IPS, VA and TN are acronyms referring to technologies used in LCD panels used in devices such as TVs, monitors, cell phones and notebooks.Although these technologies have similar characteristics, when making a purchase it is necessary to pay attention to define which one fits your needs.Understand the main aspects of each to facilitate your decision.The LCD is one of the most common technologies in displays and it is a panel composed of "liquid crystals" — a class of material that presents itself in states of matter, between liquid and solid.They change under the action of temperature, pressure, electric or magnetic field.Due to this versatility, they have been adopted on a large scale by the industry and used in the manufacture of screens for equipment of all types.They are present in the structure of the displays, formed by "pixels" composed of the three colors of the RGB standard (red, green and blue).To reflect color gradations, these crystals need to receive an electrical current.On LCD screens, there is what we call a backlight, a white light that makes the display glow and a set of color filters.When light passes through energized liquid crystals and color filters, colors are generated in the pixels that make up the images seen on TVs and monitors.IPS is an acronym for "In Plane Switching".In this technology, the liquid crystals on the screen are horizontally aligned and rotate when they receive an electrical current.When light passes through liquid crystals, they can control the amount and intensity of light, influencing the emitted colors of the images produced.IPS displays tend to offer more faithful color reproduction as they have a wider color palette than VA and TN models.Another important point concerns the viewing angles.IPS monitors tend to keep their colors unchanged, even when viewed from different angles.This feature makes a big difference compared to TN models, which may have their colors changed slightly when you watch content from a different angle or change the screen's position.A disadvantage of IPS screens compared to VA models is the reproduction of dark tones, as the technology can deliver deeper black levels and greater contrast.Overall, IPS models can be an interesting choice for designers, video editors or users looking for the best color reproduction among LCD models.They can also be good choices for people who use larger screens, viewed from different angles.For competitive gamers, IPS monitors can be an option, however, they tend to lose in response time to TN models, a category that usually has the lowest response time among the three technologies.However, especially among more expensive models, this difference is usually smaller.TN is an acronym that stands for Twisted Nematic, the oldest technology among LCD panels.It gets its name because the liquid crystals are in a twisted structure (twisted, in English) between two polarizing filters.Models with TN panels are cheaper to produce and have a low response time, typically 1ms or less, making this category the best choice for competitive gamers.The low response time, in conjunction with the high refresh rate that can reach 240Hz on some models, means gamers have fewer issues with imput lag, motion blur and ghosting.However, every advantage has a price.In this case, the disadvantages appear combined.TN panels feature a smaller color palette than IPS and VA models, resulting in inferior colors to these models.TN models have limited viewing angles.For example, when you are in front of a device with a TN panel and you change its position or change the position of the screen, the images may change in color and become slightly darker.VA is an acronym for "Vertically Aligned" or Vertical Alignment, it means that the liquid crystals on the screen are vertically aligned, unlike IPS.VA monitors feature the best levels of contrast and image depth compared to IPS and TN models.VA panels have a wider color palette than TN models, so they deliver better colors and don't suffer from viewing angle issues.These monitors are good for general use.However, competitive gamers, who need a very fast response rate, should be more cautious when choosing.As seen, none of the technologies can completely meet the needs of all audiences, so it is necessary to analyze the characteristics of each technology and the monitor/TV model you will choose.If your need is for competitive games in genres such as shooting games, which require a lot of speed, it may be interesting to look for TN monitors, due to their low response time and high refresh rates.However, you have to be aware that it probably won't have the same color quality as IPS or VA models in the same price range.Monitors with IPS panels can be a good choice for photographers, designers and editors looking for more faithful color reproduction.In addition, they can be a better choice for large environments, due to their better regularity in color display and better viewing angles.Displays with VA panels are similar in quality to IPS, but if you're looking for more contrast and better black levels, this category offers the best results out of the three.Remember to carefully research models that are in the same price range and with similar release dates so you don't make a wrong analysis when making your purchase.TFT or Thin Film Transistor is another term that involves LCD technologies and generates some confusion.However, it is linked to semiconductors, but you can delve into the matter in the article on what is TFT LCD.With information: Rtings, TN Panel, Samsung and BenQIPS, TN or VA: Understand LCD Panel Technologies