IPS, VA, OLED, QLED, miniLED, e-ink. When buying a monitor, television, phone or e-reader, you run into a heap of abbreviations, and marketing makes a proper mess of them. Let us untangle it all and, in one big comparison, explain how the individual display types differ and which suits what.

Two big families and one exception

To make sense of it, let us divide displays by how they create the image:

  • LCD (needs a backlight). The pixels do not light up themselves, the light comes from a backlight behind them. This includes TN, IPS, VA, nano IPS, QLED and miniLED.
  • OLED (each pixel lights itself). No backlight, each point lights up on its own. This includes OLED, W-OLED and QD-OLED.
  • Exceptions: micro-LED (the future) and e-ink (electronic paper), which work completely differently.

The LCD family (with a backlight)

TN

The oldest and cheapest type. It has a very fast response, but poor viewing angles and worse colors. Viewed from the side, colors fade.

  • For whom: cheap monitors and budget gaming setups, where price and speed decide.

IPS

Today the most widespread type for quality monitors. Excellent colors and wide viewing angles, decent and today even fast response.

VA

A compromise between TN and IPS. The highest contrast and deepest black among LCDs, but worse angles than IPS and slower response.

  • For whom: televisions and monitors where contrast and deep black matter, for example movies.

Nano IPS

IPS enhanced with a layer of nanoparticles for a wider color range (gamut). Otherwise it has the properties of IPS, it just shows more colors.

  • For whom: professional color work (graphics, photo, video).

QLED

Note, QLED is still LCD with a backlight, supplemented with a layer of quantum dots that make colors brighter and richer. It is mainly a marketing name, not a self-lighting display like OLED.

  • For whom: bright and colorful televisions, especially for bright rooms.

Mini-LED

Enhanced LCD where the backlight consists of thousands of small LEDs divided into zones. These can be dimmed locally, so the image has much better contrast and higher brightness, close to OLED, but without the risk of burn-in.

  • For whom: premium televisions and monitors where you want OLED contrast, but with high brightness and no burn-in.

The OLED family (self-lighting)

OLED

Each pixel lights up on its own and can turn off completely, so it has perfect black and practically infinite contrast. The panels are thin and have great angles. The downsides are the risk of burning in a static image (burn-in) and lower maximum brightness over a large area.

  • For whom: premium televisions, phones and increasingly monitors, where you want the best image.

W-OLED

A variant of OLED (from LG) built on white OLED points with color filters and a white subpixel for higher brightness. It is the most widespread OLED in televisions.

  • For whom: quality OLED televisions.

QD-OLED

A newer approach (from Samsung) that combines blue OLED with quantum dots for colors. The result is higher brightness and even better colors than classic W-OLED.

  • For whom: top televisions and monitors with an emphasis on both brightness and colors.

Exceptions

Micro-LED

The technology of the future. Self-lighting microscopic LEDs combine the advantages of OLED (perfect black) with high brightness and no risk of burn-in. For now it is extremely expensive and available mainly in large panels.

  • For whom: for now a luxury segment and professional installations.

E-ink (electronic paper)

A completely different world. It does not light up but reflects light like paper. It has extremely low consumption (it holds content even without power), is pleasant on the eyes and readable in sunlight, but redraws slowly and tends to be black and white. More in the article on how to choose an e-reader.

  • For whom: e-readers, price tags, information labels.

The big comparison

TypeFamilyContrastColorsBrightnessResponseBurn-in riskTypical use
TNLCDlowweakermediumfastestnocheap and gaming monitors
IPSLCDmediumexcellentmedium/highgoodnogeneral, colors
VALCDhighgoodmediumslowernoTV, contrast, movies
Nano IPSLCDmediumtophighgoodnopro color work
QLEDLCDhighvery goodhighgoodnobright TVs
Mini-LEDLCDvery highvery goodhighestgoodnopremium TVs and monitors
OLEDOLEDperfectexcellentmediumfastestyes (slight)premium TVs, phones
W-OLEDOLEDperfectexcellentmediumfastestyes (slight)OLED televisions
QD-OLEDOLEDperfecttophigherfastestyes (slight)top TVs and monitors
Micro-LEDmicro-LEDperfecttophighestfastestnoluxury, installations
E-inke-paperlowlimited(reflects)very slownoe-readers, labels

How to choose

  • An ordinary monitor and all-rounder: IPS, excellent value.
  • Budget or fast gaming: TN, or a fast IPS. Relates to the article on smooth gaming and FPS.
  • Movies and contrast at a reasonable price: VA.
  • Professional colors: nano IPS or OLED.
  • The best image (TV): OLED, QD-OLED, or miniLED if you want high brightness without burn-in risk.
  • Reading and battery life: e-ink.

Conclusion

There is no single best display type, there is a suitable one for a given use. The LCD variants (TN, IPS, VA, miniLED) offer a good balance of price and properties, the OLED family the best image with perfect black, and e-ink is the king of reading. When choosing, do not be confused by marketing and be guided by what you really need the display for.

Choosing a monitor, television or displays for a company and unable to decide? Get in touch, we will advise based on what you need them for.