When choosing a monitor, TV or phone, the buyer is often faced with choosing the type of screen. Which one should you prefer: IPS or TFT? The reason for this confusion is the constant improvement of display technology.
All monitors with TFT technology can be divided into three main types:
- TN+Film.
- PVA/MVA.
That is, TFT technology is active matrix liquid crystal display, and IPS is one of the varieties of this matrix. And a comparison of these two categories is not possible, since practically they are the same thing. But if you still understand in more detail what a display with a TFT matrix is, then a comparison can be made, but not between screens, but between their manufacturing technologies: IPS and TFT-TN.
General concept of TFT
TFT (Thin Film Transistor) translates as thin film transistor. The LCD display with TFT technology is based on an active matrix. This technology involves a spiral arrangement of crystals, which, under conditions of high voltage, rotate in such a way that the screen turns black. And in the absence of high power voltage, we see a white screen. Displays with this technology produce only a dark gray color instead of perfect black. Therefore, TFT displays are popular mainly in the manufacture of cheaper models.
Description of IPS
IPS (In-Plane Switching) LCD screen matrix technology implies parallel arrangement of crystals along the entire plane of the monitor. There are no spirals here. And therefore the crystals do not rotate under conditions of strong stress. In other words, IPS technology is nothing more than an improved TFT. It conveys black color much better, thereby improving the degree of contrast and brightness of the image. This is why this technology costs more than TFT and is used in more expensive models.
Main differences between TN-TFT and IPS
Wanting to sell as many products as possible, sales managers mislead people into thinking that TFT and IPS are completely different types of screens. Marketing specialists do not provide comprehensive information about technologies, and this allows them to pass off an existing development as something that has just appeared.
Looking at IPS and TFT, we see that it's practically the same thing. The only difference is that monitors with IPS technology are a more recent development compared to TN-TFT. But despite this, it is still possible to distinguish a number of differences between these categories:
- Increased contrast. The way black is displayed directly affects the contrast of the image. If you tilt a screen with TFT technology without IPS, it will be almost impossible to read anything. And all because the screen becomes dark when tilted. If we consider the IPS matrix, then, due to the fact that the black color is transmitted perfectly by the crystals, the image is quite clear.
- Color rendering and number of shades displayed. The TN-TFT matrix does not reproduce colors well. And all because each pixel has its own shade and this leads to color distortion. A screen with IPS technology transmits images much more carefully.
- Response delay. One of the advantages of TN-TFT screens over IPS is high-speed response. And all because it takes a lot of time to rotate many parallel IPS crystals. From this we conclude that where drawing speed is of great importance, it is better to use a screen with a TN matrix. Displays with IPS technology are slower, but this is not noticeable in everyday life. And this difference can be identified only by using technological tests specially designed for this. As a rule, it is better to give preference to displays with an IPS matrix.
- Viewing angle. Thanks to the wide viewing angle, the IPS screen does not distort images, even when viewed from an angle of 178 degrees. Moreover, this value of the viewing angle can be both vertical and horizontal.
- Energy intensity. Displays with IPS technology, unlike TN-TFT, require more energy. This is due to the fact that in order to rotate parallel crystals, a large voltage is needed. As a result, more load is placed on the battery than when using a TFT matrix. If you need a device with low power consumption, then TFT technology will be an ideal option.
- Price policy. Most budget electronics models use displays based on TN-TFT technology, since this type of matrix is the most inexpensive. Today, monitors with an IPS matrix, although they are more expensive, are used in almost all modern electronic models. This gradually leads to the fact that the IPS matrix is practically replacing equipment with TN-TFT technology.
Results
Based on all of the above, we can draw the following conclusion.
TFT (Thin film transistor) is translated from English as thin film transistor. So TFT is a type of liquid crystal display that uses an active matrix controlled by these transistors themselves. Such elements are made of thin film, the thickness of which is approximately 0.1 microns.
In addition to their small size, TFT displays are fast. They have high contrast and image clarity, as well as a good viewing angle. These displays do not have screen flickering, so your eyes don't get tired as much. TFT displays also do not have beam focusing defects, interference from magnetic fields, or problems with image quality and clarity. The energy consumption of such displays is 90% determined by the power of the LED backlight matrix or backlight lamps. Compared to the same CRTs, the energy consumption of TFT displays is approximately five times lower.
