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Which monitor matrix is ​​better: VA or IPS. IPS matrix in modern LCD monitors: varieties, choice

Monitor resolution is the size of the resulting image in pixels. The higher the resolution, the more detailed the image you can get and the higher the cost of the monitor (all other things being equal).

Typical resolutions of modern monitors are given below:

Separately, it is worth mentioning Full HD and 4K resolutions.

Built-in speaker system

If you do not have serious demands on the sound quality of your audio system, you should consider purchasing a monitor with built-in speakers. If you connect such a monitor using an HDMI or DisplayPort connector, you will not need a separate cable for audio transmission, which is very convenient.

Headphone output

If you use headphones frequently (for example, listening to music at night or in the office), then a monitor equipped with a headphone audio output would be a smart purchase. This will make them more convenient to use.

3D image support (3D-Ready)

The 3D format is gradually gaining popularity. First it conquered cinema screens, and now it is penetrating the household appliances market. Some monitor models already support 3D content. Such monitors have a high screen refresh rate (144 Hz and higher) and can alternately display images for the left and right eyes. To ensure that each eye sees its own picture, the kit includes special glasses with “shutter” technology.

To summarize, we can conditionally divide monitors into several price categories:

monitors costing from 5,000 to 10,000 rubles. Inexpensive monitors for office or home use. They have a diagonal size from 17 to 21 inches. As a rule, they are equipped with TN-type matrices, or an inexpensive variety of VA or IPS matrices. Maximum resolution is FullHD or less. Equipped with VGA or DVI connectors. Additional adjustments to the screen position are rare.

monitors costing from 10,000 to 20,000 rubles.  Monitors for everyday home use fall into this category. They have a diagonal size from 22 to 27 inches, equipped with good TN, VA or IPS matrices with FullHD resolutions. Equipped with HDMI or DisplayPort connectors. May have USB hubs, built-in speakers and screen position adjustments.

monitors costing over 20,000 rubles.  More advanced monitors with diagonals from 24 to 35 inches and higher, with matrices with resolutions from FullHD to 5K with good response speed and color reproduction. In this category there are models with a curved screen or 3D image support. They also have on board a wide range of different connectors for connecting system units and other devices, USB hubs, and audio outputs.

I hope this small guide will help you choose the right monitor for your computer.

Selecting a liquid crystal matrix

The debate about which type of monitor matrix displays color better and has the minimum response time does not subside and is constantly fueled by leading manufacturers, for example, APPLE and LG are behind IPS technology, Super AMOLED and PLS technologies are promoted by the no less powerful Samsung. Fans are divided into warring factions, but as always happens in life, there is no clear answer.

We immediately remove matrices using TN and TN+film technology. Despite the fact that they are still sold, the technology has been obsolete for a long time. A small viewing angle, limited color rendering and distortion at the edges limit the scope of application of these matrices exclusively to office programs.

Matrices *VA

An intermediate option between the outgoing TN and modern IPS. It is possible to determine which matrix is ​​better, VA or IPS, only upon closer inspection - *VA has slightly worse color reproduction and response time. Of the well-known companies, such matrices are produced by Samsung using proprietary PVA (Patterned Vertical Alignment) technology, but progress in reducing the cost of IPS has practically driven them out of the market.

OLED

The image dots are created using multilayer polymers that glow when voltage is applied. Constant illumination is not required; the polymer base allows you to make a flexible screen. Despite many years of efforts by manufacturers such as LG, it has not yet been possible to significantly reduce the cost of the technology.

IPS

LCD screen technology, called IPS, was developed by Hitachi and NEC to eliminate the main drawback of TN and TN+film matrices - incomplete display of the RGB 24 bit color space. This led to color problems and professionals using outdated and bulky CRT monitors. Since 1998, LG has added to the improvement of IPS, which gradually became a leader in production and created the most famous option - the Retina IPS display for Apple devices, the resolution of which does not allow individual points of the image to be seen. In the picture on the left is the Retina matrix, on the right is the usual TN+film.

Due to good color reproduction and a large reserve for increasing pixel density, IPS matrices are widely used in 3D monitors and 4K TVs.

Advice: before purchasing, always remember that it is almost impossible to visually accurately determine which monitor matrix is ​​better in a store. Displays and TVs almost always operate in demo mode, which hides possible deficiencies in the backlight and color rendering systems. The settings are usually too high for ideal picture quality in large shopping areas, and you can be very disappointed if you turn on the “Standard” or “Normal” mode at home. Therefore, check all modes in advance!!

