difference between ips and lcd display brands
In-plane switching is a type of panel technology for LCDs. The LCD panel technology is famous for offering high-quality and life-like images. Additionally, the panel technology provides better contrast and viewing angles than TN and VA panel technologies.
IPS LCD monitors are also known to offer incredible color accuracy. Thus, they are an excellent choice for people looking for monitors for more than just gaming.
Simply put, LED monitors are LCD monitors. Both LED and LCD panel technologies use Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). They also have lamps at the back of the display that helps produce the images you see on your screen.
The main difference between LCD and LED technologies is in the lights you find at the back of the screen. LCDs use fluorescent lights at the back of the screen, while LED monitors have light-emitting diodes.
LED displays also have two backlighting technologies, including full array lighting and edge lighting. For the full array lighting, you have LEDs that span the entire back of the screen, whereas edge lighting has LEDs at the edges of the screen.
If you are looking for a cheaper option between the two, an LCD is ideal. An LCD is much cheaper than an LED of a similar size. You can get a bigger LCD for a more affordable price than an LED.
With their vibrant colors and relatively constant picture appearance from multiple angles, IPS displays are suitable if your focus is on accuracy. When you can"t afford the pricey nature of these monitors, LEDs present a budget solution.
Not only do you spend less when shopping for LED displays, but you also spend less in terms of power uptake. Thanks to their less demanding operation, you also don"t have to worry about overheating issues.
The benefits of using LED TVs are minimal energy consumption, a long-lasting backlight with pictures being bright. IPS displays offer more image accuracy and have better color reproduction in small viewing angles. In short, LEDs are cheaper, though the advantage of an IPS screen is better picture quality. Having said that, Samsung"s Quantum Dot technology could boast of dramatically enhanced color compared to IPS panels.
Before we look at the detailed comparisons of these panel technologies, which of the two is better for gamers? And this earlier post will take care of your business side of things!
Although LED panels are excellent in competitive gaming, IPS gaming monitors have various tricks, like better image colors than other technologies, including TN and VA panels. If you want to play while getting the most accurate color depiction, choose IPS and make sure to go over our review of top-shelf 32"" gaming monitors, this affordable option from Dell, or these ones best suited for your Xbox One X.
What"s more, In-Plane Switching monitors maintain color consistency even when looking at them from extreme angles. If you prefer playing multiplayer games with your friends, the maintained picture precision across an extensive sitting arrangement is essential. Apart from picture, sound is essential to gaming, so check out these top monitors with speakers. And if you don"t want to break the bank, cheap G Sync monitors from this post are decent alternatives.
LED and IPS monitors (see also QLED) have excellent attributes with disadvantages as well. Before looking at the differences of screens featuring the two technologies, here is a look at the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) technologies and also a LED vs LCD comparison.
LED (Light Emitting Diode) is a type of backlight technology in which the pixels light up. Many people confuse the difference between LED and LCD displays.
An LED monitor is a type of LCD monitor, and while both utilize liquid crystals for picture formation, the difference lies in LEDs featuring a backlight.
Notably, some IPS displays incorporate LED technology. Some reasons why some brands produce IPS displays infused with LEDs are the resultant sleekness and compactness.
The benefit of using LED panel technology is how bright the displays are while still maintaining an efficient energy consumption lower than other screen technologies.
On the other hand, an LED monitor shows less reliability and accuracy in color contrast. You also get a limited viewing angle meaning that you"ll only get the best quality when sitting directly in front of the display.
Monitor response times refer to the durations screens take to adjust from one color to the next. Response time differences are more conspicuous when playing fast-paced titles like CS: GO, Fortnite, and Battleground.
If you need LCD monitors with a quick response time, consider an LED display panel using either VA or TN technology. Such an LCD screen typically offers a 1ms response time. However, remember that these monitors tend to have smaller viewing angles and inferior image quality than an IPS monitor. Regardless, you can still get a considerably good performance when planning quick-action games provided you sit directly in front of the screen. In that case, vertical monitors from this article may prove a viable option.
On the other hand, LED monitors to focus on the brightness of the visuals. For this reason, you"ll notice a difference in the screen"s coloration based on your sitting position. Viewing LED monitors at particular angles may result in the appearance of washed-out displays.
Below are some combinations of these two technologies:LCD monitors incorporating IPS panels and LED backlightLED-backlit with IPS panel or TN panel featuresIPS display featuring LCD or LED backlight technology
Another big difference between IPS displays and LED monitors lies in the energy uptake. An IPS monitor provides better visual quality than an LED monitor, leading to more power consumption to maintain excellent on-screen performance.
Although LED monitors provide brighter screens, their power consumption is much less than IPS panel technology. That explains why they are a favorite Liquid Crystals Display technology amongst those looking for affordable electronics.
Because IPS monitors take up much power, they release more heat than their LED alternatives. Despite LED display monitors providing bright pictures, they produce relatively less heat than monitors with IPS display technology.
The cost of a monitor using IPS screen technology is approximately $100 or more, depending on whether the panel infuses other technologies like a TN panel or another type of LCD.
Notably, mid-range IPS monitors usually go for more than high-end LED monitors. When it comes to LED monitor prices, you can get excellent selections going for under $200 (see here), $100 and even $50, depending on your model and the included attributes.
While both offer superb monitor selections, the differences between IPS and LEDs make one a better option for you than the other. Apart from these two, there are other display types to choose from so it can be hard to decide which suits you best. Nonetheless, here are vital questions to answer before deciding.
When picking a monitor, it is essential to get one that aligns with your application. If you want a monitor for creative visual applications, go for an IPS monitor. This LCD panel allows you to sit at more diverse angles, get elaborate graphics, and features color accuracy.
If you want gaming monitors for fast-paced shooting games, LED monitors might be the ideal option to consider. Ideally, the type of LED monitor you pick should feature a TN panel to cater to the limited viewing angle and lower display quality. Other excellent options to consider are Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLED monitors), given their improved display quality over pure LED monitors.
