Which is better, IPS LCD screen or TN LCD screen?
Date:2025-11-17
Which is better, IPS LCD screen or TN LCD screen? Simply put, there is no absolute 'good', only 'good' that better suits your needs.
IPS and TN are two mainstream LCD screen technologies, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. To make it clear to you, I have used a table for a clear comparison:
Feature | IPS LCD screen | TN LCD screen |
Color and Perspective | Advantages: Bright and accurate colors, extremely wide viewing angle (178 °), and no color deviation when viewed from the side. | Disadvantages: Whitening of color, narrow viewing angle, and severe distortion of color and contrast when viewed from the side. |
Response time | Better: The mainstream is around 4ms, while high-end esports models can reach 1ms. | Absolute advantage: Traditional strength, usually 1ms, with less dynamic image dragging. |
Contrast | Better: usually provides deeper black and higher contrast. | General: The contrast is relatively low, and black may not appear deep enough。 |
Cost and power consumption | Higher: The manufacturing process is more complex, the price is usually higher, and the power consumption is slightly higher. | Advantages: Mature technology, low cost, affordable price, and low power consumption. |
Main application scenarios | Professional design, photography retouching, high-end office, daily entertainment, and most e-sports games. | Ultimate budget esports (pursuing extremely high refresh rates), cost sensitive commercial displays, and some office use. |
How to choose? Summary in one sentence:
Choose IPS: If you care about image quality, color accuracy, viewing angle (whether it's watching the screen with multiple people or occasionally changing your posture), or if you work in design, imaging, or other professional fields, or if you are a comprehensive experiential gamer, then IPS is undoubtedly a better choice. It is the absolute mainstream in today's market.
Choose TN: If your budget is extremely limited, or if you are a professional esports player pursuing ultimate response speed and refresh rate (such as 360Hz or above) and willing to sacrifice all picture quality for this, then TN screen may still be your consideration.
Suggestions for you:
Based on the background of your previous mention of "mass shipment of industrial LCD screens", in industrial application scenarios:
In most cases, it is recommended to use IPS screens.
Reason: In industrial environments, operators may need to view screens from different angles (such as HMI installed on machines), and the wide viewing angle feature of IPS is crucial. Meanwhile, accurate colors can reduce misjudgments when displaying device status and data charts.
TN screens are only considered in specific industrial scenarios where there are extreme requirements for dynamic response speed (such as trajectory capture of high-speed moving parts) and significant cost pressures.
So, back to your question: for the vast majority of users and scenarios, IPS screens are a better and more modern choice. Its overall experience far exceeds TN.
