulting in various pros and cons. IPS panels have better viewing angles, meaning it"s easier to see the on-screen image when looking at it from a side angle. They"re also known for their exceptional color reproduction, especially when compared to TN panels.

Simply put, IPS panels have liquid crystals aligned parallel to the glass surfaces sandwiching them. When an electric charge is applied, the crystals rotate; they maintain a parallel position but allow light to come through and create an image. The technology differs from the liquid crystals in a TN panel, which twist to 90 degrees to allow light through. TN panels have historically maintained faster refresh rates and response times, but we"re seeing IPS catch up in expensive gaming monitors.

IPS screens also differ from VA panels, which deliver better contrast ratios. VA panels have liquid crystals perpendicular to the glass substrates and tilt to let light pass through. As noted by monitor company ViewSonic, this makes them better at blocking unneeded backlight, resulting in deeper blacks and higher contrast ratios.

LG Display announced IPS Black in January but hasn"t shared much information about how the technology works. At the time, LG Display said the panels have a black level that is "35 percent deeper than existing IPS products," and it promised that the displays would deliver "extreme clarity and precise color accuracy."

The U3223QE and U2723QE UltraSharp monitors are the first IPS Black monitors available. Dell says the displays have a contrast ratio of 2,000:1—meaning that a black image looks 2,000 times darker than a white one. That"s two times greater than what most IPS monitors offer. For comparison, the UltraSharp 30 U3023E— also announced Thursday—uses a standard IPS panel and has a contrast ratio of 1,000:1. (All three monitors have been listed for a while, as reported by sites like Tom"s Hardware, but Dell is making its first formal announcement today.)

LG Display"s IPS Black announcement also said the tech "significantly lowers the level of blue light." Dell doesn"t say that its new UltraSharps have any low blue light-fighting advantage beyond its hardware-based ComfortView Plus, which the company introduced in 2020.

LG Display also claimed IPS Black panels would allow for "a nearly borderless design." Considering the IPS Black-based UltraSharps continue the series" use of teeny-tiny bezels, we"d say that checks out.

Dell won"t be the only company to use IPS Black technology. LG Display sells to various companies, and LG plans to release its own IPS Black monitors. There"s still no word on if there will be IPS Black TVs.

In terms of Dell"s newly announced UltraSharps, all three claim to hit 400 nits brightness and have a 60 Hz refresh rate. The 27-inch IPS Black monitor has an MSRP of $725, but Dell already has it on sale for $625. For comparison, Dell"s 27-inch U2720Q, with a standard IPS panel, is currently $590. The 32-inch IPS Black monitor has an MSRP of $1,150 but is currently discounted to $920. And the non-IPS Black U3023E costs $1,050 but is going for $785 as of writing.

lcd panel types linus tech price

Gaming monitors have started to hit their stride. Whether you"re looking for a 4K gaming monitor for the sharpest picture or a 240Hz gaming monitor for the smoothest experience, you"ll be able to find something to cater to your exact style of gaming and loaded with all the latest technology you could want. Aside from those extremes, you"ll also find tons of value in our picks. And, we"re not just talking about budget gaming monitors, we mean the majority of monitors now feature VA or IPS panels for great color depth, while offering up fast response times, and all of them are 60Hz or faster. These monitors can change the way you game.

The Dell 2721HGF has a 27-inch screen with a slight curve to wrap around your field of vision, immersing you further in a game’s action. This isn’t the brightest display out there for features like HDR, but the 350 nit VA panel is easy on the eyes and offers a decent contrast ratio. The color accuracy makes games vibrant, though there is a bit of ghosting behind dark objects. A height and tilt adjustable stand is also included to ensure you get the perfect viewing angle.

Unlike most gaming TVs, the Acer Nitro XV282K is built for speed. The panel delivers a 144Hz refresh rate, though, you can overclock up to 170Hz for silky-smooth gameplay on your PC. Even if you"re not able to hit 144fps at 4K in some games, the support for AMD FreeSync — G-Sync support is not official, though we tested the monitor and found it works without flaw — ensures you"ve got clean, full frames on display instead of a torn-up picture. The multiple HDMI 2.1 ports and DisplayPort make this monitor great for taking advantage of the latest gaming consoles and high-end PC builds.

