What is an IPS Monitor?
If you’re looking for a new screen for your computer, you’ve likely encountered the term “IPS”. Now you might be wondering what an IPS monitor actually is, and whether you should buy one or not.
In fact, “IPS” is one of the many terms you should get to know if you pay any kind of interest at all to the latest and greatest technology gadgets available. So, to get you started, IPS stands for in-plane switching. An IPS display is popular due to its wide viewing angles and aesthetic colour.
Some displays may be referred to as “IPS-level” (or similar). This means that the panel wasn’t manufactured by LG, and so the vendor isn’t technically allowed to label the displays as IPS. Whether you need IPS technology or not depends on how you use your standalone monitor or laptop display.
There are four primary types of panels: IPS, TN, OLED, and VA. Each of these types of panels belongs to the LCD panel technology family. Panel type is important as it has an effect on what your monitor can do. Each of these types has their own distinguished pros and cons. The technology and results, however, should appear the same.
Deciding on which panel type you wish to purchase should largely be determined by your personal preference and intended usage. After all, office workers, graphic designers, and gamers each have different needs. So if you’re a gamer looking for the best portable monitors for Macbook Pro, you’ll have different needs than someone just wanting to watch the latest movies online.
The Advantages of IPS
While we’ve mentioned the other three primary panel types, here, we’ll be looking at IPS monitors, in particular. Let’s look at the advantages IPS monitors provide.
Wider Viewing Angles: An IPS monitor’s polarisers and crystals are easier to see from extreme angles, thanks to their parallel orientation. Only those poisoned farthest to the display side will notice any significant reduction in contrast and colour.
Greater Colour Variety: The majority of IPS displays feature 8-bit panels, so they make a better job of reproducing a typical graphic processor’s full 24-bit colour palette. Many TN displays feature 6-bit panels and incorporate additional steps to emulate the entire colour range.
Enhanced Colour Accuracy: ISP monitors typically cost more than a TN monitor, and feature superior backlights that can generate wider colour gambits. The additional shades and hues enable more realistic colours.
A Disadvantage Turned Advantage
Another great feature of an IPS monitor is that it can support professional colour space technologies, like Adobe RGB. This is because an IPS monitor can provide more displayable colours, which helps to improve accuracy.
There was a time when contrast and response time were disadvantages of IPS technology. These days, however, response times of IPS monitors have improved to the point where they can even satisfy gamers, helping to explain their increased popularity in the gaming space.
IPS Variations
Variations of IPS monitors include PLS (Plane-to-Line Switching), which is the most recent iteration. As these vacations are similar to one another, they’re collectively termed “IPS-type” panels.
An IPS monitor provides ultra-wide 178-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles. Video editors, professional photographers, CAD engineers, and graphic designers can all benefit from using an IPS monitor. Many people appreciate the colour benefits that come with IPS monitors. And technological enhancements have improved IPS resolution, contrast, and panel speed. The monitors are more visually appealing than they’ve ever been for both gaming and general desktop tasks. They’re also sufficiently versatile to be used in various monitor styles.
Write words & occasionally spell them correctly.