Buzz
Classification by Structure
When it comes to monitor screens, there are typically three different types: Twisted Nematic (TN), Vertical Alignment (VA), or In-Plane Switching (IPS).
TN Monitors
TN monitors operate by passing light through polarizing screens, color filters, and liquid crystals. While TN screens are one of the oldest monitor technologies, they may suffer from weak and inconsistent color quality, as well as narrow viewing angles.
An area where TN monitors excel is response time. TN monitors boast super-fast GTG response times ranging from 1 to 2ms.
The extremely fast response time of TN monitors makes them ideal for fast-paced shooting and action games that demand a lag-free experience.
IPS Monitors
IPS monitors are designed in part to address the shortcomings of TN monitors. While IPS monitors may have slower response times and lower refresh rates compared to TN monitors, they offer some of the best color accuracy, higher contrast ratios, and minimal color shifting at varying viewing angles.
Due to their slower response times and refresh rates, most IPS monitors are not ideal for competitive gaming or fast-paced action games. However, with advancements in monitor technology, newer IPS monitors like those in the ViewSonic ELITE series can achieve response times close to TN monitors.
IPS monitors are the ideal choice for gamers who want to enjoy slower-paced open-world games with stunning graphics such as Skyrim, Grand Theft Auto, No Man’s Sky, or Journey.
Thanks to its precise color accuracy, IPS monitors are also perfect for streamers who enjoy live streaming their games and other content creators using monitors for their creative work.
VA Monitors
VA monitors combine some of the best features of both TN and IPS monitors.
Compared to IPS monitors, VA monitors have similar refresh rates. VA monitors also come with some of the best contrast ratios among all three types of monitors, resulting in deeper blacks and brighter whites.
However, a downside to VA monitors is their slower response time, making them prone to blurring in fast-paced action games or first-person shooter games.
With higher contrast ratios, faster refresh rates but slower response times, VA monitors are best suited for casual gamers or players who enjoy single-player games.
Classification by Refresh Rate Technology
When it comes to gaming monitors, there are two main refresh rate technologies: AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC.
While most monitors are designed to operate at a fixed refresh rate, most games will use variable frame rates depending on the scene. For some monitors, this can result in 'tearing,' where images can become disjointed.
Today, gamers can choose between AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC for smoother gameplay, reduced input lag, and prevention of tearing.
Although both technologies essentially accomplish the same task, NVIDIA G-SYNC remains NVIDIA's proprietary technology, while FreeSync is open for use by companies. NVIDIA's G-SYNC technology involves embedding a physical chip into the monitor, whereas FreeSync utilizes the graphics card to function. When it comes to gaming, both technologies perform equally well.
In 2019, NVIDIA released software drivers for FreeSync monitors to allow them to be compatible with NVIDIA graphics cards. While technically this enables all FreeSync monitors to work with both NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, NVIDIA designates specific FreeSync monitors as 'G-SYNC Compatible' and can use NVIDIA graphics cards without any issues.