IPS technology has several modifications and the most popular are the following:

  • S-IPS from Hitachi. Compared to the first IPS, the matrix response in dynamic images (games, videos) has significantly decreased;
  • H-IPS from LG. High contrast, wide viewing angles and color uniformity over the entire screen area have made this type of matrix the de facto standard for professional graphics processing;
  • AH-IPS. Development of previous technology from LG. Even better brightness and color reproduction, increased pixel density and reduced power consumption.

The emergence of alternative technologies, in addition to the marketing component, eliminated a significant drawback of the first IPS: small viewing angles, long response times and high production costs. But at the moment, these shortcomings have been practically eliminated and when asked “tn or ips which is better,” we can confidently say that IPS will be the best choice.

With competitors the situation is not so clear and you need to be guided solely by your own visual preferences. As an example, let's take Samsung and its proprietary PLS and Super AMOLED technologies, positioned as an alternative to IPS in the following parameters:


As you can see, there is no clear leader and the final choice must be made based on the scope of application: a gaming or 4K monitor should always have better characteristics compared to the office option.

In conclusion, the article is about another frequently encountered search query - “what type of matrix is ​​better for a tft or ips monitor.” What is it and how is it different from regular IPS? The answer is simple: nothing, since TFT is the short name for any LCD screen with an active matrix (Thin Film Transistor), and IPS is its next modification.

In-Plane Switching(also Super Fine TFT) - technology for manufacturing liquid crystal displays.

IPS or SFT (Super Fine TFT) technology was developed by Hitachi and NEC in 1996 as an alternative to TN (Twisted Nematic) technology.

These companies use these two different names for the same technology - NEC uses "SFT" and Hitachi uses "IPS". The technology was intended to overcome the shortcomings of TN+ film. Although IPS was able to increase the viewing angle to 178°, as well as high contrast and color reproduction, the response time remained at a low level. A TN matrix usually has better response than IPS, but not always. So, when transitioning from gray to gray, the IPS matrix behaves better.

This matrix is ​​also pressure resistant. Touching a TN or VA matrix results in a “excitement” or a certain reaction on the screen. The IPS matrix does not have this effect.

In addition, ophthalmologists confirm that the IPS matrix is ​​more comfortable for the eyes.

Thus, the IPS matrix provides a bright and clear picture regardless of viewing angles, which is optimal for surfing the Internet and watching movies. But the most important thing is for image processing and viewing photos.

At the moment, matrices made using IPS technology are the only LCD monitors that transmit the full RGB color depth - 24 bits, 8 bits per channel.

Previously, IPS technology was used exclusively for professional monitors, since it provides the most adequate color gamut of all LCD panel production technologies. However, LG has taken a revolutionary step to bring it to the mass market.

As of 2012, many monitors on IPS matrices (e-IPS manufactured by LG.Displays) with 6 bits per channel have already been released. Older TN matrices are 6-bits per channel, as is the MVA portion.

IPS has now been replaced by H-IPS technology, which inherits all the advantages of IPS technology while simultaneously reducing response time and increasing contrast. The color color of the best H-IPS panels is not inferior to conventional CRT monitors. H-IPS and cheaper e-IPS are actively used in panels from 20" in size. LG Display, Dell, NEC, Samsung, Chimei remain the only manufacturers of panels using this technology.

Types of IPS matrices

IPS (Super TFT). This is the basic level of technology. The advantage is wide viewing angles. Most panels also support true-to-life color reproduction (8-bit per channel).

S-IPS (Super-IPS). This type of matrix inherits all the advantages of IPS technology while simultaneously reducing response time.

AS-IPS (Advanced Super-IPS)- developed by Hitachi Corporation. The improvements mainly concerned the contrast level of conventional S-IPS panels, bringing it closer to the contrast of S-PVA panels. This type of panel improves mainly the contrast ratio of the extended color gamut of traditional S-IPS panels to a level where they are second only to some S-PVA panels.

H-IPS (Horizontal IPS). An even greater contrast and a visually more uniform screen surface have been achieved.

H-IPS A-TW (Horizontal IPS with Advanced True Wide Polarizer)- developed by LG Display for NEC Corporation. It is an H-IPS panel with a TW (True White) color filter to make the white color more realistic and increase viewing angles without image distortion (the effect of glowing LCD panels at an angle - the so-called “glow effect”) is eliminated. . Advanced True Wide Polarizer technology uses NEC polarizing film to achieve wider viewing angles and eliminate glare when viewed from an angle. This type of panel is used to create high quality professional monitors.