As noted, IPS monitors provide impeccable visual quality. Unfortunately, you"ll have to put up with the increased energy consumption. Sometimes, an IPS monitor may get quite hot, leading to a concern in the unit"s longevity. That explains why various individuals consider IPS displays unreliable and not as good in terms of performance as LED monitors.
While you won"t have the impressive visual and color accuracy of a high-quality IPS display, LED monitors to suffer less from overheating issues. Many consider LED monitor performance as dependable and consistent.
When purchasing monitors, it"s wise to work with a realistic price range depending on the attributes expected. The more specs and panel combinations, the steeper the cost, irrespective of whether they are LED or IPS monitors. For example, monitors that include other Liquid Crystal Display panel types like VA and TN are typically pricier than pure IPS panels.
If you want value for your bucks" worth, consider getting LED monitors. Besides the availability of numerous LED monitors at budget prices like this S2318HN monitor by Dell, you are likely to have more attribute compatibility with them than with IPS technology.
Yes, they are less likely to cause eye strain than LEDs. With them, you get decent color representation and excellent contrast ratios. For these reasons, they minimize the effort your eyes take to decipher things. Some of these panels operate even at a refresh rate of 280Hz to reduce input lag and combat unpleasant screen effects like tearing that may lead to straining - click here for the best monitors for eye strain.
Both IPS and LEDs have critical upsides that might be key to your application. Irrespective of the technology you prefer, the trick is identifying which coincides best with what you envision for your monitor.
In sum, IPS monitors are fantastic if you have a more flexible budget and you prefer intensive viewing angles with impressive color reproduction and image accuracy. Something to remember is the increased overheating potential because of the relatively higher power consumption.
An LED monitor might be your go-to alternative if you want to spend less. Besides, you can pick from multiple options featuring LCD and TN panels to circumvent some shortcomings synonymous with LED displays. What"s more, their performance is more reliable.
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Choosing a new monitor is tricky, especially now when there are lots of different options available with each offering a pretty great set of features. There are a lot of things that you need to consider while buying a digital display of any kind such as display size, resolution, aspect ratio, color accuracy, and many others. But, there is a major underlying fact which affects the overall image quality and viewing experience on a display which is the display panel. There are multiple types of panels available in the market and each offers specific pros and cons.
Today, we are going to talk in detail about LED and IPS display panels. While looking for a new TV or monitor for your computer, you must have come across these 2 options more so than others. In this guide, we will talk about these panels in detail and discuss how the panel type affects the image quality and color accuracy on a display. We will also compare both of these options with regards to various important factors such as image quality, response time, power consumption, and much more. So, make sure you don’t miss that.
LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes. It is a very simple yet elegant display technology that dates back all the way back to 1962. This is basically a backlight technology where small diodes make up the entirety of the display and light up in a specific manner to create the image. A lot of users often get confused between LED and LCD display technology due to their similarities.
LCD is a slightly older technology compared to LED. Thus, LED is basically an upgrade to LCD display technology. Both of these display panels come with liquid crystals that generate the image on the display panel. But, the LED display panel features a backlight along with the liquid crystal layer.
There are a lot of applications for which LED TVs and monitors turn out to be the best options. Also, a lot of brands use LED technology along with IPS to offer the best of both worlds. Now that you understand what an LED panel is and how it works, let us take a look at some pros and cons of LED display panels.
IPS is one of the recent technological advancements in display technologies. Even though the technology came out in the mid-1990s, it is just starting to become the standard option for TVs and monitors. There have been a lot of improvements in the IPS display technology since its initial release and most of its limitations have been overcome thanks to the new options and compatibility with other technologies.
IPS stands for In-Plane Switching. This is also a type of LCD display technology much like the LED display technology. However, a lot of users prefer IPS display panels due to their wide viewing angles and sharp color accuracy. IPS panels are also a preferred option compared to VA and TN panels when it comes to desktop monitors.
In an IPS display, the liquid crystal panels are aligned in parallel to introduce lush colors. There are also polarizing filters that have their transmission axes aligned in the same direction for even better image quality. Unlike LED panels where the crystals are at right angles, IPS panels feature liquid crystals lined up in parallel to offer extended viewing angles as well as color accuracy.
In the majority of cases, users are confused between LED or IPS panels when it comes to buying a new monitor. Unlike TVs where you can simply go with a highly reliable brand in order to get the best experience, you will have to carefully check each and every aspect of the desktop monitor you are going to buy. While a lot of these aspects include refresh rate, color modes, black stabilizer, response time, etc, one major factor is the panel type.
A lot of these major factors in a desktop monitor change based on the panel installed on the monitor. And with that, the compatibility of the monitor also changes due to differences in specifications. If you are buying a premium desktop monitor, you should carefully consider the following comparison and check which type of monitor is best for you. Going forward, we will discuss IPS desktop monitors and LED desktop monitors and compare them based on various important factors.
As you might have guessed, IPS monitors are desktop monitors that are powered by an IPS display panel. And with that, you will get the same advantages as well as limitations as mentioned above in our take on the IPS display panels. However, IPS monitors are right now one of the most preferred options for desktop users.
Despite offering the best color production and viewing angles, IPS monitors were lacking behind for heavy usage due to low refresh rate and response time for quite some time. But not anymore as a lot of brands have overcome these problems by combining IPS technology along with other options. Thus, the premium range of IPS monitors nowadays will offer a high refresh rate along with a low response time. And on top of that, Most IPS monitors also offer higher resolutions along with HDR compatibility which makes them perfect for entertainment.
LED desktop monitors are also not a bad option, especially if you are looking for longevity and reliable performance for all applications. Basic LED monitors will be highly affordable compared to high-quality IPS monitors. One of the best advantages of LED monitors is their efficient power consumption which also ensures their reliability for the long term. The overall temperature levels on LED desktop monitors are also significantly lower than that of an IPS monitor.
