In plane switching: What Is an In-Plane Switching (IPS) Panel?

What Is an IPS Monitor? A Basic Definition

Dell S2719DM IPS monitor

IPS stands for in-plane switching, a type of LED (a form of LCD) display panel technology. IPS panels are characterized as having the best color and viewing angles among the other main types of display panels, TN (twisted nematic) and VA (vertical alignment). However, IPS panels are also the most expensive of the three.

When choosing a PC monitor, you may opt for an IPS panel because of its great image quality. Their best use case is professional (art, graphics et cetera) work. On the other hand, gaming monitor manufacturers tend to opt for TN panels because they’re the fastest of the three main LED panel types and are speedy. In fact, for a while it was rare to find an IPS panel with a refresh rate high enough for acceptable gaming (at least 75 Hz, although most gaming monitors offer at least 144 Hz). This is changing, but, again, comes at a premium in terms of price.

Note that some display may be labeled «IPS-level» or some other variant. This means that the panel was not made by LG and, therefore, the vendor isn’t allowed to call the display IPS. However, the technology and end results should appear the same to the naked eye.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

TN	VA	IPS
Performance	Fastest: low response times, highest refresh rates, minimal motion blur; Low input lag	Longest response times typically; Higher refresh rates possible	Slower response times than TN, faster response times than VA; Gaming-quality refresh rates are rare
Display	Worst viewing angles;Worst color	Viewing angles typically better than TN, worse than IPS; Good color; Best contrast;Best image depth	Best viewing angles; Best color
Pricing	Cheapest	Pricier models can have performance comparable to TN	Most expensive
Best Use	Gaming	General Use	Professional

This article is part of the Tom’s Hardware Glossary.

What is an IPS Display?

Display technology has been evolving for more than a century and continues to drive innovations in the electronic device market. IPS technology was developed in the 90s to solve color and viewing angle issues.

Today,
IPS display panels deliver the best colors and viewing angles compared to other popular display planes, including VA (vertical alignment) and TN (twisted nematic).

Related: Understanding IPS Technology

What is IPS?

IPS (In-Plane Switching) is an electronic screen display technology used in
LCDs (liquid crystal displays). IPS changes the behavior of an LCD’s liquid crystals to produce a sharper, more accurate picture. This technique allows IPS displays to deliver a higher quality viewing experience than other screen types like TN or VA.

The IPS technology is used in everything from televisions, computer monitors, and even wearable devices.

IPS displays belong to the LCD panel family screen types. The other two types are VA and TN.

LCD Screen Types — IPS, VA, and TN, are part of the LCD panel display family.

How Do IPS Work?

IPS acts on the liquid crystals inside an LCD, so when voltage is applied, the crystals rotate parallel (or in-plane), allowing light to pass through them easily. By reducing the amount of interference in the light being produced by the display, the final image on the screen will be much clearer.

How do IPS work? (animation)

Benefits of IPS Display Monitors

One of the leading advantages that IPS offer is its ability to deliver wide angles while preserving colors and contrast. This means you can view an IPS screen from nearly any angle and get an accurate representation of the image on-screen.

Colors on IPS displays won’t get washed out or distorted when viewed at an angle the way they might on a TN or VA LCD screen.

IPS display screens and monitors offer the best quality in different environments (direct sunlight, low light, indoors, or outdoors) compared to TNs or VAs.

What are the benefits of IPS displays?

Improved contrast

Wider viewing angles

Fast response times

Accurate, better colors

Direct sunlight visibility

Differences between IPS, TN, and VA

A quick comparison of the main characteristics differences between IPS, VA, and TN display panels.

TN vs VA vs IPS

	TN	VA	IPS
Performance	Fastest — best performance	Slow — worst performance	Fast — good performance
Viewing Angle	Worst viewing angles	Good viewing angles	Best viewing angles
Color	Worst color	Good color	Best color
Contrast	Worst contrast	Best contrast	Good contrast
Price	Cheapest	Affordable	Most expensive
Uses	Gaming because of performance	General use because of price and quality	Professional where quality is required

TN vs IPS Panel Screen Example

TN TFT (left) and IPS TFT (right) being viewed at an angle.

LCD TN viewing angle example

LCD IPS viewing angle example

TN vs IPS Display Video Demo

See a demo of our own
7″ IPS TFTs as we compare their colors, contrast, and viewing angles to TN TFT displays.

Why Use an IPS Display / Monitor?

