上次您在市场上搜索电视或电脑显示器(computer monitor)时，您是否遇到过TN、IPS或VA等术语？您(Did)是否想知道这些名称的含义以及它们是否重要？如果您这样做了，或者您只是想知道为什么某些屏幕比其他屏幕更好，请阅读这篇文章。我们解释了TN、IPS(TN, IPS)和VA的优缺点，我们还向您展示了哪些类型的显示器具有最佳的色彩、最佳的对比度(contrast ratio)和最快的。
什么是TN显示器？
TN来自Twisted Nematic，它是用于制造LCD显示器的最古老的技术之一。使用Twisted Nematic(Twisted Nematic)面板的屏幕比使用IPS或VA等其他显示技术的屏幕更实惠，但它们也有许多缺点。TN面板通常色彩还原性(color reproduction)较差，视角有限，主要是垂直方向。
扭曲向列显示器每个(Twisted Nematic)RGB 通道(RGB channel)仅使用 6 位来表示颜色，总计 18 位。这比普通的每通道 16 位颜色表示(channel color representation)要多，但比每通道 24 位颜色表示(channel color representation)要少。换言之，TN面板无法再现 24 位RGB 色彩(RGB color)空间中可用的所有 1600 万种颜色。
此外，当视角改变时， TN显示器会遭受亮度变化和颜色偏移的加剧形式。(brightness change and color shifting)如果您想知道这意味着什么，答案是您看到的颜色会根据您观看屏幕的位置而发生巨大变化。除非您是垂直地看TN显示器，并保持在它的正前方，否则颜色是不准确的。向左或向右移动一点，或者更糟的是，相对于TN屏幕向上或向下移动，颜色就会改变。虽然较新的TN面板在这方面没有旧的那么差，但它们在色彩还原(color reproduction)方面仍然存在这个问题。
TN面板也有一个明显的缺点，即当您用手指触摸或按压它们时，它们通常会在该区域变亮。这个问题使得TN面板对于依赖触摸屏的设备（例如智能手机或平板电脑）毫无用处。
就性能而言， Twisted Nematic(Twisted Nematic)面板的唯一重要特征是它们比其他类型的显示面板具有更快的像素响应时间。(pixel response)TN面板是所有面板中速度最快的，因为它们可以轻松实现 1ms像素响应(pixel response)时间和 144Hz 或更高的刷新率。这可能是TN(TN)面板在游戏显示器中大量使用的唯一原因。
什么是IPS显示器？
IPS是In-Plane Switching的首字母缩写词，代表一种用于LCD屏幕的新技术。它旨在规避扭曲向列(Twisted Nematic)面板的缺点。IPS希望改善色彩还原(color reproduction)不佳以及TN中发现的亮度和色偏问题(brightness and color shift issues)。它设法通过使用不同的电极实现和排列来做到这一点。(implementation and arrangement)与Twisted Nematic相比， (Twisted Nematic)In-Plane Switching使用的一些电极排列方式不同，并产生平行于玻璃板(glass plate)的电场。不像TN面板，IPS显示器提供了可用于显示器的最佳色彩再现(color reproduction)以及最宽的视角，通常高达 178 度。无论您站在IPS显示器前的哪个位置，您看到的颜色都应该看起来一样好。
IPS面板的另一个优点是每个RGB 颜色(RGB color)通道最多可以使用 8 位，而TN只能使用 6 位。这意味着您总共可以获得 24 位，因此您可以获得 24 位RGB 色域中(RGB gamut)可用的全部 1670 万种颜色。再加上它们的图像质量和色彩准确度(image quality and color accuracy)，这就是所有经过 Pantone 验证(Pantone Validated)的显示器都使用IPS面板的原因。
(IPS)与TN面板相比， (TN)IPS面板也有一些缺点：它们的像素响应(pixel response)时间更长，而且制造成本更高。在查看使用IPS面板的显示器时，您应该会看到从 4ms 开始并上升的值，并且刷新率通常为 60Hz 或 75Hz。
由于IPS屏幕提供出色的(IPS)色彩再现(color reproduction)和宽视角，因此它们是电视等设备的热门选择，也适用于专业人士和将图像质量(image quality)放在首位的人们使用的计算机显示器。与AMOLED显示器一起，IPS屏幕也常用于智能手机和平板电脑等触摸屏设备。但是，由于IPS的像素响应时间较长，一些游戏玩家可能会避开基于IPS面板的电脑显示器。
什么是 VA 显示器？
VA来自Vertical Alignment，是一种介于TN（Twisted Nematic）和IPS（In-Plane Switching）之间的(IPS (In-Plane Switching))显示技术(display technology)。VA面板比TN面板具有更好的色彩还原(color reproduction)能力，但无法达到IPS面板设定的高标准。VA面板也具有宽视角，类似于IPS，但通常不能像TN那样管理相同的快速(TN)像素响应(pixel response)时间。然而，有不止几个VA现在的电脑显示器可以达到 1ms 的像素响应速度(response rate)。
与IPS(IPS)一样，VA显示器也能够使用 8 位每个RGB 颜色(RGB color)通道，这意味着它们理论上可以覆盖 24 位RGB 颜色(RGB color)空间中的 1670 万种颜色。这意味着它们远高于TN，尽管颜色不如IPS详细。
与TN或IPS显示器不同， (IPS)VA面板内的液晶与玻璃板垂直排列。这也是VA被称为Vertical Alignment的原因。此外，这还具有允许非常深的黑色的优点：当晶体垂直于玻璃时，它们不会让任何光通过它们出来（没有光等于黑色）。因此， VA(VA)显示器中最好的东西之一也是最畅销的品质是它们的高对比度(contrast ratio)。
