Effective video editing requires a high-quality monitor with accurate color representation & contrast. This is where the importance of panel technology comes into play. The right panel type makes all the difference in accurately representing colors, reduces eye strain, and ensures a smooth workflow.
But which panel is best for video editing? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each panel technology?
This post will provide an overview of the 3 most common panel types used in video editing, i.e., IPS, VA, and TN, key differences, and benefits of each. This way, you can decide which panel type best suits your needs as a video editor.
Which Panel Is Best For Video Editing – A Detailed Comparison Guide
In this detailed comparison guide, we’ll explore the 3 most common panel technologies: In-Plane Switching (IPS), Vertical Alignment (VA), and Twisted Nematic (TN) panels, to help you determine which one aligns best with your video editing needs.
In-Plane Switching (IPS) Panels
IPS (In-Plane Switching) panels are LCD screen technology that offers superior color accuracy, wider viewing angles, and color consistency. These allow for precise color grading and accurate representation of images, resulting in high-quality video content.
Advantages
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Color Accuracy & Consistency
IPS panels are known for their exceptional color accuracy and consistency. They can display various colors, which is especially important for professional video editors who must ensure their work is represented accurately.
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Wide Viewing Angles
Another benefit of IPS panels is their wide viewing angles. This means that you can view your work from almost any angle without experiencing color distortion or loss of contrast.
Disadvantages
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Lower Contrast Ratio
IPS panels typically have a lower contrast ratio in the 700:1-1500:1 range. This can result in slightly less vibrant and defined images, although the difference may not be noticeable to everyone.
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Costly Compared To Other Panel Types
IPS panels are generally more expensive than others, i.e., TN and VA. This can be a significant factor for video editors on a tight budget or just starting with video editing.
Note: The high price of IPS panels is often worth it for the superior color accuracy & wide viewing angles they offer.
Best Use Cases For Video Editing
Here are the top 2 use cases of IPS panels for video editing.
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Professional Video Editing Tasks
If you’re a professional video editor and searching for a panel with high color accuracy and consistency, such as color grading and correction, IPS panels are what you should aim for.
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Graphic Design & Photo Editing
Besides, IPS panels also find immense usage in graphic designing and photo editing, where color accuracy and wide viewing angles are essential for accurately representing colors and details.
Vertical Alignment (VA) Panels
Vertical Alignment (VA) panels are LCD screen technology that offers deep blacks and high contrast ratios, making them popular for watching movies and working with high-quality video content.
Advantages
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High Contrast Ratio
The most significant advantage of VA panels is their high contrast ratio. A higher contrast ratio of 2500:1 or more means that the images and videos displayed on VA panels appear more vivid and lifelike, with deeper blacks and brighter whites.
Note: Some VA panels offer a high contrast ratio in the 5000:1-6000:1 range.
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Better Color Reproduction Than TN Panels
Color Gamut
Moving on, VA panels have better color reproduction than TN panels. They have a wider color gamut, which makes them suitable for color-critical work such as image and video editing.
Disadvantages
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Limited Viewing Angles
The liquid crystals in VA panels twist in a specific way, which results in a limited viewing angle. Hence, these panels aren’t meant for collaborative work or presentations where the viewers don’t face the screen directly.
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Slower Response Time
Ghosting On A Monitor
Another disadvantage of VA panels is their slower response time than TN and IPS panels. As a result, there’s motion blur and ghosting on a monitor when displaying fast-moving images or videos.
Best Use Cases For Video Editing
Here are the top 2 use cases of VA panels for video editing.
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Color Grading
VA panels are ideal for color grading, which requires a display with high color accuracy and a wide color gamut.
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High Dynamic Range (HDR) Video Editing
To work with HDR video, a display must have a high contrast ratio, which VA panels provide. They can display deep blacks and bright whites, essential for HDR video editing.
Twisted Nematic (TN) Panels
Twisted Nematic (TN) panels are LCD screen technology known for their fast response times but limited viewing angles and inferior color accuracy compared to other panel types.
Advantages
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Faster Response Time
Due to their faster response time, TN panels ensure less motion blur and ghosting in fast-moving images.
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Lower Cost
TN panels are less expensive than others, like IPS or OLED. Hence, a budget-friendly option for video editors.
Disadvantages
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Poor Color Accuracy And Reproduction
TN panels have a lower color accuracy and reproduction, meaning the colors may not appear as vivid or true-to-life as they would on other types of panels. This may result in inaccurate color grading during video editing.
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Limited Viewing Angles
TN panels have limited viewing angles. Thus, the image quality may appear distorted or washed out when viewed from certain angles. This makes it difficult for multiple people to view the same screen simultaneously during collaborative video editing.
Best Use Cases For Video Editing
Here are the top 2 use cases of TN panels for video editing.
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Video Editing Projects Primarily Viewed On Computer Screens Or Mobile Devices, Such As Online Streaming Videos
These projects often require fast response times to avoid motion blur during action-packed scenes, and TN panels deliver this without breaking the budget.
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Social Media Platforms Like Instagram & TikTok
These platforms prioritize vertical or square video formats, and TN panels can be used for editing content specifically for these platforms.
Comparing Panel Technologies For Video Editing
Below is a quick comparison of the 3 panel technologies across different aspects of video editing.
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Color Accuracy & Gamut
IPS panels best suit color-critical video editing projects due to their excellent color accuracy and wide color gamut. VA panels have a variable color accuracy and gamut, depending on the specific panel, but they are generally not as good as IPS panels.
TN panels have a lower color accuracy and gamut than IPS panels, which may impact the quality of the final product.
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Viewing Angles & Contrast Ratio
IPS panels have wider viewing angles and higher contrast ratios than TN panels, making them an ideal choice for collaborative video editing projects. VA panels, on the other hand, have a high contrast ratio, making them suitable for editing dark scenes. You’ll have to compromise the viewing angles, then.
TN panels also have limited viewing angles, often resulting in distorted or washed-out images when viewed from certain angles.
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Response Time & Price
TN panels provide a faster response time than IPS and VA panels, resulting in less motion blur during fast-moving scenes. They are also less costly than IPS panels, making them a popular choice for video editors on a budget. IPS panels have a slower response time than TN panels but they come with better color accuracy and wider viewing angles.
VA panels are generally less expensive than IPS panels, but their response time is slower than TN panels.
Conclusion
Here you go. Selecting the right panel technology ensures accurate color representation and contrast in video editing. While IPS panels offer wide viewing angles & excellent color accuracy, VA panels provide deeper blacks & vivid colors. Among these 3, TN panels cost the least, but at the price of low image quality.
Thus, thoroughly understanding each panel type is crucial to deduce which best suits your video editing needs. And, of course, deliver a smooth editing experience.