Furthermore, LED monitors offer a much faster refresh rate when paired with VA panel technology along with a faster response time. This makes them ideal for hardcore gaming. The few back draws of getting an LED desktop monitor are the comparatively shorter viewing angles, inconsistent contrast ratio, and fatigue effects on the display panel after long-term usage. Similar to IPS panels, you can also find a lot of great choices in LED monitors where the display panel technology will be paired with LED, LCD, or TN panels to overcome some of these drawbacks.
By now, you must have understood the major differences between an IPS and an LED desktop monitor. If you are still not sure, here is our comparison between both of these options. Here, you can quickly understand both of these options and select the one which offers you the most benefits based on your application.
When it comes to image quality, IPS display panels offer the best results in almost all aspects. Whether it be clarity, image sharpness, or viewing angles, IPS panels offer the best performance in all regards.
But as IPS panels have pretty high brightness levels, the contrast ratio on these panels might not always be great. On the other hand, LED panels offer pretty great black levels and high contrast ratio. If you decide to go with a VA panel, you can have both decent image quality as well as dark black levels which makes the image much more realistic.
The response time for IPS display panels has always been lower compared to LED display panels due to differences in technology. But, recently released IPS display panels have overcome the drawback and offer up to 144 Hz refresh rate on a mid-range monitor. And if you were to choose a premium option, you can get even higher refresh rate monitors powered by IPS display panels.
But compared to VA or TN panels, IPS still falls behind when it comes to refresh rate and response time. To be specific, TN panels are generally the best option for high-paced FPS games as it offers the fastest response rate at the expense of image quality. Typically, an LED panel such as VA or TN will offer you 1 ms of response time.
Again, IPS display panels seem to be the best option in this scenario. Due to the unique construction and working principle, you will get a very high level of brightness on the IPS panels. On top of that, the color accuracy and hue levels are not affected by the viewing angles on an IPS panel. This makes them a great choice for both primary as well as secondary monitors. Wide viewing angles will also benefit the viewing experience on TVs with an IPS panel.
When it comes to LED monitors, you will instead find better performance in terms of local brightness. With the array of LED lights powering the display, it manages to dim the darker area perfectly, offering a higher contrast ratio. Thus, the dark areas on an LED monitor look darker compared to the same image on an IPS panel. However, LED monitors still suffer changes in color accuracy and temperature due to variations in viewing angles.
Power consumption is yet another important factor for a desktop monitor. Your system might already be a power-hungry build, especially with a powerful CPU and graphics card. Thus, you wouldn’t want to add a monitor as well to the list.
As far as power consumption is concerned, LED monitors are far more efficient than IPS monitors. IPS display panels offer higher brightness levels, but at the expense of higher power draw. Also, IPS panels are comparatively less energy efficient considering the overall performance and power draw.
LED panels on the other hand offer pretty good brightness levels with efficient energy consumption. Due to features like local dimming, the overall power consumption of an LED monitor is much lesser than that of an IPS monitor. Thus, LED panels are also cheaper in terms of running costs.
As you can imagine, IPS panels generate more heat when they are active due to increased power consumption. It is not an ideal condition for the monitor or a TV, especially if you live in a considerably warmer region. Higher temperature levels might result in internal problems within the panel.
On the other side of the spectrum, there are LED monitors that offer almost similar brightness levels, but without excessive heat generation. You can easily install an LED display panel on your desk without worrying about increased temperature levels on your monitor.
IPS panels are considerably more expensive than LED panels. As a result, IPS monitors are also more expensive than LEDs. And as IPS panels are usually combined with other display technologies to counter its disadvantages, the price range of IPS monitors further increases.
Still, due to the increased competition in the market and the rise of numerous brands, you can easily find a great monitor within an affordable price range. But still, you will find better alternatives with VA or TN display technology compared to an IPS panel. You can opt for a higher resolution or faster refresh rate instead of going with an IPS panel in the same price range.
As far as gaming is considered, the most important aspects are resolution, refresh rate, screen size, and response time. Color accuracy and viewing angles are not really a major concern unless you are considering couch gaming. Also, the viewing angles are not much of a concern for desktop applications as you will usually install the primary monitor exactly in front of your sitting position.
Due to the reasons mentioned above, VA or TN panels are usually a better option for gaming. These monitors will offer you a higher refresh rate as well as screen resolution within the same price range which is always a better deal. However, you can always invest in a secondary IPS monitor for single-player games which benefit from better display quality and brightness levels.
IPS and LED display panels are always a matter of confusion when you are looking for a new display. There are a lot of options present in the market designed by various brands which offer a great range of options for both IPS as well as LED displays. In our guide, we have discussed both of these display technologies in depth and compared them based on some major factors.
Once you go through our guide, you will definitely find out which monitor is the perfect choice for you. If you are looking for a TV or a desktop monitor for watching movies or for productivity, then you should prefer getting an IPS panel. You will definitely benefit from the better visual quality and viewing angles in this scenario. However, VA or TN panels are generally a better option for gaming.
When it comes to choosing the right panel type of your LCD monitor, the options are seemingly endless. We’ve discussed the differences between AMOLED and LCD displays as well as the different types of touchscreen monitors that are commonly used for various devices and their benefits. Now it’s time to learn about the different features and specifications of PLS and IPS panels so you can decide which one is the most suitable choice for your specific personal or professional applications.
PLS stands for plane to line switching. Also referred to as Super PLS Panel, this technology boasts superior technological advancements such as a multitude of brightness setting options, crystal-clear image quality, and adjustable viewing angles without breaking the bank.
IPS stands for in-plane switching. It’s one of the most commonly used monitors for LCD displays and it consists of two glass panels that hold a layer of liquid crystals in between them. The liquid crystals become animated and perform predetermined actions such as moving in a specific direction or displaying certain colours when they’re charged with an electric current. These actions result in the high-quality images that appear on your television, laptop, or smartphone screen.