VA显示器的主要缺点是它们可能会出现颜色偏移(color shifting)，就像TN面板一样。这意味着当你改变你在屏幕前的位置时，颜色会改变它们的外观。
色彩质量(color quality)、宽视角以及达到 144Hz 或更高刷新率的能力使 VA 面板成为游戏显示器的常用选择，尽管并非所有面板都具有最快的像素响应(pixel response)时间。
哪种显示技术(display technology)更好：TN、IPS或 VA？
如果您不是游戏玩家，我们相信IPS比VA好，而VA比TN好。(TN)如果您是游戏玩家，我们倾向于认为我们的建议是首先VA，其次是IPS，最后是TN。无论哪种方式，我们都不再推荐TN屏幕，除非您的预算很低并且您不介意它的缺点。总结一切：
-
IPS面板提供最佳的图像质量(image quality)和最宽的视角，但速度不快（像素响应率(response rate)和刷新率都不是）
-
VA面板具有出色的对比度(contrast ratio)、良好的色彩还原(color reproduction)和宽视角（接近IPS），但可能会出现颜色偏移，并且它们通常不如TN面板快
-
TN面板价格实惠且速度快，但它们的色彩再现和视角(color reproduction and viewing angles)都很差，而且它们会出现色偏
您更喜欢 TN、IPS还是 VA 屏幕？
我们希望我们已经帮助您更清楚地了解这些显示技术的内容，以及为什么有些技术比其他技术更好。您是否更喜欢图像质量并选择(image quality and choose)购买具有内置IPS面板的显示器？还是您更喜欢VA显示器？你会考虑购买任何使用TN面板的东西吗？在下面的评论部分中告诉我们您喜欢什么以及为什么。
What is IPS, VA, or TN when it comes to displays?
The last time when you seаrched the market for a TV or a соmputer monitor, did you encounter the terms TN, IPS, or VA? Did you wonder what those names mean and whether they matter? If you did, or if you just want to know why some screens are better than others, read this article. We explain the advantages and drawbacks of TN, IPS, and VA, and we also show you what types of displays have the best colors, which have the best contrast ratio, and which are the fastest.
What is a TN display?
TN comes from Twisted Nematic, and it's one of the oldest technologies used for creating LCD displays. The screens that use Twisted Nematic panels are more affordable than the ones that use other display technologies such as IPS or VA, but they also have many shortcomings. TN panels usually have poor color reproduction, and their viewing angles are limited, mainly in the vertical direction.
Twisted Nematic displays represent colors using just six bits per RGB channel, which sums up to a total of 18 bits. That's more than the common 16-bit per channel color representation, but it is less than the 24-bit per channel color representation. In other words, TN panels cannot reproduce all the 16 million colors available in the 24-bit RGB color space.
Furthermore, TN displays suffer from an aggravating form of brightness change and color shifting when the viewing angle changes. If you're wondering what that means, the answer is that the colors you see change dramatically depending on where you stand to view the screen. Unless you are looking at a TN display perpendicularly, staying right in front of it, the colors are not accurate. Move a bit to the left or to the right, or even worse, move up or down relative to a TN screen, and the colors change. Although newer TN panels are not as bad at this as the older ones, they still have this problem with color reproduction.