The Asus TUF Gaming VG258QM stretches its 1080p picture across a 24.5-inch TN panel, and at 400 nits, it’s plenty bright for easy viewing. The contrast ratio isn’t the best, but a shadow boost feature while gaming helps to expose enemies lurking in the shadows. Some other quality-of-life boxes can get ticked off, too, with a height-adjustable, pivoting stand, two HDMI ports, and one DisplayPort for ample connectivity opportunities

4K doesn"t always mean you have to spend a fortune, and the Asus TUF Gaming is proof. By putting down a little over $300, you"ll be getting that impressive resolution and a whole lot more. First, we’re talking about HDR, as the Asus TUF Gaming VG289Q1A supports a 10-bit color depth to show substantially more shades of color than your typical monitor. The IPS panel on this monitor also gets brighter than the typical monitor to let highlights pop. It can boost shadows, too, so you won’t struggle to see what’s going on in darker scenes of your games.

Now, because this monitor only boasts a 60Hz refresh rate, it may not be ideal for competitive gaming where a higher refresh rate can offer a competitive edge. But, the high resolution on a 28-inch panel will offer exceptionally crisp visuals for you to enjoy the detail in story modes. And, thanks to FreeSync support, you won’t have that perfect 4K picture marred by screen tearing.

It"s not just the resolution, refresh rate, and slight curve that help you keep track of your enemies, but also the 400-nit brightness and high contrast on the VA panel. That type of performance means the monitor has DisplayHDR 400 certification. You also get support for FreeSync Premium to ensure the picture remains tear-free whether you"re hitting high or low frame rates. However, the best part of Asus TUF Gaming VG32VQR might be the low cost, especially when considering all its features.

With the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9, you get a super ultrawide display, and it’s not just “super” because of how wide it is, but also because of how powerful it is. Samsung delivers an insanely stretched-out 48.8-inch display panel that’s effectively two 1440p monitors side by side without a gap in between. The display has an incredibly tight 1000R curvature that keeps it nice and close to your eyes from one side to the other.

Samsung has stuffed this thing to the gills, too. The display is lit with intense Mini LED backlights that deliver a 2,000-nit peak brightness — something you’ll be hard-pressed to find on just about any other screen. That brightness pairs with the strong contrast and broad color of the QLED panel in front of those Mini LEDs. You can take all the gorgeous gaming visuals this monitor can display for a high-speed cruise thanks to the monitor’s 240Hz refresh rate. And, since 5,120 x 1,440 won’t be the easiest resolution for any computer to drive, FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync compatibility will help keep the visuals neat and tidy.

The LG UltraGear 48GQ900 offers a massive 47.5-inch OLED panel, so you’ll enjoy all the benefits of true blacks, infinite contrast, and eye-popping color for deep immersion in all of the action. The only area where this display struggles is brightness in certain scenes, but it’s still a brilliant display to enjoy 4K gaming on your next-gen console.

Using an IPS panel with mini LED technology, the Cooler Master Tempest GP27Q delivers a wild contrast ratio and impressive HDR performance thanks to its 576 local dimming zones. You’ll be immersed in deep blacks and vibrant color with its wide color gamut and 10-bit color support. This 27-inch monitor even pumps out brightness hitting 1200 nits in HDR mode.

The Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor keeps things fairly simple by using a 1080p display panel that will make it easier for your system to push the full 240fps you need to take advantage of the display. And, when you can"t keep a constant frame rate, FreeSync and G-Sync support ensure you won"t run into tearing. A nice extra perk of this monitor is its use of a fast IPS panel, which can help ensure your viewing angle won"t impact your ability to see enemies in games.

Below we go over the three essential things you should consider including screen size, resolution, and aspect ratio. We’ve also briefly explained a few of the more technical aspects of computer display such as panel types, refresh rate, and the variable refresh rate technologies available today.

Panel type: Although most monitors might look the same on the surface, there are a few different panel types that offer specific benefits and shortcomings. Twisted Nematic (TN) panels are the most basic and common panel you’ll come across as they deliver the fastest response times of 1ms often at the cost of duller colors, grayer black levels, and poor viewing angles.

