Additionally, the response time of TN panels is much quicker than IPS, though it is possible to find faster IPS panels. TN panels take advantage of something called an “active 3D shutter” which in essence allows them to display up to twice as much information as other types of panels. The main advantage of TN panels is speed. TN, or Twisted Nematic panels, use a ‘nematic’ kind of liquid crystal to rotate and pass light through, corresponding to the signal transmitted. Now that we know a little about monitor history, let’s move on to the difference between TN panels and IPS panels. LCD monitors are digital now, via such connections as HDMI or DisplayPort, and therefore can transmit data faster. The LCD layer, then, is in charge of color production, and the actual recreation of the image. The LED lights are referred to as a “backlight” and cause the image to be projected more clearly than the otherwise fairly dark LCD. Modern LCD monitors work by having a two layer system of LED lights and LCD screen. Additionally, LCDs are much more clear than CRTs, allowing for a more accurate image to be displayed. Also, CRTs tend to be harsher to stare at, and lack customization options in terms of brightness controls to the degree that modern monitors do. LCD, Liquid Crystal Displays, don’t suffer from the same drawbacks as CRTs. While these monitors were state of the art once upon a time, they don’t really have much of a place in today’s world with the invention of LCD screens, which have become the standard for today’s monitors. Closer towards the screen is a set of anodes, that direct the electron to the RGB layer of the actual screen, via part of the signal from the cable. The cathode, or electron gun, sits at the back of the monitor’s tapered back and fires electrons corresponding to the signal received from the cable. This article is designed to give buyers a quick guide about the differences between TN and IPS, the two main monitor types of today’s world.īack in the not so distant past, CRT, or Cathode Ray Tube, was the standard monitor type. CRTs got information in an analog format along the cable. Whether you just want to project your laptop screen onto a bigger monitor, or you’re buying a new monitor for your desktop, the search for a monitor, like any other component, is riddled with tech jargon that is often difficult to understand.