TN panels also have the significant disadvantage that when you touch them or press them with your finger, they usually lighten up in that area. It's an issue that makes TN panels useless for devices that rely on touchscreens, such as smartphones or tablets.
The only good important feature of Twisted Nematic panels, in terms of performance, is that they allow for faster pixel response times than other types of display panels. TN panels are the fastest of them all, as they can easily achieve 1ms pixel response times and 144Hz or higher refresh rates. This is probably the only reason why TN panels are used so much in gaming monitors.
What is an IPS display?
IPS is an acronym for In-Plane Switching and represents a newer technology for LCD screens. It was designed to circumvent the shortcomings of Twisted Nematic panels. IPS wanted to improve the poor color reproduction, as well as the brightness and color shift issues found in TN. It managed to do that by using a different implementation and arrangement of electrodes. Compared to Twisted Nematic, some of the electrodes used by In-Plane Switching are arranged differently and generate electric fields that are parallel to the glass plate. Unlike TN panels, the IPS displays offer the best color reproduction available for displays and also the widest viewing angles, which commonly go to up to 178 degrees. No matter where you're standing in front of an IPS display, the colors you see should look just as good.
Another advantage of IPS panels is that they can use up to eight bits for each RGB color channel, compared to TN, which can use only six. That means that you get 24 bits in total, so you get the full 16.7 million colors available in the 24-bit RGB gamut. That, plus their image quality and color accuracy, is why all Pantone Validated displays use IPS panels.
IPS panels also have a few drawbacks compared to TN panels: their pixel response times are longer, and it costs more to make them. When looking at displays that use IPS panels, you should expect to see values that start from 4ms and go up, and with refresh rates that are typically either 60Hz or 75Hz.
Because they offer great color reproduction and wide viewing angles, IPS screens are a popular choice for devices such as TVs, and also for computer monitors used by professionals and people who put image quality first on their priority lists. Together with AMOLED displays, IPS screens are also commonly used on touchscreen devices such as smartphones and tablets. However, due to the longer pixel response times of IPS, some gamers may avoid computer monitors based on IPS panels.
What is a VA display?
VA, which comes from Vertical Alignment, is a display technology that covers the middle ground between TN (Twisted Nematic) and IPS (In-Plane Switching). VA panels have better color reproduction than TN panels, but they don't manage to match the high standards set by IPS panels. VA panels also have wide viewing angles, similar to IPS, but do not usually manage the same fast pixel response times of TN. However, there are more than a few VA computer monitors these days that can get to 1ms pixel response rate.
Just like IPS, VA displays also have the ability to use 8 bits per RGB color channel, which means that they theoretically can cover the 16.7 million colors in the 24-bit RGB color space. That means that they are well above TN, although the colors are not as detailed as in IPS.
Unlike on TN or IPS displays, the liquid crystals found inside VA panels are aligned vertically to the glass plates. That's also the reason why VA is called Vertical Alignment. Furthermore, this also comes with the advantage of allowing very dark blacks: when the crystals are perpendicular to the glass, they don't let any light come out through them (no light equals black). Thus, one of the best things and also most marketed qualities in VA displays is their high contrast ratio.
The main disadvantage of VA displays is that they can suffer from color shifting, just like TN panels. That means that colors can change their appearance when you're changing your position in front of the screen.
The color quality, wide viewing angles, and the ability to reach 144Hz or higher refresh rates make VA panels an often used choice for gaming monitors, despite the fact that not all of them have the fastest pixel response times.
Which is the better display technology: TN, IPS, or VA?
We believe that IPS is better than VA, and VA is better than TN, if you're not a gamer. If you are a gamer, we tend to believe that our recommendations would be VA first, IPS second, TN last. Either way, we no longer recommend TN screens, unless you have a low budget and you don't mind its drawbacks. To sum everything up:
-
IPS panels offer the best image quality and the widest viewing angles, but they are not fast (neither pixel response rate nor refresh rate)
-
VA panels have great contrast ratio, good color reproduction, and wide viewing angles (close to IPS), but can suffer from color shifting and they're usually not as fast as TN panels
-
TN panels are affordable and fast, but both their color reproduction and viewing angles are poor, and they suffer from color shifting
Do you prefer TN, IPS, or VA screens?
We hope that we have helped you get a clearer view of what these display technologies are about, and why some are better than others. Do you prefer image quality and choose to buy displays that have built-in IPS panels? Or do you like VA displays more? Would you even consider buying anything that uses TN panels? Tell us what you prefer and why, in the comments section below.
