![]() ![]() IPS panels have the best viewing angles and colors of any LCD monitor type, thanks to its crystal alignment always lining up with the viewer. This, in turn, blocks a bit more light than both TN and VA panels. Part of this design requires the two electrodes (which apply current to the liquid crystal to change its state) to be on the same glass substrate, instead of aligned with each other on the sandwiching glass substrates above and below the crystal (as in other types of LCDs). The crystals are always horizontal to the two polarizers and twist 90° horizontally to go from off to on. These panels debuted after TN panels in the mid-1990s. Consequently, you won’t see quite as many VA panel gaming monitors. However, VA panels come with a tradeoff, as they are often more expensive than TN panels and tend to have lower refresh rates and slower response times than TN panels. And multiple crystal alignments (shifted a bit off axis from each other) can allow for better viewing angles compared to TN panels. This structure produces deeper blacks and better colors than TN panels. ![]() In the on state, the crystals begin to align horizontally, changing the polarization to match the second polarizer and allowing the light to go through the crystals. In the off state, the crystals are perpendicular to the two opposing polarizers. Instead of using liquid crystals to twist a light’s polarization, a VA panel’s liquid crystals are aligned either perpendicular (vertical to) or parallel (horizontal to) the two polarizers. VA stands for vertical alignment, again referring to the crystal alignment. They can also have poor color and contrast due to this twist mechanism not being the most precise or accurate. TN panels are cheap but suffer from poor viewing angles due to the “twist” only being aligned in one direction for viewing the panel straight on. Consequently, TN panels are the only 240 hertz (Hz) gaming monitors available right now. This design allows for fast response times (the time between the panel getting the frame it’s supposed to display and actually displaying it). (Image credit: Marvin Raaijmakers/Wikimedia Commons) Or, the crystal can align itself with the first polarizer, and, subsequently, the second polarizer will block the light. Depending on the on or off (or in between) state, this crystal can twist polarization of the light 90°, thus matching the orientation of the second polarizer and letting it through. With TN panels, once the backlight is polarized into one direction, it enters the liquid crystals. ![]() These were the first LCD panels, and the tech behind them dates back to the 1980s. So without further ado, here the types of LCD panels: TN Panels The difference between different types of LCD panels is mostly in how this in-between liquid crystal part works. To produce color all that’s needed is three color filters, red, green and blue, that block all light other than that color from coming through. Now you have an on and off (and between) switch for light. This then changes a percentage of the polarization of the light passing through to meet the orientation of the second polarizer, allowing it to pass through and become visible to your eye. But when you apply a voltage, you turn the liquid crystal into some percentage of an “on” state. This means that when the light reaches a second polarizer, oriented oppositely from the first polarizer, all the light is blocked. A liquid crystal in the rest, or off, state is arranged to not change the polarization of the light. A liquid crystal in this case is a crystal structure that can change the polarization of light passing through it. ![]()
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