Both LCD monitor panel types have their advantages and disadvantages for various types of applications. Finding out how they work will help you determine which one is the best choice for your needs.
As mentioned, IPS LCD monitors contain hundreds of liquid crystals that are situated between two glass sheets in a parallel formation. As electric currents run through the liquid crystals when the screen is turned on, they become animated and move in different directions and backlighting passes through them. This is what produces the crystal-clear and instantaneous images you see on the screen. The excellent viewing angles are the result of the horizontal movements of the liquid crystals inside the panel.
PLS panels for LCD monitors have been on the market for over a decade and have proven to be a worthy adversary for their IPS predecessors. Although the technology is the same for the most part, IPS does offer some minor improvements. The main difference is that IPS panels offer more optimized liquid molecular alignment, which makes for a slightly better viewing experience. Hence, PLS screens offer 15% more brightness than IPS panel types.
From an aesthetic and logistical standpoint, PLS panel types are also thinner than IPS due to the fact that the glass sheets that hold the liquid crystals in place are positioned much lower in the screen configuration.
When it comes to comparing and contrasting the differences between IPS and PLS LCD monitor panel types, the competition is pretty stiff. Both monitors are fairly similar with the exception that PLS is meant to be an improvement on the previous technology. Here are the key factors that should be considered when deciding which one is the best monitor panel for LCD industrial displays.
PLS monitors offer superior viewing angles when compared to IPS displays. Unlike IPS displays, PLS monitors don’t have any noticeable colour distortions and they have significantly lower production costs.
Colour contrast and brightness is a central concern when purchasing a new commercial or industrial display. Whether you’re a gamer or graphic designer, your best option in this regard is to stick to IPS displays. They offer far more consistent image quality, colour contrast, and brightness that’s perfect for applications that rely heavily on high-quality image production.
Unfortunately, PLS and IPS monitors both have a fairly slow response time (the amount of time it takes for liquid crystals to shift from one colour or shade to another). For this reason, neither one is the ideal choice for gaming purposes, but they’re both suitable for graphic design projects that focus more on colour distribution and accuracy than response time.
PLS panel types have been proven to have superior colour distribution and accuracy compared to IPS panel types. PLS displays have a far more expansive colour gamut that’s ideal for users who require the most natural-looking images and colour options.
Backlight bleed occurs when the lights from the back of the screen leak through the edges, which results in uneven lighting or glow. This is a fairly common shortcoming of IPS screens when the brightness is adjusted to a particularly high level and can make for a poor viewing experience. PLS panel types don’t have this problem and offer even lighting regardless of the brightness settings.
The answer is inconclusive. Both IPS and PLS monitor types certainly have their advantages. Although PLS is slightly better in terms of backlighting and faster response times, the margins for improvement are fairly tight. It really just depends on what your preferences are as well as the applications that the monitors are being used for.
Nauticomp Inc.is one of the leading manufacturers and distributors of sophisticated state-of-the-art LCD displays and monitors in North America. Contact us to learn about our various products or to place an order.
Liquid crystal display (LCD) technology is one of the most widely used screen technologies. It’s instantly recognizable because of its iconic flat-panel display.
In fact, within LCD, there are several technologies each with its own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to rendering images and video effectively.
If you’re wondering what makes IPS different and if it is the right display choice for your viewing desires, this article will compare IPS and LCD technologies with an explanation of how both work and the features they bring to your experience.
IPS was developed to overcome critical limitations of legacy LCD technologies, like twisted nematic field effect (TN) matrix and vertical alignment (VA).
IPS can achieve a much wider viewing angle than the older LCD technologies. It can achieve a viewing angle of up to 178 degrees in horizontal and vertical directions, making it an ideal LCD for wide-screen television viewing.
IPS screens can achieve rates that range from 60 Hz to as much as 390 Hz. This keeps IPS as a contender technology for gaming screens even though its response rate is not as fast as more modern screen technologies like OLED.
The linear response, higher bit depth, improved contrast, and image consistency give IPS screens exemplary color accuracy. They also have little to no color shift, which often affects VA displays.
An IPS screen can be confidently used for graphic and video design work if the resolution is suitable. It renders 256 colors faithfully, but its backlit screen creates a low native contrast ratio.
IPS retains its commercial appeal because of the sheer range of screens that are available, ranging from 23.8 inches right through to 85-inch options.
The versatility of IPS screen technology enables it to be used for a range of applications and devices, including televisions, smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets.
Like other LCDs, overheating of the screen can cause blackening defects. Manufacturers have developed liquid crystal formulations with a higher critical temperature to prevent this.
Gravity defects can affect any type of LCD screen. This is where the cohesive power of the liquid crystal in the screen is low, causing it to flow down to the bottom of the screen with a yellowing defect.
With this type of LCD screen, the liquid crystals are in a plane that lies parallel to its glass substrate. Voltage is applied through opposing electrodes on the glass substrate to activate the crystals in a unified plane. Each pixel in an IPS screen requires two transistors to achieve this switching.
Katsumi Kondo of Hitachi was a significant developer of IPS technology and, by 1992, Hitachi developers had established the principles of in-plane switching, later releasing the first IPS screen.
IPS technology has continued to be used for screens that include laptops, tablets, and even smartwatches. Its viewing angles, refresh rates, and color accuracy makes it a suitable screen for gaming and design applications.
Liquid crystal display is a display technology that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals to render images in conjunction with a polarizer and backlight.
LCD was the first flat-panel display technology and has diversified over the last century to create screens suitable for a wide range of applications.
Twisted nematic (TN) LCD consists of liquid crystals that rotate (twist) to allow the passage of light when voltage is applied. Adjustments to the level of voltage lead to changes in light polarization and can be used to display an image.
