Advantages and disadvantages of IPS LCD screens
IPS LCD screen (In Plane Switching) is a mainstream mid to high end display panel, with core advantages focused on wide viewing angle, accurate color, and balanced experience. However, it also has inherent shortcomings such as power consumption and cost
Please provide a detailed introduction to the advantages and disadvantages of IPS LCD screens
IPS LCD screen (In Plane Switching) is currently the mainstream mid to high end display panel, with core advantages focused on wide viewing angle, accurate color, and balanced experience. However, it also has inherent shortcomings such as power consumption and cost, making it suitable for scenarios that pursue "all-around picture quality". Below is a detailed breakdown from three aspects: advantages (core strengths+details highlights), disadvantages (inherent weaknesses+usage limitations), and supplementary explanations (avoiding pitfalls+matching applicable scenarios), to help you fully understand:
I. The core advantage of IPS LCD screen: the core support for all-around picture quality
1. Full view distortion free (core advantage)
This is the most iconic highlight of IPS, stemming from its structural design of "liquid crystal molecules arranged parallel to the panel":
No matter from the front, side (178 ° left and right), or up and down (178 °) angles, there is almost no attenuation in color, brightness, and contrast, and there will be no problem of TN screen "color cast, graying, or darkening when viewed from the side";
Actual usage scenarios: multiple people sharing a monitor (for meetings, teaching, and watching TV shows at home), laptop external monitor (no need to face the screen directly), vertical screen office (no pressure when looking at code/documents from the side), completely solving the pain point of "perspective dependence".
2. Excellent color performance (can be played professionally/daily)
The rotation mode of liquid crystal molecules in IPS panels is more stable, and the color reproduction and accuracy far exceed TN screens, even better than some VA screens:
Wide color gamut coverage: Mid to high end IPS generally supports 100% sRGB (essential for office/audiovisual needs), and professional models can cover 100% Adobe RGB/99% DCI-P3 (essential for design/retouching/video editing), which can restore true colors;
High color accuracy: The Δ E (color error) of ordinary IPS can be controlled within<3 (difficult to distinguish differences with the naked eye), while the Δ E of professional models is<2 (industrial grade color accuracy), and some support "hardware color calibration" (factory calibration+compatibility with color calibrators) to avoid color cast;
Good color uniformity: The brightness and color consistency of each area of the screen are strong, and there will be no "dark corners and bright centers", making it suitable for displaying images and videos in large areas.
3. Better contrast and image layering (better than TN, partially close to VA)
The static contrast ratio of typical IPS can reach 1000:1-2000:1 (TN screens are mostly around 1000:1), and high-end "IPS Pro" and "Mini LED Backlight IPS" can break through 5000:1, even supporting HDR10/Dolby Vision;
The details in the dark areas are clearer: for example, in the dark scenes of watching movies or in the shadow areas of games, there will be no "black mass", which can restore more details and enhance the immersion of the picture.
4. Steady improvement in response speed (even high refresh rate esports can meet the requirements)
The weakness of early IPS was response speed (native 5-8ms), but currently the mid to high end models have solved it:
Ordinary IPS: native response time of 5-6ms, no ghosting for daily office/video, and light games (such as League of Legends);
Fast IPS/Nano IPS/Ultra IPS: By optimizing the liquid crystal molecule driving method, the native response time can reach 1-3ms, coupled with 144Hz/240Hz high refresh rate, the input delay is close to TN screen, which can meet the needs of e-sports games such as CS2 and Valorant;
No "ghosting risk": Compared to the "ghosting hazard" of VA screens, IPS has a more stable response speed, and even if "Overdrive" is turned on, "ghosting" (image residue) is less likely to occur.
5. Mature technology and diverse forms (suitable for multiple scenarios)
Wide size coverage: IPS panels are available from 13 inches (laptop) to 32 inches+(desktop monitor), and even large screen TVs;
Flexible form: Supports straight screen, curved screen (rare), touch screen (commonly used in laptops/tablets because color distortion is not easy when pressed), 4K/8K high resolution, suitable for all scenarios such as office, design, e-sports, audio and video.
II. The inherent drawbacks of IPS LCD screens: unavoidable shortcomings
1. Slightly higher power consumption (compared to TN screens)
The driving of IPS liquid crystal molecules requires a stronger electric field, and backlight control is more complex, resulting in:
Under the same size and brightness, the power consumption of IPS is 10% -20% higher than that of TN screen;
Impact: Laptops with IPS screens have a battery life 1-2 hours shorter than TN screens (the difference is more pronounced for entry-level laptops); Desktop monitors have little impact (plugged in year-round).