In-Plane Switching (IPS) is the next most prevalent type of display and it’s basically the opposite of a TN panel. Rather than focusing on speed, IPS panels are known for rendering excellent colors and contrast while offering wider viewing angles in exchange for slightly slower response time, usually hovering around 3-5ms.

Response time: Competitive shooters and MoBAs demand the quickest response times, so it’s best to play these types of games on monitors that offer a 1ms response time. Playing Indie games and most single-player experiences shouldn’t be a problem on a display with a response time between 3-5ms – and it"s pretty much impossible to find a monitor that is slower than this.

G-Sync vs FreeSync: Variable refresh rate (VRR) technology is a fairly recent invention and it ensures you have a consistently smooth and responsive gaming experience. Currently, there are two flavors of VRR, Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, and they’ll require a prerequisite that you own a compatible graphics card from the corresponding brand. Nvidia GeForce cards do allow you to enable VRR on any FreeSync monitor, but your results will vary.

lcd panel types linus tech price

Whether you just want to project your laptop screen onto a bigger monitor, or you’re buying a new monitor for your desktop, the search for a monitor, like any other component, is riddled with tech jargon that is often difficult to understand. This article is designed to give buyers a quick guide about the differences between TN and IPS, the two main monitor types of today’s world.

Back in the not so distant past, CRT, or Cathode Ray Tube, was the standard monitor type. CRTs got information in an analog format along the cable. The cathode, or electron gun, sits at the back of the monitor’s tapered back and fires electrons corresponding to the signal received from the cable. Closer towards the screen is a set of anodes, that direct the electron to the RGB layer of the actual screen, via part of the signal from the cable. While these monitors were state of the art once upon a time, they don’t really have much of a place in today’s world with the invention of LCD screens, which have become the standard for today’s monitors.

LCD, Liquid Crystal Displays, don’t suffer from the same drawbacks as CRTs. For one, they use far less power. Also, CRTs tend to be harsher to stare at, and lack customization options in terms of brightness controls to the degree that modern monitors do. Additionally, LCDs are much more clear than CRTs, allowing for a more accurate image to be displayed. Modern LCD monitors work by having a two layer system of LED lights and LCD screen. The LED lights are referred to as a “backlight” and cause the image to be projected more clearly than the otherwise fairly dark LCD. The LCD layer, then, is in charge of color production, and the actual recreation of the image. LCD monitors are digital now, via such connections as HDMI or DisplayPort, and therefore can transmit data faster.

TN, or Twisted Nematic panels, use a ‘nematic’ kind of liquid crystal to rotate and pass light through, corresponding to the signal transmitted. The main advantage of TN panels is speed. TN panels take advantage of something called an “active 3D shutter” which in essence allows them to display up to twice as much information as other types of panels. Additionally, the response time of TN panels is much quicker than IPS, though it is possible to find faster IPS panels. The delay in response time for a TN panel is roughly 2ms (milliseconds) however they can go as low as 1ms. Another benefit of TN panels is that they are generally cheaper than their IPS equivalent. This fast response time, and cheap factor, make these monitors quite popular in the gaming community, as well as the general consumer market, as gamers will experience less delay time when rendering an image. Additionally, TN panels allow for a higher refresh rate, going as high as 144Hz – though once again, it is possible to get IPS monitors with similar specs, just for a more money.

The major downside of TN panels is that they lack 100% accurate color reproduction. If you’re browsing Facebook, it’s not very important. However, if you’re doing color sensitive work perhaps for a movie or a photo edit, then TN panels may not be the right monitor for you.

The main difference between IPS, In-plane Switching, and TN panels, as touched on above, are price and color reproduction. IPS monitors are generally preferred by those in the professional rendering industry, as they more accurately portray colors of images. The downside, however, is that they are more expensive, though it is quite possible to find affordable IPS monitors for price ranges from $150 all the way up to thousands of dollars.

IPS monitors work by having a parallel instead of perpendicular array of pixels, which in addition to allowing for better color reproduction has the benefit of excellent viewing angles, while TN panels can often discolor if viewed from any relatively extreme angle. In essence, IPS panels were designed to address the flaws with TN panels, and therefore are preferred by many, from the average consumer to the professional editor.