Without the application of voltage, the crystals remain in this position and the screen is dark. When voltage is applied, the crystals shift to a tilted position allowing light to pass through and an image to become visible. VA can achieve greater contrast than IPS, but it is still hampered by an extremely narrow viewing angle.
The concept of liquid crystal is more than 120 years old, with the nature and properties of these crystals first described by the Austrian chemist, Friedrich Reinitzer, in 1888.
By the 1960s, the electro-optic properties of liquid crystals were known and, later in the decade, the concept of TN LCD was advanced with the development of screens for watches and other displays during the 1970s.
IPS monitors are the most advanced LCD technologies. They are still commercially viable with leading manufacturers like LG and Samsung selling IPS televisions with exemplary image quality.
Because IPS screens are a relatively older technology, it is possible to get a high-quality screen for prices that are much lower than the newer LED technologies. Older, TN LCD screens simply do not have the responsiveness, image quality, or color accuracy to render modern content effectively. They have become legacy technologies that are not being produced anymore.
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Monitors are one of the hardest peripherals to pick out, in our opinion. That is mainly due to the sheer amount of technical jargon and acronyms slung at you. IPS, LED, LCD, and TN are just some of the panel types out there. This article will look at two of the most common monitor types: IPS and LED.
So, whether you are looking for your next gaming monitor or something to work from home, we will go over the advantages and disadvantages of LED and IPS monitors. By the time you are done, you will know which monitor type is right for you and what these terms mean.
Before we dive too deep into which monitor is better in each use case, we must first go over how these monitors work to understand their full advantages.
It was developed as a means to combat shortcomings of monitors in the past, like inaccurate colors and poor viewing angles. As a result, most IPS panels today offer significantly wider viewing angles compared to their TN and VA counterparts. As a result, they can show the most lifelike and vibrant colors out of these three dominant panel technologies.
IPS is an improved version of TN panels that were common with some of the first non-CRT displays. For those that don’t know, CRTs are those big boxy monitors that look that you have to be a weight lifter to pick up. Behind an IPS display is an LCD, or liquid crystal display, that creates the light, and the IPS on top controls how you view that light in the form of an image.
LED stands for light emitting diode and is a flat panel display technology that uses an array of light emitting diodes as a light source. LEDs convert electrical to optical power by carriers that are injected into the LED through electrodes, and then they recombine to produce light.
LED displays, while not as color-accurate, consume less power, last longer, and are way thinner and brighter than other display technologies. As a result, LEDs are typically used for much larger displays like TVs or outdoor displays.
Response time, or refresh rate, can determine how snappy and responsive your computer feels on a monitor. You can have the fastest computer, but if you have a sluggish monitor, you will never be able to tell the difference. Therefore, the response time is a primary spec you should look at if you are looking for a gaming monitor.
IPS monitors used to receive a ton of criticism about their slow response time. Even though they have improved quite a bit, IPS screens do not really focus on it as a selling point. On the other hand, LED monitors offer response times as quick as 1ms.
LED is the way to go if you are looking for a power-friendly monitor. While brighter than IPS screens, LED displays take way less energy than their LCD-based competitors. High power is one of the significant downsides of having excellent screen performance with IPS monitors.
If you are worried that a new IPS monitor will rack up your energy bill each month, do not worry that much. While it does take more energy, it will not take up enough power to make a noticeable difference in your energy bill.
This is certainly the factor that determines the choice for a lot of us. Despite being perceived as the scrappy underdog for the last 5 years or so, LED continues to be the people’s champion with typically a lower price range than IPS monitors.
IPS monitors leaning towards the higher end can go for $500 or more. In comparison, you can find some high-end LED monitors running for as low as $200. Of course, there is a difference in features and use cases but, if you are looking for a budget-friendly solution, LED monitors are the way to go.
Both IPS and LED monitors offer excellent performance depending on what you are looking to use them for. If you are looking for your next work-from-home monitor or you are a designer that needs a color-accurate display, IPS is the way to go. But, if you are looking for a budget-friendly option that has fast response times and is energy-efficient, LED monitors will not disappoint.
We thought it worth mentioning that if you are a big fan of OLED TVs and you are waiting to pick up a monitor with OLED technology, do not hold your breath unless you are willing to shell out an exorbitant amount of money to get one. We think it will be at least a couple of years before OLED monitors are accessible to the public.
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The monitor is probably one of the most complicated and confusing peripherals to understand largely because of the fact that it demands a detailed knowledge of an insane amount of technical terms. What makes the situation worse is that these are acronyms which are in fact the source of confusion. Well, all these acronyms are associated with a monitor or a television display technology, but what a casual user, which is in fact the most people, would do when they look at so many options and are bombarded with technical jargon, with the likes of LCD, TFT, IPS, LED, and so on. We look at the two common display technologies in use today and explain the differences between the two to help you make better, informed decision when looking for a monitor.
IPS (In-Plane Switching) is an improved, alternative solution to the conventional twisted nematic (TN) LCD panels. In TN panels, the applied electrical force is in the longitudinal direction. The LC directors are tilted which cause different phase retardation when viewed from left or right direction, which in turn produces a narrow and asymmetric viewing angle in the vertical direction. To overcome the viewing angle limitations of the TN panels, an alternative driving scheme using a traverse electric field was proposed and implemented in TFT LCDs. This driving scheme is often referred to as the IPS display. It is one of the major TFT LCD display technologies in widespread use today. In IPS panels, the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in parallel to the substrate plane. As a result, IPS panels offer much wider viewing angles than previous technologies while some high-quality IPS panels can display more than 1 billion colors, providing superior image quality over its TN and VA counterparts.
LED stands for light emitting diode and is a flat panel display technology that makes use of an array of light emitting diodes as a source of light. It is a next generation display technology based on crystalline semiconductors. LED is basically a type of backlight that emits light when an electric current is passed through it. To convert electrical to optical power, carriers are injected into the LED through electrodes, and then they recombine to produce light. LED displays consume less power, last longer, and are thinner, lighter and brighter than displays that use CCFL technology. Because of their self-emissive features, LEDs are commonly used for large displays, such as outdoor signage, traffic signals, automotive headlamps, aviation lighting, medical devices, and general lighting to replace incandescent light bulbs.
