Difference between TN and IPS

TN and IPS are two technologies that are used to create liquid crystal displays or LCD. TN stands for Twisted Nematic while IPS stands for In-Plane Switching. These technologies handle the way the liquid crystals move differently, resulting in different performance. Probably the biggest difference between the two, in the buyer’s perspective, is the price. TN displays are much cheaper compared to their equivalent IPS displays. Part of the reason of the higher price is the doubling of the number of transistors per pixel in IPS displays, which uses two transistors.

If price is not a factor in choosing the better display, then IPS displays would be the sure winner. IPS displays do not suffer from the color limitation problem that TN displays have. To achieve better color reproduction, TN displays use dithering but it could affect the sharpness of the resulting image. IPS displays can recreate a wider variation of colors without the use of dithering and is generally the desired technology for people who extensively work with digital imaging and rendering.

Another aspect where they differ is the viewing angle. Viewing angle is a measurement of how far away you can be from directly in front of the display while still seeing a good quality image. IPS displays have a very wide viewing angle and you can view the display from a very slanted angle but the image still retains its colors and you can still make out the figures on the screen. TN displays, when viewed at an angle, begin to suffer from loss of color. The image becomes washed out, as if you are viewing the image through thick smoke. Although this is generally treated as a negative aspect of TN displays, it can be beneficial in certain applications where privacy is preferred. It is much harder for people to sneak a peek on a TN display than on an IPS display.

Choosing between an IPS display and a TN display should be dependent on the intended use. If you are looking for a TV set, IPS is the better choice as it is important for a TV to have excellent color reproduction as well as a wide viewing angle. For a regular computer monitor, a TN display would probably suffice as you would be sitting right in front of it most of the time.

Summary:

IPS displays cost considerably more compared to TN displays

IPS displays are much better at reproducing colors compared to TN displays

IPS displays have much wider viewing angles compared to TN displays