Top 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of IPS Monitors
June 3rd, 2019 | Posted in Uncategorized
Different types of monitors use different technologies, whether it is LCD, LED, etc. Technology also determines important specs such as power consumption, image quality, color reproduction, etc. In this article, we want to discuss the main advantages and disadvantages of IPS monitors.
LCD Panel Technology
First, we need to understand that IPS monitors use Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technology. If you are interested, read this article on how LCD monitors work. Besides IPS, well-known technologies, such as OLED, TN, and VA are also in the LCD family.
Types of IPS Monitors
On top of belonging to LCD family, IPS also has different types. In this article, we won’t get into the details of each type, but we listed them below:
- S-IPS
- H-IPS
- e-IPS
- P-IPS
- PLS
Advantages
- Better Viewing Angles
- Color Reproduction
- Color Accuracy and Consistency
Better Viewing Angles
IPS monitors have super-wide vertical and horizontal viewing angles equal to 178 degrees 1. This means the color will stay consistent viewing from up to 178 degrees horizontally and vertically. This LG video demonstrates it best:
Color Reproduction
IPS screens have 8-bit RGB color depth that can reproduce around 16.7 million different colors 3. Note: 88 = 16,777,216 colors. Some manufacturers produce 16- and 24-bit models that can reproduce over hundreds of trillions of colors.
Color Accuracy and Consistency
IPS monitors offer over 16 million displayable colors, which improves color accuracy. That is also a reason why they support professional color technologies such as Adobe RGB 1. These monitors are best for graphic designers, photographers, video editors, and even for users in the business world.
Disadvantages
- Longer Response Rates
- More Expensive
Longer Response Rates
Typical IPS monitors have response time approximately equal 10ms. It could make a difference in fast-paced action games and might not be ideal for professional gamers. However, it is still good enough for most games available in the market as this ViewSonic article cites.
Surprisingly, LG is releasing an IPS monitor named UltraGear with 1ms response time 2. However, the majority of IPS monitors in the market still have a slower response rate than other LCD or LED monitors. LG UltraGear will be available in the US starting July 1 for $499.99, which might not be the price the majority are willing to pay for a monitor. Despite, this is good news because the scientists and engineers made it possible to achieve such refresh rate. Maybe, in a few years, IPS monitors with this refresh rate will become more affordable.
More Expensive
The process of manufacturing IPS LCD panels are more complex from engineering point 3. This justifies the high cost of IPS screens. Besides the price being high, these monitors need more power to maintain the activity on the monitor. However, there are lower-end models of IPS monitors, but they produce worse image quality than higher-end ones.