– Both IPS and LED are flat panel display technologies. IPS (in-plane switching) is one of the common types of LCD panels. In fact, all IPS panels are LCD panels but not all LCD panels are IPS panels. In any case, IPS refers to the way molecules inside the liquid crystal of a display are positioned or oriented. In IPS panels, the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in parallel to the substrate plane. LED (light emitting diode), on the other hand, is a flat panel display technology that makes use of an array of light emitting diodes as a source of light.
– IPS is a screen technology for the liquid crystal displays widely known for their color accuracy and color reproduction. IPS display panels have the least change in brightness when the screen is viewed from different angles. But they are also expensive to produce, use more power, and have relatively longer response times than its counterparts. LED displays, on the other hand, consume less power and because they use light emitting diodes for backlights, they offer superior picture quality with better contrast ratio and brighter picture. This makes them an ideal choice for many laptop manufacturers.
– Viewing angle performance is the single most deciding factor when it comes to buying a PC monitor. IPS display panels demonstrate superior viewing angle capabilities, offering much wider viewing angles without any distortion or shift in colors when viewed from different angles. So, even when you’re not directly facing the screen, the display is not hampered in any way. LED panels demonstrate similar viewing angle characteristics with reasonable performance in the vertical and horizontal angular directions, with little or no degradation in picture quality.
IPS is just one of several types of LCD panels; in fact, all the IPS monitors are LCD monitors but not all LCD panels are IPS panels. So, IPS basically refers to the alignment or position of liquid crystal molecules with respect to the substrate plane. IPS panels were made to improve upon the shortcomings of its predecessors, TN and VA panels. They do that by widening the viewing angle significantly while producing rich colors for an enhanced viewing experience. LEDs have been used for years, primarily in the electronics industry for circuit board lights. LEDs are widely known for their increased picture quality, lower production costs, and availability of a variety of colors.
Sagar Khillar is a prolific content/article/blog writer working as a Senior Content Developer/Writer in a reputed client services firm based in India. He has that urge to research on versatile topics and develop high-quality content to make it the best read. Thanks to his passion for writing, he has over 7 years of professional experience in writing and editing services across a wide variety of print and electronic platforms.
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Many TVs use LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panels that are lit by LED backlights. There are two popular types of LCD panels: In-Plane Switching (IPS) and Vertical Alignment (VA), and there are two main differences between each type. A VA panel usually has a high contrast ratio and narrow viewing angles. However, an IPS panel has low contrast and wide viewing angles. These are the main differences between each, and for the most part, panel type doesn"t affect other aspects of picture quality, like peak brightness, color gamut, or color accuracy.
For the purposes of this article, we"re going to compare two LED-backlit LCD TVs: the Sony X800H, which has an IPS panel, and the Hisense H9G, which has a VA panel. Due to their different panel types, there are three noticeable differences in picture quality: viewing angles, contrast, and black uniformity, so we"re going to look at each one.
Viewing angle refers to the angle at which you can watch the TV without seeing a noticeable drop in picture quality. IPS TVs are the clear winner here, as the image remains accurate when viewing from the side - you can see the differences in the videos above. This is their main advantage over VA panels. Most VA panel TVs have a noticeable loss in image accuracy when viewing from the side. The narrow viewing angle of VA-type TVs is also problematic when the TV is used as a PC monitor from up close since the edges of the display look washed out.
Contrast ratio is one of the most important factors when it comes to picture quality. It determines how well a TV displays blacks, so one with a good contrast displays deep blacks when viewed in the dark. However, if your TV has a low contrast ratio, you"ll notice that blacks look gray when viewed in the dark.
VA panels are far superior to IPS panels when it comes to this, so if you tend to watch movies in the dark, you likely want to get a TV with a VA panel. Most TVs use VA panels due to this main advantage, and high-end models may have a local dimming feature that further enhances black levels. On the other hand, IPS panels normally have low contrast, so blacks look closer to gray, but you may not notice the difference in contrast in bright environments.
In the photo above, the Hisense has a much better contrast ratio; both photos are set at the same brightness, but the Hisense appears brighter because there"s a bigger contrast between its deepest black and brightest white.
Our black uniformity tests determine how well a TV displays a dark scene with a bright image in the center. Ideally, you want to see a completely black screen with the center cross being the only part that"s lit up, and this is important for people watching movies. No LED TV has perfect uniformity, and unlike viewing angles and contrast, the panel type doesn"t completely determine its black uniformity. However, most VA panels that we"ve tested have good black uniformity, while most IPS panels have sub-par black uniformity. This doesn"t mean that every VA panel TV has good uniformity, as this can change between units, and you can also improve uniformity using the local dimming feature.
As you can see in the pictures above, the Sony has uniformity issues with backlight bleed and clouding throughout. The entire screen also looks blue due to the low contrast ratio. The Hisense"s screen is much more uniform, and although you can see some backlight bleed along the edges, it disappears if you enable local dimming, as seen in this photo.
LCDs function by having liquid crystals in little groups to form the pixels. These crystals react and change position when charged with electricity and, depending on their position, they allow a certain color of light to pass through.
IPS displays have their crystals aligned horizontally at all times. When charged, they turn to allow light through. VA displays have their crystals aligned vertically. When charged, they move to a horizontal position, allowing light through. When current isn"t sent through them, however, their vertical alignment blocks light far more efficiently, creating better blacks and giving better contrast.
There"s also another type of IPS panel, called Plane-to-Line Switching (PLS), which can be seen with the Sony X800H. This panel type was designed by Samsung and technically performs the same as an IPS panel. When you compare the pixels visually, IPS panels look like chevrons, VA looks like very straight rectangles, and PLS looks like round-edged capsules. You can learn more about pixels here.