IPS-Pro (IPS-Provectus). IPS Alpha panel technology with a wider color gamut and contrast comparable to PVA and ASV displays without corner glow.

AFFS (Advanced Fringe Field Switching, unofficial name - S-IPS Pro). The increased power of the electric field made it possible to achieve even greater viewing angles and brightness, as well as reduce the interpixel distance. AFFS-based displays are mainly used in tablet PCs, on matrices manufactured by Hitachi Displays.

e-IPS (Enhanced IPS) uses backlight lamps that are cheaper to produce and have lower energy consumption. The diagonal viewing angle has been improved, the response time has been reduced to 5 ms.

P-IPS (Professional IPS) provides 1.07 billion colors (30-bit color depth). More possible subpixel orientations (1024 versus 256) and better true color depth.

AH-IPS (Advanced High Performance IPS). Improved color rendering, increased resolution and PPI, increased brightness and reduced power consumption.

PLS technology

PLS matrix (Plane-to-Line Switching) was developed by Samsung as an alternative to IPS and was first demonstrated in December 2010.
Advantages:

  • pixel density is higher compared to IPS (and similar to *VA/TN);
  • high brightness and good color rendition;
  • large viewing angles;
  • full sRGB coverage;
  • low power consumption comparable to TN.

Flaws:

  • response time (5–10 ms) comparable to S-IPS, better than *VA, but worse than TN;

PLS and IPS

Samsung has not provided a description of PLS ​​technology. Comparative microscopic studies of IPS and PLS matrices by independent observers revealed no differences. The fact that PLS is a type of IPS was indirectly recognized by Samsung itself in its lawsuit against LG: the lawsuit alleged that the AH-IPS technology used by LG is a modification of PLS ​​technology.

In order to understand which matrix is ​​best to buy a TV with, you need to study its varieties and characteristics, as well as the main disadvantages and advantages of each type. Today, LCD TV manufacturers use three main technologies:

In the production of LCD TVs, the TN matrix began to be used earlier than others. Due to its simple technology, it is most often used in inexpensive TV models, as well as in screens with a small diagonal. This option is suitable for buyers with a small budget.

The TN matrix consists of liquid crystals, some of which are parallel to the screen plane, others are perpendicular to each other or arranged in a spiral. Due to the fact that the crystals rotate unevenly, the image at different angles is distorted. This is one of the main disadvantages of this type of matrix. TVs with TN also cannot boast of good color reproduction: the colors are not bright enough and may not correspond to reality. Another disadvantage of this type of matrix is ​​the possibility of “dead” pixels appearing in the form of dots on the screen that do not display the picture.

To increase the viewing angle to the TN matrix, some models use a special coating - Film.

TN advantages:

  • low cost;
  • high response speed;
  • minimal power consumption.

IPS: pros and cons

When developing IPS technology, manufacturers took into account all the disadvantages of the TN matrix. This allowed us to obtain a higher quality product. All IPS crystals are in the same plane - parallel to the screen, and rotate simultaneously.

  • large viewing angle;
  • high level of image brightness and clarity;
  • deep color rendering;
  • long service life;
  • low level of eye exposure.

Cons of IPS:

  • high price;
  • some models have a low response speed;
  • black color is not deep enough;
  • low contrast level.

There are several types of IPS matrices. The most common:

  • E-IPS;
  • AS-IPS;
  • P-IPS;
  • H-IPS;
  • AH-IPS;
  • S-IPS.

The most expensive are AH-IPS and P-IPS. They have the highest image quality. The cheapest option is E-IPS.

Another type of matrix developed according to the IPS principle is PLS. It has higher light transmittance and consumes less electricity. The downside of PLS ​​is the lowest contrast level among all existing matrices.

V.A.

VA matrix is ​​a compromise between TN and IPS. It is a popular type of matrix and is used in many modern models of LCD TVs. In VA, the liquid crystals in the off state are perpendicular to the screen plane. This allows for rich blacks that cannot be achieved with TN and IPS. The crystals are able to move freely, so the shades are not distorted when changing the viewing angle. TVs that use VA technology are suitable for rooms with low lighting.

VA matrices are superior to TN in image quality, but they are not good enough compared to IPS. However, in the production of VA, new technologies are gradually being introduced to correct many of the shortcomings of this type of matrix. These technologies include MVA and PVA.