All these benefits exist because this technology refreshes the image at a higher frequency. This is because the display dots are controlled by individual thin film transistors. The number of such elements in TFT displays is three times greater than the number of pixels. That is, there are three color transistors per point, which correspond to the primary RGB colors - red, green and blue. For example, in a display with a resolution of 1280 by 1024 pixels, the number of transistors will be three times larger, namely 3840x1024. This is precisely the basic operating principle of TFT technology.
Disadvantages of TFT matrices
TFT displays, unlike CRTs, can show a clear image in only one “native” resolution. Other resolutions are achieved by interpolation. Another significant disadvantage is the strong dependence of contrast on the viewing angle. In fact, if you look at such displays from the side, top or bottom, the image will be greatly distorted. This problem never existed in CRT displays.
In addition, transistors on any pixel can fail, resulting in dead pixels. Such points, as a rule, cannot be repaired. And it turns out that somewhere in the middle of the screen (or in the corner) there may be a small but noticeable dot, which is very annoying while working at the computer. Also, for TFT displays, the matrix is not protected by glass, and irreversible degradation is possible if the display is pressed hard.
When choosing a monitor, many users are faced with the question: which is better PLS or IPS.
These two technologies have existed for quite a long time and both show themselves quite well.
If you look at various articles on the Internet, they either write that everyone must decide for themselves what is better, or they do not give an answer to the question posed at all.
Actually, these articles make no sense at all. After all, they do not help users in any way.
Therefore, we will analyze in which cases it is better to choose PLS or IPS and give advice that will help you make the right choice. Let's start with the theory.
What is IPS
It’s worth saying right away that at the moment it is the two options under consideration that are the leaders in the technology market.
And not every specialist will be able to say which technology is better and what advantages each of them has.
So, the word IPS itself stands for In-Plane-Switching (literally “in-site switching”).
This abbreviation also stands for Super Fine TFT (“super thin TFT”). TFT, in turn, stands for Thin Film Transistor.
To put it simply, TFT is a technology for displaying images on a computer, which is based on an active matrix.
Hard enough.
Nothing. Let's figure it out now!
So, in TFT technology, the molecules of liquid crystals are controlled using thin-film transistors, this means “active matrix”.
IPS is exactly the same, only the electrodes in monitors with this technology are on the same plane with liquid crystal molecules, which are parallel to the plane.
All this can be clearly seen in Figure 1. There, in fact, displays with both technologies are shown.
First there is a vertical filter, then transparent electrodes, after them liquid crystal molecules (blue sticks, they interest us most), then a horizontal filter, a color filter and the screen itself.
Rice. No. 1. TFT and IPS screens
The only difference between these technologies is that the LC molecules in TFT are not located in parallel, but in IPS they are in parallel.
Thanks to this, they can quickly change the viewing angle (specifically, here it is 178 degrees) and give a better picture (in IPS).
And also due to this solution, the brightness and contrast of the image on the screen has significantly increased.
Now it is clear?
If not, write your questions in the comments. We will definitely answer them.
IPS technology was created in 1996. Among its advantages, it is worth noting the absence of the so-called “excitement,” that is, an incorrect reaction to touch.
It also has excellent color rendition. Quite a lot of companies produce monitors using this technology, including NEC, Dell, Chimei and even.
What is PLS
For a very long time, the manufacturer did not say anything at all about its brainchild, and many experts put forward various assumptions regarding the characteristics of PLS.
Actually, even now this technology is shrouded in a lot of secrets. But we will still find the truth!
PLS was released in 2010 as an alternative to the aforementioned IPS.
This abbreviation stands for Plane To Line Switching (that is, “switching between lines”).
Let us remember that IPS is In-Plane-Switching, that is, “switching between lines.” This refers to switching in a plane.
And above we said that in this technology, liquid crystal molecules quickly become flat and due to this, a better viewing angle and other characteristics are achieved.
So, in PLS everything happens exactly the same, but faster. Figure 2 shows all this clearly.
Rice. No. 2. PLS and IPS work
In this figure, at the top there is the screen itself, then the crystals, that is, the same liquid crystal molecules that were indicated by blue sticks in figure No. 1.
The electrode is shown below. In both cases, their location is shown on the left in the off state (when the crystals do not move), and on the right - when they are on.
The principle of operation is the same - when the crystals begin to work, they begin to move, while initially they are located parallel to each other.
But, as we see in Figure No. 2, these crystals quickly acquire the desired shape - the one that is necessary for the maximum.
Over a certain period of time, the molecules in the IPS monitor do not become perpendicular, but in the PLS they do.