The way the pixels are laid out can also affect text clarity. Many IPS panels, like the ones on the Sony X800H or the LG SK9000, use RGB sub-pixel layouts, while many VA panels have a BGR layout, like on the Hisense H9G. The sub-pixel layout doesn"t directly affect picture quality unless you"re using it as a PC monitor. Some applications may expect an RGB layout, so if you have a BGR sub-pixel layout, text may not look clear. You may need to increase the text scaling to read it properly, but this issue isn"t common with an RGB layout. You can learn more about it here.
Unlike LED TVs, OLEDs don"t use a backlight and instead have self-emitting pixels. This allows the pixels to individually turn on and off, resulting in perfect blacks. This means that they also have perfect black uniformity as there"s no blooming around bright objects like on some LED TVs. They also have wide viewing angles, sometimes even wider than some IPS panels, so OLEDs are a good choice for wide seating arrangements.
Samsung released quantum dot TVs in 2015, which they later labeled as QLED in 2017. These TVs include a quantum dot layer between the LED backlights and the LCD panel to achieve a wider color gamut. Other companies like Vizio and TCL also use this quantum dot technology on their TVs. Adding this extra quantum dot layer doesn"t change the characteristics of the panel type; the VA panel on the TCL 6 Series/S635 2020 QLED still has a high contrast ratio and narrow viewing angles. Although most QLED TVs use VA panels, you can easily use an IPS panel as well.
Manufacturers have tried different techniques to improve the viewing angles on VA panels over the years, aiming to produce a perfect LCD panel with both wide viewing angles and high contrast. While they have yet to achieve that goal, a few TVs have hit the market that try to combine the best of both panel types. The first TVs with this viewing angle technology came out in 2018, and only a few high-end models like the Samsung Q90/Q90T QLED and the Sony X950H had this technology in 2020. These TVs are a bit unique, delivering noticeably better viewing angles than their pure VA counterparts, but still worse than true IPS panels. This comes at the expense of a lower contrast ratio, as these TVs have worse native contrast than most VA panels, but they"re still better than IPS panels. Combined with their local dimming features, they still produce deep blacks.
Below you can see the viewing angle videos for the Samsung Q90T and the Sony X950H. The image remains accurate at fairly wide angles on each TV, but the Samsung does a better job overall at making sure the image is still fairly accurate when viewing from the side.
Between IPS and VA panels, neither technology is inherently superior to the other as they both serve different purposes. In general, IPS TVs have wide viewing angles suitable for when you want to watch the big game or your favorite show in a large seating arrangement. They"re also beneficial for use as a PC monitor since the edges remain accurate if you sit up close. However, VA panels are a better choice for watching content in dark rooms, as their improved contrast allows them to display deep blacks. Choosing between the two is a series of trade-offs and qualities, so choosing the best TV for your needs depends on your usage.
Again, IPS is the clear winner here. The vertical viewing angles are very similar to the horizontal ones on both IPS and VA panels. Unfortunately, this is one area where TN panels are usually much, much worse. TN monitors degrade rapidly from below, and colors actually inverse - resulting in a negative image that can be distracting. For this reason, if you decide to buy a TN monitor, look for one with an excellent height adjustment, or consider buying a VESA mounting arm, as you should mount TN monitors at eye level. Even when mounted properly, larger TN displays can appear non-uniform at the edges.
There"s usually not much difference between VA and IPS panels in terms of gray uniformity. It"s rare for monitors to have uniformity issues, and even on monitors that perform worse than average, it"s usually not noticeable with regular content. TN monitors tend to perform a bit worse than usual, though, and the top half of the screen is almost always darker than the rest, but that"s an artifact of the bad vertical viewing angles.
Black uniformity tends to vary significantly, even between individual units of the same model, and there"s no single panel type that performs the best. It"s rare for monitors to have good black uniformity, and almost every monitor we"ve tested has some noticeable cloudiness or backlight bleed. IPS and TN panels can look slightly worse due to their low contrast ratios, as the screen can take on more of a bluish tint when displaying dark scenes. Like with contrast, black uniformity issues usually aren"t very noticeable unless you"re looking at dark content and you"re in a dark room. If you only use your monitor in a bright environment, generally speaking, you don"t need to worry about black uniformity.
Historically, TN panels used to have the worst colors, as many of them were cheaper models that only supported 6-bit colors or used techniques like dithering (FRC) to approximate 8-bit colors. Most displays today, including TN models, are at least 8 bit, and many of them are even able to approximate 10-bit colors through dithering. New technologies, like LG"s Nano IPS and Samsung"s Quantum Dot, add an extra layer to the LCD stack and have significantly improved the color gamut of modern IPS and VA displays, leaving TN a bit behind. Between them, NANO IPS is slightly better, as it tends to offer better coverage of the Adobe RGB color space. Although the difference is minor, IPS panels still have a slight edge over VA and TN displays.
Although TN panels have caught up a bit in the SDR color space, they"re far behind when it comes to HDR, so if you"re looking for a good HDR color gamut, avoid TN panels. Between VA and IPS panels, the difference isn"t as significant; however, IPS panels still have a slight edge. The best VA panels top out at around 90% coverage of the DCI P3 color space used by most current HDR content. IPS panels go as high as 98% coverage of DCI P3, rivaling even some of the best TVs on the market. Due to the very high coverage of DCI P3 on both VA and IPS, the difference isn"t that noticeable, though, as most content won"t use the entire color space anyway.
Although not necessarily as noticeable to everyone as the differences in picture quality, there can also be a difference in motion handling between IPS, VA, and TN displays. TN panels historically offered the best gaming performance, as they had the highest refresh rates and extremely fast response times. Manufacturers have found ways to drastically improve the motion handling of VA and IPS panels, though, and the difference isn"t as pronounced.