2. High cost (more expensive than TN screens)
The production process of IPS panels is more complex (with high precision requirements for liquid crystal molecule alignment), resulting in:
Under the same size and refresh rate, IPS screens are priced 20% -50% higher than TN screens (for example, a 24 inch 144Hz TN screen costs about 800 yuan, while IPS screens of the same specifications cost about 1200 yuan);
The price difference of high-end IPS (such as 4K+144Hz+wide color gamut) is even greater, and the cost-effectiveness is not as good as TN screens when the budget is limited.
3. Edge light leakage problem (obvious in low-end models, controllable in high-end models)
This is a common issue with IPS, stemming from its backlight design with an "in-plane switching" structure:
Low end IPS (within a thousand yuan): The corners or edges of the screen are prone to "slight whitening" (light leakage), which is more pronounced in black scenes, but does not affect daily office/audio and video, only slightly perceived when watching movies in dark environments;
Mid to high end IPS: By optimizing backlight partitioning and border design, light leakage can be controlled to a level that is difficult to detect with the naked eye, and even professional models have almost no light leakage;
Attention: Leakage ≠ bad pixels, which is a process characteristic, can be screened through the "black image test" (refer to the leakage photos in the evaluation when purchasing).
4. High cost of ultra-high refresh rate (rare above 360Hz)
Although IPS's high refresh rate technology is advancing, but:
There are very few IPS screens with ultra-high refresh rates of 360Hz and above, and they are expensive (for example, a 24 inch 360Hz IPS screen costs about 3000 yuan+);
However, TN screens can easily achieve 360Hz at a price of only around 1500 yuan, and in extreme esports scenarios such as professional players, TN screens still have advantages.
5. Some low-end models have slow response times
Entry level IPS (such as 60Hz models within a thousand yuan) may have a native response time of over 8ms. When playing high-speed mobile games (such as "Racing Plan"), there may be slight ghosting, which is not as smooth as TN screens in the same price range.
III. Additional explanation: How to avoid shortcomings and accurately match requirements?
Select IPS level by scene:
Daily office/audiovisual: Choose a regular IPS with "100% sRGB+60-144Hz+Δ E<3", budget 1000-2000 yuan, no need to pursue high-end, low light leakage impact;
Design/retouching/video: Choose professional IPS with "100% Adobe RGB+hardware color calibration+Δ E<2" (such as Dell U series, BenQ PD series), avoid low-end models, and ensure color accuracy;
Esports+Image Quality: Choose "Fast IPS/Nano IPS+144Hz+1ms Response" (such as ASUS TUF, LG GP series) to balance smoothness and color, avoiding the ghosting problem of ordinary IPS.
Key points for avoiding pitfalls:
Do not buy "low color gamut IPS": Some entry-level IPS are labeled as "45% NTSC", with colors not much better than TN screens and low cost-effectiveness. Prioritize "72% NTSC/100% sRGB";
Test for light leakage: After receiving the goods, display a full screen black image and observe the edges in a dark environment. If the light leakage is severe (large whitening area, affecting viewing), it can be returned or exchanged;
Gamers should check the "Response Speed Parameters": When making a purchase, confirm whether it is "Native 1ms" or "Overdrive Mode 1ms", and prioritize choosing Native Fast IPS to avoid image quality loss caused by overclocking.
IV. Summary: The core positioning of IPS screens
IPS screen is a "balanced and versatile panel", with advantages (wide viewing angle, accurate color, high refresh potential) covering the needs of the vast majority of users, and disadvantages (power consumption, price, light leakage) can be avoided by "choosing the right grade", suitable for:
Users engaged in office/study, design/creation, audio-visual entertainment, home sharing, and "e-sports+image quality balance";
Not suitable for users with extremely low budgets (pursuing ultimate cost-effectiveness), only playing ultra high refresh rate esports (above 360Hz), and sensitive to power consumption (such as outdoor portable devices) (TN screens are more suitable for such scenarios).
Simply put, if your needs are not for "ultimate high refresh rate esports", IPS screens are almost the optimal solution with "no obvious shortcomings". The experience improvement brought by their advantages far outweighs the impact of their disadvantages.
