Which is Better For a TV, IPS vs VA
The main sign of a TV’s quality is the image on the screen. This depends a lot on the display technology used. VA or IPS technologies are used for LCD TVs, but which is better for screen construction?
If you don’t want to bother with theory, you can answer right away:
VA is the best technology for building an LCD panel used in a TV.
This is the private opinion of many experts who professionally evaluate these technologies using stands and special devices.
Once again, this is a private opinion, and you can not unequivocally prove which is better — IPS or VA.
Information About TV Panels
The quality of the image on the TV screen is evaluated using several indicators:
- contrast,
- black level,
- brightness,
- color accuracy,
- color gamut.
Each of the technologies, VA and IPS, has an advantage somewhere and loses somewhere in these indicators. Therefore, there is no definite answer about which is better.
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are predominant in TVs. These include conventional LCD TVs, Samsung’s QLED, and LG’s NanoCell. Their competitors, OLED screens, are built using a completely different technology without liquid crystals.
LCD screen consists of several layers, including a layer of liquid crystals. The arrangement of the liquid crystals in space indicates whether the panel type used is VA or IPS.
Also read: What is a “soap opera” in movies?
VA technology (vertical alignment) — vertical alignment in a matrix. Liquid crystals in a VA matrix are perpendicularly aligned when voltage is switched off, i.e., they do not let light through. When voltage is applied, the crystals rotate 90°, and a bright dot appears on the screen. Pixels do not allow light to pass through without voltage, so they are seen as black dots when they fail.
IPS (in-plane switching) technology improves the viewing angles of LCDs. In this technology, the liquid crystal molecules in the matrix switch in the plane of the LCD screen layer rather than perpendicular to it.
The main display characteristics arise from the arrangement of the liquid crystals in the matrix’s cells.
Screen pixels need a light source to shine. The backlight is such a source, and the crystals in the cells allow this flow of light to pass through or block its path, depending on their position in space. The position of the crystals is regulated by the voltage applied from the TFT layer (thin-film transistors).
So, by regulating the voltage applied to the cells of the matrix from the TFT, we can regulate the glow of each sub-pixel. As you know, the picture on the screen is built from the pixels of the matrix, and each pixel is divided into three subpixels.
The matrix’s backlighting influences certain screen features, such as color spectrum. This includes color purity (the richness and naturalness of colors) and color gamut. To enhance color purity, the backlighting utilizes white light-emitting diodes (LEDs), incorporating various color filters, dual-component LEDs, and a new layer of quantum dots.
Quantum dots gave rise to technologies like QLED and NanoCell. They are a layer of color filters through which the white backlight already becomes the desired color. If green grass is displayed, the backlight becomes greener. The color spectrum is narrow, and there is no harmful mixing from neighboring pixels. You get pure color without unnecessary halftones.
Also read: HDR TV stands for extended dynamic range video on the TV screen.
Color Accuracy VA or IPS
Color accuracy is affected by matrix technology and other technical factors, including the quality of backlighting and the processor. The processor is especially essential for the video upscaling system. Without it, the processor may not have time to process the colors of each pixel. The more powerful the processor, the better.
Therefore, when evaluating the accuracy of color reproduction, you need to consider different characteristics.
All things being equal, the IPS matrix’s structure produces more accurate color reproduction. But this is where contrast interferes.
Contrast and Black Level
You need to consider the quality of the LED backlight. The backlight can be located on the sides of the screen (Edge LED) or evenly behind the matrix (Direct LED).
The backlight can realize local dimming. This is especially easy when the LEDs are located at the back of the matrix. If there are dark scenes in the image area, that is where the backlight reduces its glow, and it is easier than creating black in the picture. This means that the backlighting is regulated by zones, and the more expensive the TV, the more such zones. With local dimming, there can be hundreds of such zones, and with quantum dots, there are thousands.
Therefore, the contrast can be better for inexpensive TVs because they have better backlight regulation.
VA LCD panels offer the best contrast ratio and black levels, producing superior color reproduction.
You should choose a TV with a VA matrix for better picture quality.
Also, read: Why do you need the TV code? You can find it in the manual and on the Internet.
Black Color Clarity IPS vs VA
The work of the backlight matrix has some disadvantages, including the screen’s color clarity. If the black level is essential for VA and IPS technologies, we will pay attention to black purity.
Black uniformity tests determine how well a TV displays a dark scene with a bright image in the center. Ideally, the screen should be completely black, and the center cross should be the only bright part, which is essential for people watching movies.
No light-emitting diode (LED) backlit TV has perfect uniformity, and unlike viewing angles and contrast, panel type does not entirely determine black uniformity.
However, most tested VA panels have good black uniformity, while most IPS panels have below-par black uniformity. This does not mean every TV with a VA panel has good uniformity, as it can vary between devices. You can also improve uniformity by using the local dimming feature.
IPS has homogeneity issues with the shine and dimming of the backlight all over the screen. The entire screen also looks blue due to low contrast. The VA screen is much more uniform, and while you can see some backlight leakage around the edges, it disappears if you turn on local dimming, as shown in the photo.
Also, read: The foil layer, not the braid, is essential in shielding.
Viewing Angles VA or IPS
A perennial problem with LCD screens is horizontal and vertical viewing angles. Both colors and contrast can change when you change the viewing angle and look at the TV from the side.
IPS matrices have better viewing angles. They can go as high as 178 degrees, while the maximum is 180 degrees.
VA matrices have viewing angles greater than 160 degrees.
Vertical viewing angles rarely matter; its monitors can be above or below the eyes, and the TV is usually viewed in the center, as far as the vertical is concerned.
Learn how to choose and buy a 4K TV.
General
All these points should be considered cautiously. Technology is far advanced, and the difference between VA and IPS is slight.
This is especially true if you compare a cheap TV with a VA matrix and an expensive one with an IPS screen. So, you can choose IPS. However, suppose you compare the two technologies, considering the equality of other characteristics such as backlighting, response time, and processor performance. In that case, you will make a more accurate choice. And it will most likely be in favor of the VA matrix because of the contrast.
However, LG uses the IPS matrix in its LCD models, and the owners of these TVs are satisfied. Samsung uses the VA matrix, and its customers are also happy. So do not conclude in advance. If this is an essential question, go to the store and compare.
Also, read: There is no perfect black color in LED and QLED.
VA or IPS Monitors are Better
There are slightly different criteria for choosing a monitor matrix.
The video card processes their video, and its performance is much better than the TV processors. Monitors’ diagonal sizes are also smaller. The role of parameters like “pixel response time” is increasing.
For example, many users only recommend IPS for graphics processing because of its accurate color rendering. VA is recommended for general use because of contrast. It’s a different story and a slightly different choice.