Don’t let the benefits of IPS panels ruin your opinion of TN panels, though, for TN panels are still fantastic for certain situations. If you’re just sitting in one place in front of your computer, and absolutely perfect color reproduction isn’t really important to you, then TN is the way to go, especially if you’re trying to save a little on your monitor purchase.

To summarize, TN panels have a better response time, as well as a cheaper price tag, while IPS panels have better viewing angles and color reproduction for a little extra cash. Whatever your choice of type, there are a plethora of excellent monitors for sale across the internet, in an immense variety of sizes and resolutions.

lcd panel types linus tech price

LCD Monitor Course II, which kicks off this session, will address certain points one must know to choose the LCD monitor best-suited to one"s needs from the various models available. Part 1 will focus on color gamut. While wide color gamuts are the latest trend in LCD monitors, color gamut is a term that lends itself to misunderstanding. Our hope is that this session will help users better understand the color gamut of LCD monitors and better select, use, and adjust the products.

Various standards govern color gamuts. The three standards frequently cited in relation to personal computers are sRGB, Adobe RGB, and NTSC. The color gamut defined by each standard is depicted as a triangle on the xy chromaticity diagram. These triangles show the peak RGB coordinates connected by straight lines. A larger area inside a triangle is regarded to represent a standard capable of displaying more colors. For LCD monitors, this means that a product compatible with a color gamut associated with a larger triangle can reproduce a wider range of colors on screen.

This is a CIE XYZ color system xy chromaticity diagram. The areas enclosed in dotted lines represent the range of colors human beings can see with the naked eye. The ranges corresponding to the sRGB, Adobe RGB, and NTSC standards defining color gamuts appear as triangles connecting their RGB peak coordinates. The color gamut of an LCD monitor"s hardware can be indicated using similar triangles. An LCD monitor is not capable of reproduction (display) of colors outside its color gamut.

The standard color gamut for personal computers is the international sRGB standard prepared in 1998 by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). sRGB has established a firm position as the standard in Windows environments. In most cases, products like LCD monitors, printers, digital cameras, and various applications are configured to reproduce the sRGB color gamut as accurately as possible. By ensuring that the devices and applications used in the input and output of image data are sRGB compatible, we can reduce discrepancies in color between input and output.

Adobe RGB was defined in 1998 by Adobe Systems, maker of the well-known Photoshop series of photo-retouching software products. While not an international standard like sRGB, it has become— backed by the high market share of Adobe"s graphics applications—the de facto standard in professional color imaging environments and in the print and publishing industries. Growing numbers of LCD monitors can reproduce most of the Adobe RGB color gamut.

NTSC, the color-gamut standard for analog television, is a color gamut developed by the National Television Standards Committee of the United States. While the range of colors that can be depicted under the NTSC standard is close to that of Adobe RGB, its R and B values differ slightly. The sRGB color gamut covers about 72% of the NTSC gamut. While monitors capable of reproducing the NTSC color gamut are required in places like video production sites, this is less important for individual users or for applications involving still images. sRGB compatibility and the capacity to reproduce the Adobe RGB color gamut are key points of LCD monitors that handle still images.

In general, the LCD monitors currently available for use with PCs have color gamuts capable of displaying nearly the entire sRGB gamut, thanks to the specifications for their LCD panels (and panel controls). However, given the rising demand mentioned above for reproducing color gamuts broader than sRGB, recent models have expanded the color gamuts of LCD monitors, with Adobe RGB serving as one target. But how is such expansion of LCD monitor color gamuts taking place?

Improvements in backlights account for a significant proportion of the technologies expanding the color gamuts of LCD monitors. There are two major approaches to doing this: one involves expanding the color gamut of cold cathodes, the mainstream backlight technology; the other involves RGB LED backlights.

On the subject of color-gamut expansion using cold cathodes, while strengthening the LCD panel"s color filter is a quick fix, this also lowers screen luminance by decreasing light transmissivity. Increasing the luminance of the cold cathode to counter this effect tends to shorten the life of the device and often results in lighting irregularities. Efforts to date have overcome these drawbacks to a large extent; many LCD monitors feature cold cathodes with wide color gamuts resulting from modification of their phosphors. This generates cost benefits as well, since it makes it possible to expand the color gamut without major changes in the existing structure.

