IPS or VA panel: This is how you make the right decision

With LCD displays, you often have the choice between an IPS or a VA panel. We show you the advantages and disadvantages of the two types.

IPS and VA panels: what's the difference?

The display of an LCD display is mainly caused and controlled by liquid crystals. This is where the fundamental difference lies: with VA panels, the crystals are arranged vertically, whereas with IPS panels, they are horizontal.
When a VA (Vertical Alignment Panel) panel is put into operation, the crystals tilt from vertical alignment to horizontal alignment. This ensures very good contrast values for the VA panel. Unfortunately, this is also one of the few advantages of the VA panel.

With the IPS panel, the crystals are arranged evenly one above the other and only have to rotate and not move spatially to change the display. This ensures much shorter response times for the IPS panel, which is particularly important for gaming.
Due to the homogeneous arrangement of the crystals, the viewing angle is also much larger and more stable. Even if the contrast of the VA panel is higher, the IPS panel ensures larger color values. The IPS panel also scores better in terms of electricity consumption.
If a VA panel is touched, it reacts much more strongly to the fault and flickers, which is usually not desired. If you run your finger over the VA panel, you can briefly draw a line; in the ideal case, this is not possible with the IPS panel.
If the panels are exposed to high temperatures, the IPS panel also works well here. VA panels form black spots due to irradiation from 57 degrees Celsius, so-called HotSpots. These disappear after cooling, but this can permanently damage the panel.

In the next practical tip, we will show you what is important when buying a monitor with an IPS panel.