IPS (In-Plane Switching) and TN (Twisted Nematic) are the two most common technologies in LCD monitors. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and I will detail the differences below.
1. Viewing Angle
Viewing angle refers to whether the color and brightness of the screen change when you look at the screen from different angles. IPS displays perform better in this regard, providing a wider viewing angle, and can maintain the clarity and accuracy of the picture even when viewed from the side or up and down. TN displays perform poorly in this regard, and the brightness and color of the picture will change when viewed from an oblique angle.
2. Response speed
Response speed is usually used to describe the speed of screen refresh. TN displays have a faster response speed, usually only requiring a response time of 2-5 milliseconds, which makes TN displays more suitable for processing fast-moving images and videos. IPS displays are relatively slow in this regard, and the response time usually takes more than 6 milliseconds, which means that when processing high-speed moving scenes, problems such as blurring and ghosting may occur.
3. Color performance
IPS displays have more accurate color performance than TN displays, and can present more colors and details. IPS displays can usually reach 8-bit or higher color depth, which means it can present more tones and shades. TN displays usually have only 6-bit color depth, which means that color gradients may not be smooth during display.
4. Price
In general, TN displays are much cheaper than IPS displays. This is because TN technology is relatively cheap and the production process is relatively simple, so TN displays can be sold at a lower price. IPS displays require more advanced and complex manufacturing processes and materials, so they are more expensive.
5. Energy consumption
IPS displays are generally more energy-efficient than TN displays. This is because IPS displays require less backlight and power, making them less energy-consuming. At the same time, IPS displays can also adapt to brightness and automatically adjust brightness according to the light intensity of the current environment, thereby further reducing energy consumption.
6. Color saturation
IPS displays have better color saturation than TN displays and are more accurate in displaying colors. This means that IPS displays can present more realistic and beautiful images.
7. Contrast
IPS displays perform better in contrast, with higher black depth and white brightness, making images clearer and richer in details. TN displays are relatively weaker and usually have difficulty achieving extremely high black depth and white brightness.
8. Response speed
Although TN displays have a faster response speed, due to the refresh method they use, screen tearing may occur. IPS displays do not have this problem, and there will be no screen tearing, no ghosting, and no blurring.
9. Visual offset
When you look at an IPS display, the image on the screen will not be deformed no matter from which angle you look at it. When you look at a TN display, there may be a visual offset, that is, the image is stretched or compressed and loses its original proportion.
10. Brightness uniformity
IPS displays perform better in terms of brightness uniformity. This means that the brightness is evenly distributed across the entire screen, and there will be no dark corners or bright spots. TN displays are relatively weak in this regard, and usually have obvious brightness unevenness problems.
11. Touch screen adaptability
IPS displays perform better in terms of touch screens because they can provide a wider viewing angle and no color distortion occurs when touching. TN displays may have problems such as color distortion and image deformation.
12. Rendering speed
IPS displays usually perform better when dealing with complex 3D rendering tasks because of their high color accuracy and good contrast, which can present more detailed images. TN displays may have problems such as inaccurate colors and missing details.
13. Energy saving
IPS displays are better than TN displays in terms of energy saving because IPS displays use advanced backlight technology, which makes them consume less energy. At the same time, IPS displays also have an adaptive brightness function that can automatically adjust the brightness according to the ambient light, thereby saving more energy.
In short, there are some differences between IPS and TN displays in terms of viewing angle, response speed, color performance, price, etc. You should choose the right display according to your actual needs. If you need high color reproduction, contrast and viewing angle, then IPS display is a better choice; if you pursue fast response time and low latency, or have a limited budget, then TN display may be more suitable for you.