Monitor Panel Types Explained: VA, TN, IPS, OLED, & QD-OLED

We use monitors all the time without much thought. Screens for our phones, TVs, and computers all work with very little hassle thanks to display standards like HDMI. But when talking about how a display makes rapidly changing images in a wide variety of colors there are actually several different technologies with their own benefits and tradeoffs. Especially as higher end displays advance to meet higher needs, the different strengths of each display technique become critical in pushing the boundaries of what is possible. With a focus on PC and gaming use, we'll be explaining the handful of panel types you might find while shopping for your next monitor.

It is important to note that monitor technology has improved leaps and bounds over the past decade and as the technology has gotten better many of the short coming have been mitigated. While some panels may be slower or less color accurate, these can be nonissues when buying reputable products. You can find a great monitor with any of these technologies, but these are some more general traits of these display implementations that may stand out if you’re looking to push the limits or work with a particularly old or cheap model.

For those of you who lack the time and/or inclination to read the more in-depth blurbs about each type of monitor panel, here's a quick at-a-glance summary. More details can be found further down.

It's worth mentioning that the table above compares the relative advantages and disadvantages of the panel types and their potential capabilities. For example, not all OLED monitors will have high refresh rates, but the panel is more likely to have a high refresh rate than a TN. Depending on the specific gaming monitor you're looking at, there could be concessions or advantages that might not match this table.

Now, on to the juicy details.

VA

VA stands for vertical alignment. The name comes from the vertical alignment of crystals. They are known as a cheaper but not the lowest cost option and are really a jack of all trades. VA panels still offer good colors especially when looking at contrast ratios, allowing for brighter whites and darker blacks. Their short coming is their response times that used to be the cause of ghosting issues which made high motion gaming look smeary. Now adays they're a mid-ranged option that do everything decently and are more commonly found in curved monitors.

TN

Twisted nematic panels, shortened to TN panels, are known for their ability to operate very quickly with low response times and high refresh rates. This makes it the first option when choosing a monitor for gaming. It used to be the only option if you wanted 144hz but now almost any panel can go as high as 240hz. The poor color reproduction and viewing angles make TN a cheaper cost option for basic entry level monitors. But because of its specialty in speed, every once in a while it still makes headlines as the new “fastest monitor in the world.” We’ll surely see it again as when a monitor exceeds 540hz.

IPS

In-Plane Switching panels, commonly referred to as IPS, take the traits of VA and push them even further. They are some of the best for color reproduction, making them ideal for artists and media viewing. They are great all around but are a more costly option than the previous panel types. Most of the CORSAIR monitors fall in this category with options in resolution, size, and refresh rate. If you’re looking for an all-around experience, the CORSAIR XENEON 315QHD165 is 1440p with a 165hz refresh rate. From there you can either opt for a higher resolution or a higher refresh rate depending on your needs.

OLED is short for Organic Light-Emitting Diode. That’s the same amazing LEDs that are replacing all our lightbulbs and being used in that sweet RGB lighting. To fully appreciate OLEDs we need to take a step back and understand another layer of display technology. All the panels we have talked about so far have all been LCD displays. They primarily operate with a large white backlight, that is then filtered into different components. The main difference with OLEDs is that each pixel emits its own light, allowing for one part of the screen to be bright white while the adjacent pixels are not even on, resulting in a deep and pure black.

The result is a super vibrant screen in a much thinner and more energy efficient package. It excels in all the different metrics we've talked about so far, color accuracy, brightness, viewing angles, refresh rate, and resolution. The one drawback is the potential for burn-in but now that the technology has been around for some time that hasn't shown to be a major problem. That is partially due to safety measures typically put into OLED displays. They'll typically reduce brightness on a full white web page or make periodic micro adjustments to try and extend the longevity of the panel.

Sometimes it seems like OLED can really do it all, for a hefty price. The CORSAIR XENEON 27QHD240 is a top tier monitor with a 1440p resolution at 240hz while being super bright, colorful, and responsive. The OLED creates an experience that is truly unique while the high pixel density and refresh rate makes every game feel life like. But one of the most unique monitors uses OLED to do what no other panel can do. The CORSAIR XENEON FLEX is an bendable ultrawide monitor. This monitor can be adjusted from anywhere between completely flat to an immersive 800R. It’s one of the only ways to get the benefits of a great curved monitor for gaming and a vibrant flat monitor for media consumption in one package and it is only possible thanks to OLED technology.

QD-LED

QD-LED is the newest technology to hit the market and it’s an iteration on the LEDs that we just talked about. It aimed to improve the brightness of the monitors. It changes the display technology slightly to allow for light to pass though more efficiently resulting in more vibrant colors. This opens up the door to higher levels of HDR and can be one of the best ways to get closer to a cinematic experience from your PC. This technique isn’t unique to OLED but it is where we’re seeing it used the most to try and make up for the short comings of an OLED display.

That’s a quick rundown of a couple of panels typed you’ll see out on the market. As always when choosing any PC part, it’s important to consider your own needs and use cases to find what fits for you. Like when choosing a CORSAIR monitor, there are different options whether you want to have the highest refresh rate for competitive gaming or you want a high-resolution OLED for the best media experience. For a full list of our high-end monitors, check out our main website for all our great offerings.