Use of RGB LED backlights has increased relatively recently. These backlights make it possible to achieve higher levels of luminance and purity of color than cold cathodes. Despite certain disadvantages, including lower color stability (i.e., radiant-heat problems) than a cold cathode and difficulty in attaining a uniform white color across the entire screen, since it involves a mixture of RGB LEDs, these weaknesses have been resolved for the most part. RGB LED backlights cost more than cold-cathode backlights and are currently used in a fairly small proportion of LCD monitors. However, based on their efficacy in expanding color gamuts, the number of LCD monitors incorporating the technology will likely increase. This is also true for LCD televisions.

In passing, many LCD monitors that extol wide color gamuts promote the area ratios of specific color gamuts (i.e., triangles on the xy chromaticity diagram). Many of us have probably have seen indications of attributes such as Adobe RGB rates and NTSC rates in product catalogs.

However, these are only area ratios. Very few products include the entire Adobe RGB and NTSC color gamuts. Even if a monitor featured a 120% Adobe RGB ratio, it would remain impossible to determine the extent of the difference in RGB values between the LCD monitor"s color gamut and the Adobe RGB color gamut. Since such statements lend themselves to misinterpretation, it is important to avoid being confused by product specifications.

To eliminate problems involving labeled specifications, some manufacturers use the expression "coverage" in place of "area." Clearly, for example, an LCD monitor labeled as having Adobe RGB coverage of 95% can reproduce 95% of the Adobe RGB color gamut.

From the user"s perspective, coverage is a more user-friendly, easier-to-understand type of labeling than surface ratio. While switching all labeling to coverage presents difficulties, showing in xy chromaticity diagrams the color gamuts of LCD monitors to be used in color management will certainly make it easier for users to form their own judgments.

With regard to the difference between area labeling and coverage labeling as gauges of an LCD monitor"s color gamut, to use Adobe RGB as an example, in many cases, even a monitor with an Adobe RGB ratio of 100% in terms of area will feature coverage of less than 100 percent. Since coverage impacts practical use, one must avoid the mistake of seeing a higher figure as automatically better.

When we check the color gamut of an LCD monitor, it"s also important to remember that a wide color gamut is not necessarily equivalent to high image quality. This point may generate misunderstanding among many people.

Color gamut is one spec used to measure the image quality of an LCD monitor, but color gamut alone does not determine image quality. The quality of the controls used to realize the full capabilities of an LCD panel having a wide color gamut is crucial. In essence, the capacity to generate accurate colors suited to one"s own purposes outweighs a wide color gamut.

When considering an LCD monitor with a wide color gamut, we need to determine if it has a color-gamut conversion function. Such functions control the LCD monitor"s color gamut based on the target color gamut, such as Adobe RGB or sRGB. For example, by selecting sRGB mode from a menu option, we can adjust even an LCD monitor with a wide color gamut and high Adobe RGB coverage so that the colors displayed on screen fall within the sRGB color gamut.

Few current LCD monitors offer color-gamut conversion functions (i.e., feature compatibility with both Adobe RGB and sRGB color gamuts). However, a color-gamut conversion function is essential for applications demanding accurate color generation in the Adobe RGB and sRGB color gamuts, such as photo retouching and Web production.

For purposes requiring accurate color generation, an LCD color monitor lacking any color-gamut conversion function but having a wide color gamut can actually be a disadvantage in some cases. These LCD monitors display each RGB color mapped to the color gamut inherent to the LCD panel in eight bits at full color. As a result, the colors generated are often too vivid for displaying images in the sRGB color gamut (i.e., the sRGB color gamut cannot be reproduced accurately).

Shown here are examples of an sRGB color gamut photograph displayed on an sRGB-compatible LCD monitor (photo at left) and on an LCD monitor with a wide color gamut but incompatible with sRGB and with no color-gamut conversion function (photo at right). While the photograph at right appears vivid, saturation is unnaturally high in parts of the photo. We also see a significant departure from the colors envisioned by the photographer, as well as so-called memory colors.

