Gaming Monitor - IPS or VA?

[Juusuhako]

For some reason I just can't decide between these two types of panels. I currently have a BenQ XL2420T (TN) - blacks/darks are horrible, almost blue.

 

But from what I have been reading, "IPS glow" almost sounds even worse. People swear to never use them because of this one reason. With VA, you get the same. People swearing not to use them because of "VA smearing", but VA supposedly does not have any backlight bleed/glow???

 

Is this some "pick your poison" deal?

[5x5]

Have been gaming on IPS for 10 years. People fearmonger like no tomorrow because they used a 60$ shitty display once. IPS is by far the best option if you want a good quality image and deep colors/viewing angles.

[GoldenLag]

IPS is the best option. Most VA is kinda like the cheaper option. 

 

There is offcourse higher end VA that rivals high end IPS, but VA is just slower when it comes to switching pixels. As such IPS is better for gaming. 

[Princess Luna]

It depends on what kind of VA panel you're looking at... currently the latest Samsung VA panels and LG arguably will provide a better experience than IPS for gaming.

 

That is because these high end VA panels managed to reduce the GTG greatly to finally avoid ghosting at 144hz, they also got lower input lag.

 

Then like you said VA will have no IPS Glow nor Backlight Bleed issues, which means far deeper blacks and higher contrast ratio while these latest panels also improved a whole lot on image quality and viewing angles.

 

To give you my perspective I own an Acer X34 which is an IPS panel... amazing image quality, color accuracy and viewing angles but black always has that "glow" that worsens the experience on very dark scenes on movies and games.

 

Recently I bought a Viotek GN34C which does use Samsung's latest VA 3440x1440p100hz panel and I was stunned how close it got to the X34 in colors/image quality... sure if I'll nitpick it's not the same however the deeper blacks and total absence of IPS Glow/Backlight Bleed really "sold the fish" for me.

 

I had not ghosting/smearing with it at all but then again the panel is set at 100hz not 144hz so there's that.

 

Here's a review:

 

[Juusuhako]

1 hour ago, 5x5 said:

Have been gaming on IPS for 10 years. People fearmonger like no tomorrow because they used a 60$ shitty display once. IPS is by far the best option if you want a good quality image and deep colors/viewing angles.

Never had an IPS, so I can't comment on it.  The monitor I have been looking at is the AOC 24G2U/BK. For VA, MSI Optix MAG241CV.

 

1 hour ago, GoldenLag said:

IPS is the best option. Most VA is kinda like the cheaper option. 

 

There is offcourse higher end VA that rivals high end IPS, but VA is just slower when it comes to switching pixels. As such IPS is better for gaming. 

 

I've seen some videos trying to show the "smearing". It's obviously noticeable when looking for it. Wonder if it is during gaming where you are focusing on the game.

 

11 minutes ago, Princess Luna said:

It depends on what kind of VA panel you're looking at... currently the latest Samsung VA panels and LG arguably will provide a better experience than IPS for gaming.

 

That is because these high end VA panels managed to reduce the GTG greatly to finally avoid ghosting at 144hz, they also got lower input lag.

 

Then like you said VA will have no IPS Glow nor Backlight Bleed issues, which means far deeper blacks and higher contrast ratio while these latest panels also improved a whole lot on image quality and viewing angles.

 

To give you my perspective I own an Acer X34 which is an IPS panel... amazing image quality, color accuracy and viewing angles but black always has that "glow" that worsens the experience on very dark scenes on movies and games.

 

Recently I bought a Viotek GN34C which does use Samsung's latest VA 3440x1440p100hz panel and I was stunned how close it got to the X34 in colors/image quality... sure if I'll nitpick it's not the same however the deeper blacks and total absence of IPS Glow/Backlight Bleed really "sold the fish" for me.

 

I had not ghosting/smearing with it at all but then again the panel is set at 100hz not 144hz so there's that.

 

Here's a review:

 

It is unfortunately not very high-end (the stuff I've been looking at). For IPS, AOC 24G2U/BK. For VA, MSI Optix MAG241CV. Since I am running a 3570k/RX580 I can't really go above 1080p, which leaves me with very few options (for IPS at least...)

 

Right now I am hating the blacks on my BenQ TN. I wouldn't want to buy another monitor where blacks are as bad or worse because of extreme glow... And I don't really know if price is a factor with IPS panels (since the AOC monitor is quite, quite cheap. but IPS nontheless, right?)

[SolarNova]

3 hours ago, Juusuhako said:

For some reason I just can't decide between these two types of panels. I currently have a BenQ XL2420T (TN) - blacks/darks are horrible, almost blue.

 

But from what I have been reading, "IPS glow" almost sounds even worse. People swear to never use them because of this one reason. With VA, you get the same. People swearing not to use them because of "VA smearing", but VA supposedly does not have any backlight bleed/glow???

 

Is this some "pick your poison" deal?

BLB will be present on all LCD monitors regardless of type, to some degree.

IPS glow will be present on all IPS displays to some degree.