Which matrix is ​​better to choose?

The choice of a specific type of matrix for a TV depends on the buyer’s budget and his needs. If you need an inexpensive option with minimal requirements for image quality, then a TN TV is suitable. Models of such TVs are no larger than 32 inches diagonally. This option will be successful for a summer house, kitchen, office. A TN TV can be used as a gaming monitor. Fans of special effects and dynamic scenes in films will also appreciate this type of matrix.

Well-known TV manufacturers mainly use IPS and VA technologies. IPS is ideal for home theaters where large numbers of people will gather. It allows you to display high-quality video of any format from any viewing angle. Also, such TVs can be used to demonstrate presentations where high-definition graphics and photos are required. TV models with VA matrix are slightly inferior in image quality, but are in a lower price category. This model is quite suitable for private viewing of a small family.

What types of matrix do famous brands use?

Toshiba, a well-known Japanese manufacturer, uses IPS technology in its TVs.

Sony, Sharp, Panasonic use their own developed improved version of VA in most of their models. Sharp produces a unique matrix in limited quantities - UV 2 A. It is considered the best among the developments of the VA type.

70% of LG and Samsung TVs have VA matrices. Other models use IPS. Samsung has also developed its own version of VA-S-PVA. They are used in high-end TVs. This type of matrix guarantees a wider viewing angle and deep black color.

Philips uses Sharp and LG developments in its production.

How can you independently determine the type of matrix on your TV?

There are several tips that will help you determine the type and quality of the matrix on your TV:

  1. You can press lightly on the matrix. If the image is distorted, then the TV uses VA or TN technology.
  2. Look at the image from different viewing angles. If, when viewed from the side, the picture changes its colors, then this also indicates a TN matrix.
  3. When buying a TV, you should definitely check the different operating modes. Special demo versions are used in stores. In this mode it is difficult to detect flaws.
  4. It is necessary to test for “broken” pixels. To do this, you can bring with you a USB drive with recorded files. The files are backgrounds of different colors: red, blue, green and black. The test is passed when there are no dots on the screen that differ in color from the main background.
  5. To test the response, you can use videos with quick changes of actions. With a high response speed, the image remains clear and does not double. You can record special test videos on a flash drive.
  6. You should check the grayscale level. The quality of dark scenes in films will depend on this indicator. The more shades of gray the matrix shows, the better the quality of the dark picture will subsequently be. This test takes place in the “Cinema” mode.
  7. View the level of contrast and brightness in different settings modes.
  8. Make sure there are no green or pink spots that may appear on the white background. Such spots are normal for some types of matrices, but can cause slight discomfort when watching TV.
  9. When buying a TV in an online store, look for videos with an overview of the selected model.

Describing the differences between IPS and TN matrices as part of advice when buying a monitor or laptop. It's time to talk about all the modern display production technologies that we may encounter and have an idea about types of matrices in devices of our generation. Do not confuse with LED, EDGE LED, Direct LED - these are types of screen backlighting and display technologies are indirectly related.

Probably everyone can remember the monitor with a cathode ray tube that they used before. True, there are still users and fans of CRT technology. Currently, screens have increased in diagonal size, display manufacturing technologies have changed, and there are more and more varieties in the characteristics of matrices, denoted by the abbreviations TN, TN-Film, IPS, Amoled, etc.

The information in this article will help you choose a monitor, smartphone, tablet and other various types of equipment. In addition, it will highlight the technologies for creating displays, as well as the types and features of their matrices.

A few words about liquid crystal displays

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is a display made from liquid crystals that change their location when voltage is applied to them. If you come close to such a display and look closely at it, you will notice that it consists of small dots - pixels (liquid crystals). In turn, each pixel consists of red, blue and green subpixels. When voltage is applied, the subpixels are arranged in a certain order and transmit light through them, thus forming a pixel of a certain color. Many such pixels form an image on the screen of a monitor or other device.

The first mass-produced monitors were equipped matrices TN- having the simplest design, but which cannot be called the highest quality type of matrix. Although among this type of matrices there are very high-quality specimens. This technology is based on the fact that in the absence of voltage, subpixels transmit light through themselves, forming a white dot on the screen. When voltage is applied to the subpixels, they are arranged in a certain order, forming a pixel of a given color.

