Comparison of matrix monitors - TN and * VA.

For a long time I was tormented by the question: what is the difference between the image of modern monitors with matrices TN, S-IPS, S-PVA, P-MVA. My friend ne0 , we decided to compare.

For tests, we took two 24 "monitors (unfortunately, we did not find anything on S-IPS :():
- on a cheap matrix TN Benq V2400W
- on the P-MVA matrix of the middle category Benq FP241W .

Candidate Characteristics:
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Benq V2400W

Matrix type : TN + Film
Inches : 24 "
Resolution : 1920x1200
Brightness : 250 cd / m2
Contrast ratio : 1000: 1
Response time : 5ms / 2 ms GTG

Benq FP241W

Matrix Type : P-MVA (AU Optronics)
Inches : 24 "
Resolution : 1920x1200
Brightness : 500 cd / m2
Contrast ratio : 1000: 1
Response time : 16 ms / 6 ms GTG

Trends in recent years

TN matrices (TN + film) improve color reproduction, brightness and viewing angles.
Matrices * VA (S-PVA / P-MVA) improve response time.

What progress has reached?

You can already watch movies on TN matrices (TN + Film), work with color in editors.
On * VA play games without the effect of blurring (motion blur).

But there are still differences.

Brightness

In Benq V2400W (TN), the initial color settings (RGB) are set to almost maximum. At the same time, in terms of brightness (at maximum settings), it does not reach * VA (at medium settings). In comparison with other TN monitors, they indicate that the V2400W has lower brightness than its competitors (alas, we could not compare :)), but I can say with certainty that the brightness of * VA monitors will be higher than TN monitors.

In Benq FP241W (* VA) due to the brightness of the backlight - black is also bright. In TN, black remained absolutely black when we compared the on and off states of monitors. Perhaps this is absent on other models * VA and is present in TN. (I am waiting for comments with verification of this statement :))

The black color * VA does not interfere at all in work and is associated with black (thank our addictive eyes :) and a good 1000: 1 contrast ratio of the monitor). And the difference in brightness of black is visible only in comparison (when one monitor is placed next to another).
Due to the high brightness, the colors on * VA seem a bit richer, and the white color is whiter than * VA - on TN, by comparison, it appears gray.
You yourself noticed this effect when, for example, you switched the color temperature on the monitor from 6500 to 9300, when your eyes got used to a different color temperature (probably most of the habra people here climbed to change the temperature :)). But when the eyes get used again, on TN the white becomes white again :), and the other temperature is either bluer or yellower.

Colors

The colors of the TN monitors and * VA can be calibrated well (so that the grass is green, the sky is blue, and the colors in the photos are not yellow).

On TN monitors, bright and dark colors close to each other (for example, bright blue with white, on clouds close to black (4-5%) and white (3-5%)) are worse. More differences of these colors vary depending on the viewing angle, turning into a negative, or disappear. But it seems that due to this, on the TN monitors, black is really black.

At * VA you can see the full range of colors - on a good video card and settings you can see all the color gradients from 1 to 254, regardless of the viewing angle.

Photos on both monitors looked good and had rather saturated colors.

Both monitors have 16.7 Million colors (rather than 16.2, like some TN) - the gradients looked identical without color “slips”.

Viewing angles

The first major difference between TN and * VA is the viewing angles of the monitors.

If you look at the TN monitor right in the center, then from above and below the screen begins to slightly distort (dim) the colors. This is noticeable in bright colors and dark colors - dark colors become black and bright ones turn gray. On the left and right, the blackout from the corner is noticeably much smaller - which most likely encourages manufacturers to make monitors with a large diagonal widescreen (wide) :). Plus, because of this effect, some colors start to change into others and blend.
It is difficult to look at the monitor from above and especially from below - the low-contrast colors are distorted, become faded, inverted and merge very strongly.

On VA monitors, color distortions (or rather brightness) are also present. If you look at the monitor to the center at a distance of less than 40 cm, then on the white color small blanches are visible at the corners of the monitor (see figure), which capture about 2-3% of the angles. Colors are not distorted. That is, if you look at the monitor from the largest angle of inclination, the picture will not lose its colors, it will just be lit a little.
Due to the absence of distortion * VA monitors are rotated 90 degrees.

Watching a video on TN from the couch is possible, but only it needs to be directed exactly at the viewers (vertically). With * VA, there are no problems with rotating the screen on the viewer, the film can be viewed from almost any angle. Distortion is not significant.

Response time

The second major difference is the response time. The former.
Already now, overdrive systems are striding in their entirety - and if it used to play a major role, now it has faded into the background.

TN monitors in this direction lead and are considered the best for gamers. Loops on them are not visible for quite some time. In the photos - a square flying to a corner doubled.

* VA monitors look at TN heels. Having played in Team Fortress 2, W3 Dota, Fallout 3, no distortions and blurred loops (blur-effect) were noticed. Watching the video was also a success. In the photographs - the square flying to the corner has tripled.

Visually, in the test, if you look closely, the running square on the matrix * VA had only 1.1 times the larger loop.

What would I choose?

If you are trying to choose between S-IPS or * VA matrices and do not know what to choose, then I advise * VA, with whom you will be very pleased. * VA is great for working with color - overpay 2 times more for the name of the matrix and large viewing angles S-IPS, compared to * VA is not worth it - the difference in quality is not worth the money.

For games, office / internet affairs, viewing photos, the simplest editing of pictures, photos and videos, and watching movies alone - TN is perfect. Even with the necessary skill + specific modes SuperBright (Video), you can watch movies on TN on the couch with minor, imperceptible color distortions (well, why should they film :)).

For processing photos, working with color in the video (in the right places, you can also mount on TN, huh?), Drawing on the tablet, * VA is better suited. As a bonus, you can perfectly watch movies on it, lounging in a chair (high brightness to help). And to play and do internet / office affairs on it is just as convenient as on TN.

ps After buying * VA, I immediately noticed a purple gradient on the “Welcome screen” in Windows XP at the bottom left :), which I did not notice on old TNs.