 

How bad the effect is down to panel lottery. Though some specific models are known to be better and worse than others. This is usualy reviewd as 'black uniformity', or 'panel uniformity'. You wont find a monitor with great uniformity unfortunately.

 

In regards to IPS vs VA for gaming, if ur not looking to be a high end pro or semi pro gamer then ofc you dont need to limit urself to TN. As such the choice between IPS and VA is entirely down to ur budget and whats best at that budget.

 

VA as u rightly state wont suffer form the IPS glow, but does have issues with dark transitions, resulting in ghosting in such scenes. That is unless u find a high end model that is designed to avoid that as much as possible, which do exist.

 

IPS cant avoid IPS glow just as VA cant fully avoid slow dark transitions. Its up to you which u want to deal with. IMO VA is having a better time dealing with slow pixel transitions than IPS is at combating IPS glow.

 

In regards to color accuracy, VA can now infact be as good as many IPS display s in that regard, so unless ur spening out for a $5k color accurate professional display, u dont have to stick to IPS for 'consumer' color accuracy.

 

Check out the below link and add filters.

https://www.rtings.com/monitor/tools/table/8163

 

[Juusuhako]

19 minutes ago, SolarNova said:

BLB will be present on all LCD monitors regardless of type, to some degree.

IPS glow will be present on all IPS displays to some degree.

 

How bad the effect is down to panel lottery. Though some specific models are known to be better and worse than others. This is usualy reviewd as 'black uniformity', or 'panel uniformity'. You wont find a monitor with great uniformity unfortunately.

 

In regards to IPS vs VA for gaming, if ur not looking to be a high end pro or semi pro gamer then ofc you dont need to limit urself to TN. As such the choice between IPS and VA is entirely down to ur budget and whats best at that budget.

 

VA as u rightly state wont suffer form the IPS glow, but does have issues with dark transitions, resulting in ghosting in such scenes. That is unless u find a high end model that is designed to avoid that as much as possible, which do exist.

 

IPS cant avoid IPS glow just as VA cant fully avoid slow dark transitions. Its up to you which u want to deal with. IMO VA is having a better time dealing with slow pixel transitions than IPS is at combating IPS glow.

 

In regards to color accuracy, VA can now infact be as good as many IPS display s in that regard, so unless ur spening out for a $5k color accurate professional display, u dont have to stick to IPS for 'consumer' color accuracy.

 

Check out the below link and add filters.

https://www.rtings.com/monitor/tools/table/8163

Thanks for the info. As mentioned in earlier post I have been looking at AOC 24G2U/BK (ips) & MSI Optix MAG241CV (va). Not exactly high end, at all. Not interested in spending $1000 though... A friend of mine has the MSI so will probably pop around and have a look at it, see how it looks when I move a black picture around in the browser or something.

 

Definitely leaning towards VA though. Absolutely cannot stand light pouring in  

[SolarNova]

3 minutes ago, Juusuhako said:

Thanks for the info. As mentioned in earlier post I have been looking at AOC 24G2U/BK (ips) & MSI Optix MAG241CV (va). Not exactly high end, at all. Not interested in spending $1000 though... A friend of mine has the MSI so will probably pop around and have a look at it, see how it looks when I move a black picture around in the browser or something.

 

Definitely leaning towards VA though. Absolutely cannot stand light pouring in  

yea thats a good idea, first hand experience is always best

 

Ironically, the best VA panels for 'casual' gaming are in fact found in high end TV's. Like Samsungs Q90R which gets around VA's poor viewing angles, has good pixel response times for a VA, has low input lag, and has VRR , even capable of 120hz 4k once HDMI 2.1 is present on PC hardware, has great uniformity etc.

[Juusuhako]

1 hour ago, SolarNova said:

yea thats a good idea, first hand experience is always best

 

Ironically, the best VA panels for 'casual' gaming are in fact found in high end TV's. Like Samsungs Q90R which gets around VA's poor viewing angles, has good pixel response times for a VA, has low input lag, and has VRR , even capable of 120hz 4k once HDMI 2.1 is present on PC hardware, has great uniformity etc.

Then they really should start slapping those VA panels onto monitors. I'm gonna assume it is a variety of a VA panel given it's capabilities though.

[SolarNova]

27 minutes ago, Juusuhako said:

Then they really should start slapping those VA panels onto monitors. I'm gonna assume it is a variety of a VA panel given it's capabilities though.

Those would be some big monitors ..effectively the BFGD's, which are 65" TV's with some extra gaming features ...flashy casing ..a 'gaming' name ..and a price tag to match.

 

i think manufactures just dont care about image quality in regards to black uniformity on monitors because they believe, and mostly rightly so, that monitors are not used for 'normal' media consumption and as such a perfectly uniform image isnt really necessary.

 

What ever the reason, i'd be surprised ot see a good uniformity monitor anytime soon thats a traditional LCD.

maybe some other type sure .. OLED for example ...or Hybrid OLED, or Dual layer LCD. ..but not a traditional LCD.