LCD panel technology has changed drastically over the last few years, and the historical expectations for response time performance don"t necessarily hold anymore. For years, TN monitors had the fastest response times by far, but that"s started to change. New high refresh-rate IPS monitors can be just as fast.
VA panels are a bit of a strange situation. They typically have slightly slower response times overall compared to similar TN or IPS models. It"s especially noticeable in near-black scenes, where they tend to be significantly slower, resulting in dark trails behind fast-moving objects in dark scenes, commonly known as black smear. Some recent VA panels, such as the Samsung Odyssey G7 LC32G75T, get around it by overdriving the pixels. It results in much better dark scene performance but a more noticeable overshoot in brighter areas.
The examples listed above aren"t perfect. The average response time metrics shown don"t necessarily show the whole picture. Monitors also usually offer a certain level of control over the pixel overdrive, so it"s possible to adjust the response time to match your usage and personal preference. Some overdrive settings deliver a sharper image but introduce overshoot and reverse ghosting artifacts, while other modes might not be as sharp but have no distracting artifacts. You can learn more about our response time testing here.
Within each of the three types of LCD we mentioned, other related panel types use the same basic idea but with slight differences. For example, two popular variants of IPS panels include ADS (technically known as ADSDS, or Advanced Super Dimension Switch) and PLS (Plane to Line Switching). It can be hard to tell these panels apart simply based on the subpixel structure, so we"ll usually group them all as IPS, and in the text, we"ll usually refer to them as IPS-like or IPS family. There are slight differences in colors, viewing angles, and contrast, but generally speaking, they"re all very similar.
There"s another display technology that"s growing in popularity: OLED. OLED, or organic light-emitting diode, is very different from the conventional LCD technology we"ve explored above. OLED panels are electro-emissive, which means each pixel emits its own light when it receives an electric signal, eliminating the need for a backlight. Since OLED panels can turn off individual pixels, they have deep, inky blacks with no blooming around bright objects. They also have excellent wide viewing angles, a near-instantaneous response time, and excellent gray uniformity.
OLED panels aren"t perfect, though. There"s a risk of permanent burn-in, especially when there are lots of static elements on screen, like the UI elements of a PC. There aren"t many OLED monitors available, either, but they"ve started to gain popularity as laptop screens and for high-end monitors, but they"re very expensive and hard to find. They"re also not very bright in some cases, especially when large bright areas are visible on screen. The technology is still maturing, and advances in OLED technology, like Samsung"s highly-anticipated QD-OLED technology, are promising.
As you can probably tell by now, no one panel type works best for everyone; it all depends on your exact usage. Although there used to be some significant differences between panel types, as technology has improved, these differences aren"t as noticeable. The two exceptions to this are viewing angles and contrast. If you"re in a dark room, a VA panel that can display deep blacks is probably the best choice. If you"re not in a dark room, you should focus on the other features of the monitor and choose based on the features that appeal to your exact usage. IPS panels are generally preferred for office use, and TN typically offers the best gaming experience, but recent advancements in VA and IPS technology are starting to change those generalizations. For the most part, the differences between each panel type are so minor now that it doesn"t need to be directly factored into your buying decision.
Display technologies are advancing every day. All the major tech giants like Apple, Samsung, One Plus use one among these technologies for building the displays of their Apple phones or Galaxy Notes. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. So which one is better? Is it the AMOLED favored mostly by Samsung? Or is it the IPS LCD favored by Apple for their iPhones? Let us take a detailed look at the features of AMOLED vs IPS display technologies.
AMOLED stands for Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode is a type of display used mainly in mobile phones. You might have seen the AMOLED display mentioned in the specifications for smart devices, especially mobile phones. They are also used in smartwatches, laptops, and even televisions. Let’s see what the terms in AMOLED mean.
The Active Matrix technology came about as an improvement on the existing passive matrix technology that used passive components like wires which were arranged vertically and horizontally to control each pixel. The color and brightness of the pixels and thereby the picture can be altered by varying the electrical charge at the given joint of vertical and horizontal wires. The newer Active Matrix uses active electrical components like transistors and capacitors to carry out the same purpose. Instead of varying current at the intersection of wires to control the pixels, this latest technology uses a grid or matrix of thin-film transistors commonly referred to as TFTs and capacitors.
You might be familiar with the giant LED bulbs used at parties or even as indicators on televisions showing the on/off state. These same LED lights are used in AMOLEDs, but of course in the smallest size possible. The LEDs used are in the primary shades namely Red, Blue, and Green, and are grouped in triangle-shaped pixelated forms.
The Organic Light Emitting Diode is commonly referred to as OLED. It is pronounced as “oh-led”. OLED is a type of display in which each LED lights up one at a time. When you light them up together in different intensities, you will get more colors in the spectrum. So all LEDs switched on at the same time give you white color and similarly switching off all the LEDs together gives black color. An OLED display is comprised of a substrate, an anode, a conductive layer, an emissive layer, a cathode, and the cover. The substrate is either plastic or glass that supports the display panel.
Compared to the LCD and LED displays, the diodes in the OLED display produce light individually meaning they do not need a backlight like their predecessors. OLEDs use lesser electricity and are thinner compared to LEDs. They are also bendable and may even be curved. However, they are much more expensive than LED displays. Hence in the earlier days, it was majorly used for displays for
Now the technologies mentioned above combine to give the AMOLED displays. Here an OLED display is driven with an active matrix control scheme. The TFTs (thin-film transistors) turn on/off each pixel one at a time. The other scheme where the OLEDs are controlled by a passive matrix requires each grid ( rows and lines) to be controlled together. The advanced AMOLED displays allow for higher resolution display with a much bigger physical size.
AMOLEDs have deep black lights. The blacks are darker than LEDs and LCDs because parts of the screen can be switched off altogether. AMOLEDs are also thinner and lighter than LCDs. This feature especially stands out