LCD panel types - TFT Technology explained

[Kuky]

If anyone is looking of buying a new LCD monitor but doesn't know which one to get or wants to know about different types of LCD panels, after "researching" the same thing for myself as I was about to get a new one for myself, I came accross this:

 

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1039222

 

TFT Technology Breakdown and Model/Panel Index

 

TN film (Twisted Nematic)

- low manufacturing/retail costs

- restrictive viewing angles

- fast pixel response times

- dead pixels display white. Stuck pixels display RGB colors

- lower contrast levels means blacks are not as dark as VA based panels

- lower color reproduction

 

IPS (In Plane Switching)

- improved viewing angles over TN

- very good color reproduction

- slower pixel response times than TN

- dead pixels display black

- lower contrast levels means blacks are not as dark as VA based panels

 

Super-IPS (S-IPS)

- same as IPS except ...

- likely best color reproduction of all TFT

- less expensive to produce than IPS

- improved pixel response

 

VA (Vertical Alignment) Technologies

 

MVA (Multidomain Vertical Alignment)

- compromise between TN and IPS technologies

- superior color reproduction over TN but not as good as IPS

- very good viewing angles but less than IPS

- higher contrast than TN or S-IPS means very good blacks

- dead pixels are black

- slower pixel response than TN or IPS

- details can be lost when directly viewing dark areas

Premium-MVA (P-MVA)

- same as MVA except ...

- "overdrive" technology increases pixel response but still slower than TN

- may have slightly degraded color reproduction due to "overdrive" process

 

PVA (Patterned VA)

- same as MVA except ...

- larger viewing angles

- higher contrast levels means darkest blacks

 

Super-PVA (S-PVA)

- same as PVA except ...

- “Magic Speed” (the Samsung equivalent to Overdrive) improves pixel response

- slightly improved color reproduction

- slightly improved viewing angles

 

TN Gamers

Considered a "gamers" panel due to it's fast pixel response times which reduces trailing images know as "ghosting". However, this advantage has been reduced by new technologies to accelerate pixel response times in other panel types. Colors and contrast tend to be weak and blacks are not truly dark. Viewing angles are significantly limited. However, monitors based on this technology tend to be inexpensive.

 

IPS / S-IPS Graphics Work or Web Browsing

Considered to have the best color reproduction of all panel types, these panels are well suited for graphics work or web browsing. Pixel response time is also good but slower than the TN "gamers" panel. Contast and blacks are also less dark than VA panels but viewing angles are excellent.

 

MVA / P-MVA / PVA / S-PVA Compromise for All-Around Use

These panels are a compromise between the fast pixel response times of the TN panel and the excellent color reproduction of the IPS panels. Contrast and blacks are best of all the panel types. Viewing angles are similar but slightly inferior to IPS.

 

 

I hope you find it helpfull :thumbup:

[3Sqn_Fudd]

Grab SIPS if you can m8.... while he's right about needing good response times, I think SIPS have good enough ones.... Next panel i get will be SIPs... or by that time LED

[emenance]

would love to see some feedback to this, as in what YOU are running and how it handles FC and other games. Not much info out there in the compromise area. Price?

[Kuky]

Well I can tell you that I was looking to buy a bit bigger LCD then what I had at the time, a Samsung 940N 19" with 22" or possibly 24".

 

In the end I finally decided 24" are bit pricey considering they are only 2" larger then 22" and 3x the price... so I got a 22" from Samsung (225BW model). I was bit concerned because I've read at many places that ALL 22" LCD's incorporate this Chinese company Chi-Mei panel, and that they are of bad quality (well if you think about it, the rule "you get what you pay for" does apply very well in PC market) but I can tell you that I am very happy with this Samsung 225BW.

 

Yes it does have bit of bleed of backlight on the top and bottom but it's only very noticeable when you first turn it on because the default brightness and contrast are too high.

 

Once I got it set to 50 each... it's no longer that noticeable. You can still see it when the image is all black... but when you play games or view normal desktop or do basically... when ever you have some image on your screen :) you can't notice it at all.

 

The 1680x1050 resolution is really nice, pixel pitch is 0.282 and smaller then what I have on 1280x1024 19" LCD and image is nice and sharp... 5ms GTG response time and I don't see any significant ghosting at all.

 

In short, I am very glad I got this monitor and I would recomend it to anyone who would like to get a nice large monitor that won't make you poor :)

[skinners]

That is very helpful.

Much appreciated.