can offer 144Hz or 240Hz refresh rate and a response time of 1 ms. We therefore ensured fluid movement, without “motion blur” and without ghosting. In motion blur, the object we are moving (human or not) looks blurry, while in ghost effect, it looks like we are using two characters at the same time.
In addition, these monitors add blacks in favor. They are characterized by high quality blacks, so we will have great sharpness in the dark areas. This is the great advantage they have over the IPS panels.
On the other hand, TN panel has one big drawback and that is color quality. They tend to have a poorer color palette and the colors tend to look slightly washed out. Also, they usually have a 1000:1 contrast and 250 nits brightness, which hurts them very much. They also have viewing angles though, which are usually between 160 and 170 degrees.
IPS: small detail in the blacks
The bone In-Plane Switching (IPS) They are able to display the colors of images much more accurately. These offer us colors up to 8 bits. They are the ones that offer the greatest color depth, up to 30% more color space than TN.
In IPS panels the viewing angles are much better, we have 178 degrees of vision in which we do not lose image quality or color is impaired. Having these kinds of advantages, it is no wonder that its price is higher than that of TN panels.
Usually this type of panel offers refresh rates up to 165 Hz, but some reach 240 Hz, but they are few and expensive. But on the other hand, response times of IPS panels are usually 5ms. Some monitors we can find with shorter times, but it is difficult and they tend to have quite high prices.
Another of the disadvantages of this type of panels is the blacks. They have to reduce black levels, so we can lose detail in very dark areas. VAs and especially TNs are better in this regard.
On the other hand, IPS panels can have flaws like all panels, except that IPS has one of its own: IPS Glow. The brightness seems to increase as we look at the screen from a wider angle.
VA: an intermediate solution
Finally we have the panels Vertical alignment (VA). This type of panel would be a hybrid between TN and IPS panels, taking good things from both types. Above all, they can be viewed on gaming monitors with 4K resolution, where the user wants to demand image quality.
They are characterized by refresh rates above 200 Hz, so we eliminate the effect of ghosting and such. They also offer very good color coverage with very vivid colors and contrast ratios of 3000:1 or more. For those who want to enjoy story games with high graphic quality, they are excellent.
The negative point of these monitors lies precisely in the response times. As we said, they are a kind of intermediate point between the two previous types of panels. These panels offer a response time of between 2 and 3 ms, although some have shorter times.
Perhaps the big issue with this type of panel is the price. VA panel-based monitors are really expensive, so much so that we will hardly see any gaming monitors with sub-4K resolution (but there are).
Which is best for gaming?
Really, everyone brings us different things. The reality is th at we’ll have to think a bit about what kind of games we’re going to focus on. It is also difficult because any fan of video games, even if they have a favorite genre, usually try the games.
So that you have all the data and can choose well, we leave you this table as a summary:
| type of panel | The rapidity | Color | Contrast | viewing angle | Price | Ideal for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NT | These are usually the ones with the best refresh rates and lowest response times. | They offer low color quality, with colors often being muted, although they are excellent in blacks | They tend to have quite low contrast ratios, so you can’t ask for much in that regard. | This is the weak point of these panels, although it is also true that we will hardly look at the screen from the side | The good thing is that this type of panel is very cheap to manufacture, so it allows us to offer quite affordable monitors | It can be said to be perfect for eSports type games like LoL, CS:GO, Fortnite and others, but it is not recommended for story games |
| IPS | Currently there are already refresh rates over 200Hz, although the usual is between 120Hz and 165Hz. On the other hand, they usually have response times of 5ms due to the construction of the pixels. | It offers excellent color quality, these being really vivid. The big downside is in the blacks which are not very clear | They offer a very good contrast ratio, better than the TN but a little worse than the VA, they are quite well balanced in this respect | It offers 178/178 degree viewing angles which, while not the most relevant of a monitor, is still something to consider | Although it is a little more expensive to manufacture, it is not much, so the price difference compared to monitors with a TN panel is minimal | It is the most versatile solution on the market, as it offers optimal characteristics for electronic sports and historical games, with good refresh rates for different resolutions. |
| Virginia | They usually offer refresh rates above 200 Hz, but on the contrary, response times are usually 2-3 ms, although there are more and more models with times of 1 ms | They have the good of TN and IPS. They offer a very rich and vivid color palette and the blacks are very crisp | The normal thing is a contrast ratio of 3000:1, that’s why it’s usually used especially on monitors with 4K resolution | The viewing angle is the same as on IPS monitors | These are the most expensive as they are normally focused on 4K gaming and most importantly they are used for curved monitors | Without a doubt, they are the most versatile, since they are valid for games with history or eSports type games, as well as ideal for watching audiovisual content. |
Monitors that are perfect for gaming
Now that we know the most interesting types of panels for gaming, we wanted to make a small selection. All of these monitors offer excellent image quality and are quite versatile solutions.
BenQ MOBIUZ EX2510S
As a more basic option, we have this BenQ monitor which features a 24.5-inch IPS-type panel. This monitor offers us a 1080p resolution with a refresh rate of 144 Hz and a response time of 1 ms. Plus, it offers HDR support, 99% sRGB color coverage, and up to 400 nits brightness.
Believing to deliver the best image quality, this monitor incorporates AMD FreeSync Premium, which ensures excellent image quality and eliminates issues such as flickering and ghosting. Also note that it includes two 2.5 W speakers and also two HDMI 2.0 and a DisplayPort 1.2.
Xiaomi Mi Curved 34″ GL
Curved and widescreen monitors are taking over the gaming market. This Xiaomi monitor is in UltraWide format, with a 21:9 ratio, which is like having two monitors in one. This monitor uses a 34-inch VA panel with a resolution of 3440×1440 pixels and a refresh rate of 144Hz. The downside is that it has a response time of 4ms.
This monitor supports AMD FreeSync Premium technology, to deliver the best picture quality without tearing or ghosting. In addition, this monitor offers us 121% sRGB coverage, so we will have colors of the highest quality and clarity. Finally, note that it has two HDMI 2.0, two DisplayPort 1.4 and audio connectors.
Asus TUF VG289Q
If you want to enjoy games with great quality, we offer you this interesting monitor. ASUS in its TUF Gaming range offers us this monitor with a 28-inch IPS-type panel with 4K resolution. On the downside, this monitor offers a 60Hz refresh rate and 5ms response time, although it offers 100% HDR10 and DCI-P3 color coverage.
To compensate for the loss of quality with blacks, ASUS has implemented Shadow Boost technology, which brightens dark areas. It also supports AMD FreeSync which means eliminating image tearing issues. The connection is not bad, with a DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 and a headphone jack.
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