That is, in both technologies everything is the same, but in PLS everything happens faster.
Hence the intermediate conclusion - PLS works faster and, in theory, this particular technology could be considered the best in our comparison.
But it is too early to draw final conclusions.
This is interesting: Samsung filed a lawsuit against LG several years ago. It claimed that the AH-IPS technology used by LG is a modification of PLS technology. From this we can conclude that PLS is a type of IPS, and the developer himself admitted this. Actually, this was confirmed and we are a little higher.
Which is better PLS or IPS? How to choose a good screen - guide
What if I don't understand anything?
In this case, the video at the end of this article will help you. It clearly shows a cross-section of TFT and IPS monitors.
You will be able to see how it all works and understand that in PLS everything happens exactly the same, but faster than in IPS.
Now we can move on to further comparison of technologies.
Expert opinions
On some sites you can find information about an independent study of PLS and IPS.
Experts compared these technologies under a microscope. It is written that in the end they did not find any differences.
Other experts write that it is still better to buy PLS, but do not really explain why.
Among all the statements of experts, there are several main points that can be observed in almost all opinions.
These points are as follows:
- Monitors with PLS matrices are the most expensive on the market. The cheapest option is TN, but such monitors are inferior in all respects to both IPS and PLS. So, most experts agree that this is very justified, because the picture is better displayed on PLS;
- Monitors with a PLS matrix are best suited for performing all kinds of design and engineering tasks. This technique will also cope perfectly with the work of professional photographers. Again, from this we can conclude that PLS does a better job of rendering colors and providing sufficient image clarity;
- According to experts, PLS monitors are virtually free from problems such as glare and flicker. They came to this conclusion during testing;
- Ophthalmologists say that PLS will be much better perceived by the eyes. Moreover, your eyes will find it much easier to look at PLS all day than IPS.
In general, from all this we again draw the same conclusion that we already made earlier. PLS is a little better than IPS. And this opinion is confirmed by most experts.
Which is better PLS or IPS? How to choose a good screen - guide
Which is better PLS or IPS? How to choose a good screen - guide
Our comparison
Now let’s move on to the final comparison, which will answer the question posed at the very beginning.
The same experts identify a number of characteristics by which different ones need to be compared.
We are talking about indicators such as light sensitivity, response speed (meaning the transition from gray to gray), quality (pixel density without losing other characteristics) and saturation.
We will use them to evaluate the two technologies.
Table 1. Comparison of IPS and PLS according to some characteristics
Other characteristics, including richness and quality, are subjective and vary from person to person.
But from the above indicators it is clear that PLS has slightly higher characteristics.
Thus, we again confirm the conclusion that this technology performs better than IPS.
Rice. No. 3. The first comparison of monitors with IPS and PLS matrices.
There is a single “popular” criterion that allows you to accurately determine which is better – PLS or IPS.
This criterion is called “by eye”. In practice, this means that you just need to take and look at two adjacent monitors and visually determine where the picture is better.
Therefore, we will present several similar images, and everyone will be able to see for themselves where the image visually looks better.
Rice. No. 4. Second comparison of monitors with IPS and PLS matrices.
Rice. No. 5. The third comparison of monitors with IPS and PLS matrices.
Rice. No. 6. The fourth comparison of monitors with IPS and PLS matrices.
Rice. No. 7. Fifth comparison of monitors with IPS (left) and PLS (right) matrices.
It is visually clear that on all PLS samples the picture looks much better, more saturated, brighter, and so on.
We mentioned above that TN is the most inexpensive technology today and monitors using it, accordingly, also cost less than others.
After them in price come IPS, and then PLS. But, as we see, all this is not at all surprising, because the picture really looks much better.
Other characteristics in this case are also higher. Many experts advise buying with PLS matrices and Full HD resolution.
Then the image will really look just great!
It is impossible to say for sure whether this combination is the best on the market today, but it is definitely one of the best.
By the way, for comparison you can see what IPS and TN look like from an acute viewing angle.
Rice. No. 8. Comparison of monitors with IPS (left) and TN (right) matrices.
It is worth saying that Samsung created two technologies at once that are used in monitors and in / and were able to significantly outperform IPS.
We are talking about Super AMOLED screens that are found on mobile devices of this company.
Interestingly, Super AMOLED resolution is usually lower than IPS, but the picture is more saturated and bright.
But in the case of PLS above, almost everything that can be, including resolution.
The general conclusion can be drawn that PLS is better than IPS.