Disadvantages of TN matrix

  • Due to the fact that the standard pixel color, in the absence of voltage, is white, this type of matrix does not have the best color rendering. Colors appear duller and faded, and blacks appear more of a dark gray.
  • Another main disadvantage of a TN matrix is ​​small viewing angles. Partially they tried to cope with this problem by improving TN technology to TN+Film, using an additional layer applied to the screen. Viewing angles became larger, but still remained far from ideal.

At the moment, TN+Film matrices have completely replaced TN.

Advantages of TN matrix

  • fast response time
  • relatively inexpensive cost.

Drawing conclusions, we can say that if you need an inexpensive monitor for office work or surfing the Internet, monitors with TN+Film matrices are best suited.

The main difference between IPS matrix technology and TN— perpendicular arrangement of subpixels in the absence of voltage, which form a black point. That is, in a state of calm the screen remains black.

Advantages of IPS matrices

  • better color reproduction compared to screens with TN matrices: you have bright and rich colors on the screen, and black remains truly black. Accordingly, when voltage is applied, the pixels change color. Considering this feature, owners of smartphones and tablets with IPS screens can be advised to use dark color schemes and wallpapers on the desktop, then the smartphone’s battery life will last a little longer.
  • large viewing angles. On most screens they are 178°. For monitors, and especially for mobile devices (smartphones and tablets), this feature is important when the user chooses a gadget.

Disadvantages of IPS matrices

  • long screen response time. This affects the display in dynamic pictures such as games and movies. In modern IPS panels, things are better with response time.
  • higher cost compared to TN.

To summarize, it is better to choose phones and tablets with IPS matrices, and then the user will receive great aesthetic pleasure from using the device. The matrix for a monitor is not so critical, modern ones.

AMOLED screens

The latest smartphone models are equipped with AMOLED displays. This technology for creating matrices is based on active LEDs, which begin to glow and display color when voltage is applied to them.

let's consider features of Amoled matrices:

  • Color rendition. The saturation and contrast of such screens are higher than required. The colors are displayed so brightly that some users may experience eye strain when using their smartphone for long periods of time. But the black color is displayed even blacker than even in IPS matrices.
  • Display power consumption. Just like IPS, displaying black requires less power than displaying a specific color, much less white. But the difference in power consumption between displaying black and white in AMOLED screens is much greater. Displaying white requires several times more energy than displaying black.
  • "Picture Memory". If a static image is displayed for a long time, marks may remain on the screen, and this in turn affects the quality of the information displayed.

Also, due to their rather high cost, AMOLED screens are currently only used in smartphones. Monitors built on this technology are unreasonably expensive.

VA (Vertical Alignment)- this technology, developed by Fujitsu, can be considered as a compromise between TN and IPS matrices. In VA matrices, the crystals in the off state are located perpendicular to the screen plane. Accordingly, the black color is ensured as pure and deep as possible, but when the matrix is ​​rotated relative to the direction of view, the crystals will not be visible equally. To solve the problem, a multi-domain structure is used. Technology Multi-Domain Vertical Alignment (MVA) provides protrusions on the plates that determine the direction of rotation of the crystals. If two subdomains rotate in opposite directions, then when viewed from the side, one of them will be darker and the other lighter, so for the human eye the deviations cancel out. There are no protrusions in PVA dies developed by Samsung, and the crystals are strictly vertical when turned off. In order for the crystals of neighboring subdomains to rotate in opposite directions, the lower electrodes are shifted relative to the upper ones.

To reduce response time, Premium MVA and S-PVA matrices use a dynamic voltage increase system for individual sections of the matrix, which is usually called Overdrive. The color rendition of PMVA and SPVA matrices is almost as good as that of IPS, the response time is slightly inferior to TN, the viewing angles are as wide as possible, the black color is the best, the brightness and contrast are the highest possible among all existing technologies. However, even with a slight deviation of the viewing direction from the perpendicular, even by 5–10 degrees, distortions in halftones can be noticed. This will go unnoticed by most, but professional photographers continue to dislike VA technology for this.

MVA and PVA matrices have excellent contrast and viewing angles, but the situation with response time is worse - it grows as the difference between the final and initial states of the pixel decreases. Early models of such monitors were almost unsuitable for dynamic games, but now they show results close to TN matrices. Color rendering *VA matrices, of course, is inferior to IPS matrices, but remains at a high level. However, due to their high contrast, these monitors are an excellent choice for working with text and photography, with drawing graphics, and also as home monitors.

In conclusion, I can say that the choice is always yours...