van Anandtech LCD thread
. Panel Types
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TN
Good response time
Very good dynamic range (400:1 with older generation, 700 - 1000:1 with newer gen TNs)
Poor vertical viewing angle (especially from below)
Poor screen uniformity and stability (white can look "dirty"), which can reduce perceived contrast
Lateral viewing angle is not great (darker/lighter details can appear and disappear depending on the angle)
8-bit gradient (16.7M colors) through dithering and FRC
Lack of true 8-bit DAC causes color tinting, fringing, and burning in gradients and poor reproduction of darker tones
Very unlikely to get image persistence
Low input lag (lower latency in screen update)
Economical, but more prone to backlight bleeding and QC (quality control) problems than other panel types, too
Target Audience:
Gamers, general use (Word/Excel) who don't mind a poorer viewing angle. Less suitable for movies and poor for photo editing.
VA
Decent response time (varies)
Great dynamic range (1000:1 - 1500:1)
Horizontal color shift (certain gray tones rapidly shift at just a few degrees, worse than TNs in many cases)
Image details absent at perpendicular angle
Good vertical viewing angle
Good screen uniformity (white is uniform and does not shift at angles, contrast is decent)
8-bit gradient (16.7M colors) through true 8-bit DAC (although dithering is possible with certain models)
True 8-bit DAC allows better reproduction of gradients and sometimes better dark tones than TN panels
Unlikely to get image persistence
High input lag (high latency in screen update)
Good value, and the least QC problems of all panels
Target Audience:
Gamers, general use (Word/Excel) who want a more stable viewing angle. OK for photo editing, although beware of color shifting. Not bad for movies, but not always great due to color shift.
IPS
Decent response time
Medium dynamic range (400:1) or higher for AS-IPS/H-IPS/A-TW-IPS (700:1)
Minimal color shift at any viewing angle (only slight brightness reduction, and very little gamma/tint shift)
Image details present across entire screen
Good screen uniformity (white is uniform and does not shift at angles, contrast is amazing)
8-bit gradient (16.7M colors) through true 8-bit DAC (although dithering is possible with certain models)
True 8-bit DAC allows better reproduction of gradients and sometimes better dark tones than TN panels
More neutral grayscale reproduction and warmer, less harsh image (most like a CRT) than S-PVA panels
Medium input lag (low or high depending on model)
More susceptible to image persistence
Tends to be very expensive although benefits can be visible to normal users
Prone to quality control problems: read reviews
Target Audience:
Photo editors will crave this type of panel. IPS-type panels are suitable and generally better for anything else too, including gaming and general use. Some people may prefer an S-PVA for higher dynamic range but an IPS panel, due to its viewing angle characteristics, probably has a higher contrast (ability of the LCD to reliably reproduce tones and nuances