Among other things, PLS has the following advantages:
- the ability to convey a very wide range of shades (in addition to primary colors);
- ability to support the entire sRGB range;
- lower energy consumption;
- viewing angles allow several people to see the picture comfortably at once;
- all kinds of distortions are absolutely excluded.
In general, IPS monitors are perfect for solving common household tasks, for example, watching movies and working in office programs.
But if you want to see a really rich and high-quality image, buy equipment with PLS.
This is especially true when you need to work with design/design programs.
Of course, their price will be higher, but it’s worth it!
Which is better PLS or IPS? How to choose a good screen - guide
What is amoled, super amoled, Lcd, Tft, Tft ips? Do not you know? Look!
Going through the technical descriptions of modern smartphones, we often see the abbreviations TFT or IPS in the display column.
TFT is a technology in which the crystals in the display are arranged in a spiral and at the maximum possible voltage, they rotate so that the screen shows black, if there is no voltage we will see white. Typically used in budget models, for example. Such displays cannot produce perfect blacks; the output is dark gray.
IPS is the same TFT, but improved
IPS displays do not have any spirals; this is a more expensive technology that is used in high-end smartphones, for example in or. Recently, budget smartphones that use an IPS screen have become increasingly common; these can be classified as or, they belong to the middle price category.
Simply put, IPS technology is an improved TFT, which displays black colors much better and makes the picture on the display more contrasty than in TFT screens. IPS screens work a little slower, however, the user does not notice this and this feature can only be revealed as a result of technological tests.
The use of TFT displays seems to be a higher priority in simple phones that a person buys to make calls, and not to sit in contact, here is another example of a dialer. The advantage lies in much lower power consumption than IPS displays. But a modern smartphone with a simple TFT display is becoming increasingly rare.
Don’t be surprised if you see the abbreviation TFT in the technical specifications of an expensive smartphone; it could be an IPS display, because IPS is a type of TFT, like AMOLED and Super AMOLED.
Derivative technologies have emerged from IPS and TFT. For IPS these are Super IPS and UA-IPS - basically the same thing, but with some improvements. For TFT it is TN+Film - capable of better color reproduction.
The difference between image quality in IPS and just TFT is striking. When tilted, a regular TFT without IPS technology turns black so that it is no longer possible to make out anything, but with IPS it holds on as if nothing had happened, it’s amazing what technology has come to)
Technology does not stand still, and the production of liquid crystal screens is no exception. However, due to the constant development and release of new technologies in the manufacture of screens, as well as due to special marketing approaches to advertising, many buyers when choosing a monitor or TV may have a question, which is better IPS or TFT screen?
To answer the question posed, you need to understand what IPS technology is and what a TFT screen is. Only knowing this will you be able to understand the difference between these technologies. This in turn will help you make the right choice of screen that will fully meet your requirements.
1. So, what is a TFT display?
As you may have guessed, TFT is an abbreviated name for the technology. It completely looks like this - Thin Film Transistor, which translated into Russian means thin-film transistor. Essentially, a TFT display is a type of liquid crystal screen that is based on an active matrix. In other words, this is a regular active matrix LCD screen. That is, the molecules of liquid crystals are controlled using special thin-film transistors.
2. What is IPS technology
IPS is also short for In-Plane Switching. This is a type of active matrix LCD display. This means that the question of which is better TFT or IPS is erroneous, since they are essentially the same thing. More precisely, IPS is a type of FTF display matrix.
IPS technology received its name due to the unique arrangement of electrodes, which are located on the same plane with the liquid crystal molecules. In turn, the liquid crystals are located parallel to the screen plane. This solution made it possible to significantly increase viewing angles, as well as increase the brightness and contrast of the image.
Today there are three most common types of active matrix TFT displays:
- TN+Film;
- PVA/MVA.
Thus, it becomes obvious that the difference between TFT and IPS is only that TFT is a type of LCD screen with an active matrix, and IPS is the same active matrix in a TFT display, or rather one of the types of matrix. It is worth noting that this matrix is the most common among users around the world.
3. What is the difference between TFT and IPS displays: Video
The common misconception that there is any difference between TFT and IPS arose due to the marketing gimmicks of sales managers. In an attempt to attract new customers, marketers do not disseminate complete information about technologies, which allows them to create the illusion that a completely new development is entering the world. Of course, IPS is a newer development than TN, but you cannot choose which TFT or IPS display is better for the reasons stated above.
