It is not always easy to decide which monitor to buy. TN and IPS panels are the most common panels, which have their benefits. Awareness of these differences will enable you to make the right choice depending on your specific requirements.

What Is A TN Panel?

A TN panel, or Twisted Nematic panel, is one of the most often used technologies of displays. It has certain characteristics that set it out for certain applications.

TN panels are not very good when it comes to color accuracy. They are not as good at handling colors as other panel types. This may mean that the colors appear to be less bright and a little pale. If you deal with graphics or you need to have colors as close to real as possible, this can be an issue.

But TN panels outcompete IPS panels in response time. They are very fast and sometimes provide response times in a range of 1 millisecond at the most. This speed minimizes the blurring of the moving objects.  Especially useful in games and other videos, thus making TN panels ideal for such activities.

What Is An IPS Panel?

IPS or In-Plane Switching panels are famous for giving the best picture quality when compared to other models. It is intended for those who care about the looks and appearance of the website, as well as the looks of the site visitors.

The color accuracy  is one of the best among IPS panels’ advantages. They output more colors and much richer colors. Which makes them ideal for such uses as photo editing, video work, or any situation that demands accurate color fidelity.

Another major plus is the ability of the viewing angles. In IPS panels, image quality remains constant irrespective of the angle from which the panel is being viewed. They are therefore suitable for conference hall use or for use where two monitors are placed side by side.

Nonetheless, IPS panels are slower in response time compared to the TN panels that are available in the market. The response times of their systems are generally between four and five milliseconds. Of course, this is not so noticeable for those users who do not use Facebook frequently or at all. However, for the gaming enthusiast, it does count.

Differences Between TN And IPS Panels

Having dealt with the general structures of both panels. It will be informative to look at their differences. This will assist you to know how one is positioned with regards to the other.

The first considerable difference is in color quality. TN panels are not very good at reproducing colors. They generally seem to appear less vivid and precise. On the other hand, IPS panels are a step up in this regard. They provide deeper and more accurate colors and that is why they are more appropriate for such operations as photo or video.

Next is refresh rates. TN panels lead the game here. Sometimes they have a refresh rate of 144Hz or even higher to deliver smoother images. Despite the fact that they are improving, IPS panels still trail slightly. The general IPS monitors have a standard refresh rate of 60Hz while the high-end models can go up to 144Hz.

Others are viewing angles which are also very sensitive in determining the ability of a device to display pictures and videos. TN panels suffer from a narrow viewing angle. Images get blurry and less bright when observed from a side view. IPS panels do slightly better than TN panels in this respect because they do not alter the image quality as much when viewed from almost any angle.

Concerning the response time, TN panels have it better than any other panel type. They have a very small response time of 1 millisecond making them ideal for high activity environments. IPS panels are slower, generally, and their response time is normally in the range of 4 to 5 milliseconds. This is not very good for the more hard core gamers, but is good for normal use of the internet.

Finally, there is the price factor which has not been explained as follows: TN panels are cheaper. They offer a good output at a cheap price. IPS panels are more costly because they are equipped with numerous features. If budget is your worry then TN might be the better option available for you. If quality is preferable to quantity, then choose IPS.

Which Panel Is Better To Game On

Computer gaming has unique requirements to meet in order to provide the best gaming experience. TN has its advantages and disadvantages in this aspect as does IPS panels.

As for fast games, TN panels are used most often. Having ultra-fast response times they are capable of reducing both motion blur and ghosting. Furthermore, the refreshing rates are high, which enhances the smoothness of the images, especially for the game enthusiasts.

However, TN panels are not so good with the image quality. The colours can look washed out and there might be some issues with viewing angles. Especially for games that are all about bright colours or wide FOV.

Finally, IPS panels are great at color quality and viewing angles. This makes them ideal for single player games, or RPGs with a lot of eye candy. However, their slower response time and low refresh rate give esports enthusiasts something to look out for.

All in all, if you value speed and performance. TN panels will be the best choice for you. If you prefer to have deeper and vibrant colors and if you want to be engrossed in the game. Then, the IPS panels are more suitable for gaming.

Which Panel Is Better For General Use

If you need a monitor to perform general jobs, there is no big difference between TN and IPS monitors.

For office work, general web surfing or watching movies, the standout is IPS panels. They have better color reproduction and better angles compared to the TN panels making them suitable for general use. When you sit off-center you do not get blurry images as if you are using normal projectors. This is particularly handy if you work with multiple screens or if you present your screen to others you want to show something on.

TN panels are still available for general purposes if you are working on a tight budget. They may not be colorful, and they may have narrow fields of view but they are cheap.

As for the user who pays attention to the image quality and the comfort while watching. They have to choose the second option; IPS panels. If price is an issue and you don’t mind a little less color gamut, then TN panels are perfectly adequate.

Conclusion

This is the biggest question when deciding between TN and IPS panels. TN panels provide fast and cheap results. IPS panels are superior in the image quality and comfort. At the end of the day you will have to make the right choice which depends on you.