In more than a few cases, as expanding LCD monitor color gamuts result in the capacity to reproduce a wider range of colors and more opportunities to check colors or adjusting images on monitor screens, problems such as breakdowns in tonal gradations, variations in chromaticity caused by narrow viewing angles, and screen display irregularities, less conspicuous at color gamuts in the sRGB range, have become more pronounced. As mentioned earlier, the mere fact of incorporating an LCD panel with a wide color gamut does not ensure that an LCD monitor offers high image quality. On this subject, let"s take a close look at various technologies for putting a wide color gamut to use.

First we look at technologies to increase gradation. Key here is the internal gamma-correction function for multi-level gradation. This function displays eight-bit input signals on screen in each RGB color from the PC side after first subjecting them to multi-level gradation to 10 or more bits in each RGB color inside the LCD monitor, then assigning these to each RGB eight-bit color deemed optimal. This improves tonal gradations and gaps in hue by improving the gamma curve.

On the subject of the viewing angle of an LCD panel, while larger screen sizes generally make it easier to see differences, particularly with products with wide color gamuts, variations in chromaticity can be an issue. For the most part, chromaticity variation due to viewing angle is determined by the technology of the LCD panel, with superior ones showing no variation in color even when viewed from a moderate angle. Setting aside the various particulars of LCD panel technologies, these generally include in-plane switching (IPS), vertical alignment (VA), and twisted nematic (TN) panels, listed from smaller to larger chromaticity variation. While TN technology has advanced to the point at which viewing angle characteristics are much improved from several years back, a significant gap remains between this technology and VA and IPS technologies. If color performance and chromaticity variation are important, VA or IPS technology remains the better choice.

A uniformity-correction function is a technology for reducing display irregularities. The uniformity referred to here refers to colors and brightness (luminance) on screen. An LCD monitor with superior uniformity has low levels of screen luminance irregularities or color irregularities. High-performance LCD monitors feature systems that measure luminance and chromaticity at each position on screen and correct them internally.

This is a comparison of monitors with and without uniformity correction. An LCD monitor with uniformity correction (photo at left) has more uniform luminance and color on screen than one lacking uniformity correction (photo at right). The two photographs above have been adjusted to equalize levels to emphasize display irregularities. Actual irregularities would be less conspicuous.

To make full use of an LCD monitor with a wide color gamut and to display colors as the user intended, one needs to consider adopting a calibration environment. LCD monitor calibration is a system for measuring colors on screen using a special-purpose calibrator and reflecting the characteristics of the colors in the ICC profile (a file defining device color characteristics) used by the operating system. Going through an ICC profile ensures uniformity between the color information handled by graphics software or other software and the colors generated by the LCD monitor to a high degree of precision.

Software calibration refers to following the instructions of specialized calibration software to adjust parameters such as luminance, contrast, and color temperature (RGB balance) using the LCD monitor"s adjustment menu, approaching the intended color through manual adjustments. Graphics driver colors are manipulated in some cases in place of the LCD monitor"s adjustment menu. Software calibration features low cost and can be used to calibrate any LCD monitor.

In contrast, hardware calibration is clearly more precise than software calibration. It also requires less effort, although it can be used only with compatible LCD monitors and entails certain setup costs. In general, it involves the following steps: calibration software controls the calibrator; matching color characteristics on screen with target color characteristics and directly adjusting the LCD monitor"s luminance, contrast, and gamma-correction table (look-up table) at the hardware level. Another aspect of hardware calibration that cannot be overlooked is its ease of use. All tasks through the preparation of an ICC profile for the results of adjustment and registering this to the OS are done automatically.

The EIZO LCD monitors currently compatible with hardware calibration include models in the ColorEdge series. The FlexScan series uses software calibration. (Note: As of January 2011, FlexScan monitors compatible with EasyPIX ver. 2 offer hardware calibration functionality.)

In the next session, we will examine LCD monitor interfaces and a number of video interfaces for LCD monitors, including the latest generation of interfaces such as HDMI and DisplayPort.

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I prefer the Roku interface and pedestal mount of the TCL above, but all people are not me! Many folks (myself included) are in love with the latest mid-tier option from Hisense (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It"s super bright, has similar Mini-LED tech, and features an awesome Google TV interface that makes it perfect for Chrome users and Android owners.

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