IPS vs TN vs VA Displays: Which Are Better for Gaming?

The differences between IPS and TN displays are just like the differences between apples and oranges. That is, their differences have a wide variety. This is what makes it challenging to choose between the two. So, what exactly are the differences between the two: IPS vs TN vs VA Displays?

Firstly, TN monitors are cheaper than IPS monitors. But IPS monitors triumph over TN monitors when it comes to visual qualities. So, IPS monitors are more suitable for photo editing purposes, and the lower response time makes TN monitors ideal for gaming. Also, IPS displays have better viewing angles than TN displays.

For your convenience, we have provided you with a detailed analysis of their differences. So, read on to know more!

What are TN, VA and IPS Panels?

TN panels mean Twisted Nematic Panels. That is, they use a nematic liquid crystal that rotates to help light pass through them, just like Cathode Ray Tubes! In fact, TN monitors were made to replace Cathode Ray Tubes. They’ve also been proven to be successful as they are still widely demanded to this day.

IPS panels stand for In-Plane Switching. Most monitors use a perpendicular array of pixels. But IPS panels work with a parallel array of pixels for a higher quality of images. The IPS technology in monitors was introduced to improve the poor color reproduction and visual qualities of TN panels.

To make things easier for you, here is a quick chart analyzing and comparing the different factors to consider when choosing between the two-

Factor	IPS Panel	TN Panel
Price	Highly Expensive, less preferred	Affordable, more preferred.
Response Time	4ms, less preferred	1ms- 2ms, more preferred.
Visual Quality	Excellent image contrast, color-gamut display option available, more preferred.	Low image contrast, color-gamut display option usually unavailable, less preferred.
Viewing Angles	Shows accurate color contrast at extreme angles, more preferred.	Shows inaccurate color contrast at extreme angles, less preferred.
Purpose	Image Editing, Programming.	Gaming, Office Use.

IPS vs TN vs VA Displays: A Quick Comparison

IPS vs Va vs TN

Price

Technically, TN monitors are commonly called “Cheap Gaming Monitors” by many. If you are suffering from a tight budget and are just planning to enjoy casual gaming, TN Panels would be ideal for you.

On the other hand, IPS panels are mostly demanded by digital artists and art rendering industries. They are in need of flawless color reproduction and perfect viewing angles, after all.

So, if your purpose of purchase doesn’t align with this, you can enjoy the benefits of a TN monitor with high affordability. Otherwise, if you can stretch your budget a little and dig a little, you’ll find out that affordable IPS monitors are also available these days from a range of $150-$1000.

Purpose

Your purpose is the key factor that will enable you to decide whether you should go for an affordable TN display or spend more to buy an IPS display.

TN and IPS displays are divided mainly based on their uses in gaming and photo editing, respectively. Let us discuss these in more detail-

Gaming

Apart from their affordability, TN panels have a higher refresh rate, lower input lag, and slower response time than IPS panels. These characteristics are what make TN panels very popular among gamers. This high refresh rate only is available among IPS monitors with a very high price.

Are you worried about visuals after all? Don’t worry; you won’t see much of a difference between image qualities of IPS and TN monitors if the size of your monitor is around 24.5 inches or more. So, a TN monitor of around 24-27 inches will be perfect for 1080p competitive gaming.

Picture Editing

As we’ve mentioned before, an IPS monitor produces a 100% flawless color reproduction. So, for works that need you to focus on accurate color, the ideal choice would most definitely be an IPS Display. If your monitor is calibrated correctly, then the wide gamut display of colors in an IPS panel would help you tremendously. So, if you’re a professional digital editor or a digital artist, you know which one to pick!

That’s not all that an IPS Monitor can offer. Are you a programmer who needs vertical mounting of your monitor? The viewing angles provided by the IPS display’s portrait mode will help you immensely too! You’ll also be surprised to know that the color contrast quality given by IPS monitors also help in playing high-end PC games.

Response Time

The delay in the response time of a TN display is around 1ms to 2ms. Additionally, the refresh rate of TN models can go from 144Hz to 360 Hz, too affordable.

That’s not all; TN monitors have an input lag of as low as 1ms. Amazing, isn’t it? I guess you can now understand why competitive games prefer TN monitors.

What about IPS Monitors, then? At a high price, these displays will give you a refresh rate of 144Hz and a response time of 4ms. Well, even if different tech companies are now producing IPS monitors with a refresh rate of 240-280 Hz, you still need to extend your budget to a great extent.

Visual Quality

When it comes to visual excellence and accuracy, it’s safe to assume that an IPS display wins. After all, IPS monitors were made to tackle this particular weakness given by TN monitors. That is why IPS displays are highly recommended by creative professionals. Color accuracy is a life savior for works like that. So, need to do color-sensitive works? You know which one is better now.

Additionally, IPS monitors have the option of providing wide-gamut colors. This means that these monitors display a wide range of colors in the monitor. This is something not possible when it comes to TN monitors. IPS displays also have a good ‘black production’ quality. That is, they provide a more realistic texture to edited images.

TN monitors are not capable of displaying 24-bit true color, and they interpolate to show the proper color shade. It results in a lousy contrast ratio and color branding. Furthermore, only the high-end TN panels are capable of displaying the color gamut. However, the price is not worth the quality.

Viewing Angles

Most monitors have a perpendicular array of pixels. However, the unique, parallel array of IPS monitors’ pixels enhance the excellence of their viewing angles.

TN panels suffer from the drawback of limited viewing angles. This causes the user to see inverted colors when they view the screen from an odd angle. This discoloring is a huge disadvantage.

On the other hand, no matter which angle you view the colors from, you’ll still get an accurate color reproduction in an IPS monitor.

Conclusion:

These are the differences among the various factors between the two displays: IPS vs TN vs VA. Among all these polar opposite specialties, the thing that will ultimately decide is your purpose of purchase.

Just remember that when it comes to price and response time, TN panels win. And IPS panels win when it comes to the visual quality and viewing angles.

We hope our comparison has helped you come to a conclusion about which one to buy. Let us know your decision in the comments below! Happy tech-shopping!

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