IPS displays offer wide horizontal & vertical viewing angles, accurate color representation, and direct sunlight visibility.

Related: OLEDs in wearable devices

Widest Viewing Angles

TN LCDs often struggle to display accurate images from wide viewing angles.
IPS LCDs eliminate nearly all color distortion and fading when viewed from various angles.

Accurate Color Representation

The powerful technology of In-Plane Switching delivers the most vivid, true colors available on any TFT LCDs.
IPS is capable of producing over 16 million colors.

Direct Sunlight Visibility

A powerful LED backlight combined with unparalleled viewing angles makes for the best image quality under direct sunlight.
IPS displays deliver higher quality images in sunny conditions than TN LCDs or OLED displays.

IPS Display disadvantages

What are the disadvantages of an IPS display?

Price, contrast, and power consumption are some of the disadvantages of an IPS display/monitor.

Before you choose and buy an IPS display or monitor, there are certain drawbacks to consider:

Power Consumption

IPS LCDs require about 15% more power than a standard TN LCD. OLED displays require much less power than IPS types due to the fact that they don’t require a backlight. The LCD IPS technology is not the ideal solution if you need an energy-efficient display. You’re better off choosing an OLED or TN TFT for a low-power solution.

Related: OLED vs LCD displays

Price

Because of the newer and more advanced technology found in IPS displays, they’re more expensive to manufacture. For a more cost-effective solution, a TN LCD would be a better choice.

Contrast

IPS displays provide a huge boost to viewing angles and color reproduction, but they don’t have the same contrast capabilities as some other competing display types. OLED displays are able to deliver true black by shutting off their active pixels completely, resulting in much higher contrast than IPS displays. If you’re looking for maximum contrast in your display, you’re better off with an OLED display.

Conclusion

As IPS technology continues to advance, you’ll see it integrated into more display applications.

Because of in-plane switching’s ability to boost viewing angles and retain color accuracy, it allows LCDs to compete with the high contrast images found on OLED displays.

If you don’t require the highest refresh rates and don’t mind slightly higher power consumption, then an IPS display will greatly benefit your project.

Apr 27th 2022 Newhaven Staff

Defining Perspective Grids in Illustrator

User’s Guide
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Last update
Nov 15, 2022 09:24:05 AM GMT

Illustrator

User Guide

Illustrator basics

Introduction to Illustrator
1. What’s new in Illustrator
2. Frequently Asked Questions
3. Illustrator System Requirements
4. Illustrator for Apple Silicon
Working environment
1. Working environment basics
2. Learn faster with Illustrator’s Search panel
3. Create documents
4. Toolbox
5. Default key combinations
6. Customizing key combinations
7. Introduction to artboards
8. Artboard management
9. Work environment setup
10. Properties panel
11. Parameter setting
12. Working environment «Touch control»
13. Support for Microsoft Surface Dial in Illustrator
14. Undo changes and design history management
15. Rotate view
16. Rulers, grids and guides
17. Accessibility in Illustrator
18. Safe Mode
19. View graphic objects
20. Working in Illustrator using the Touch Bar
21. Files and templates
22. Illustrator Tools
  1. Tools at a Glance
  2. Tool selection
    1. Selection
    2. Partial selection
    3. Bulk selection
    4. Magic Wand
    5. Lasso
    6. Artboard
  3. Navigation tools
    1. Hand
    2. Rotate view
    3. Scale
  4. Drawing Tools
    1. Gradient
    2. Mesh
    3. Creating Shapes
  5. Text tools
    1. Text
    2. Text on contour
    3. Vertical text
  6. Drawing tools
    1. Pen
    2. Add reference point
    3. Delete reference points
    4. Reference point
    5. Curvature
    6. Line segment
    7. Rectangle
    8. Rounded rectangle
    9. Polygon
    10. Star
    11. Brush
    12. Blob brush
    13. Pencil
    14. Shaper
    15. Fragment
  7. Modification tools
    1. Rotation
    2. Reflection
    3. Scale
    4. Curvature
    5. Width
    6. Free Transform
    7. Pipette
    8. Mix
    9. Eraser
    10. Scissors
  8. Quick Actions
    1. Retrotext
    2. Luminous neon text
    3. Old fashioned text
    4. Repainting
    5. Convert sketch to vector format
23. Illustrator on iPad
  1. Introducing Illustrator on iPad
    1. An overview of Illustrator on iPad.
    2. Illustrator on iPad FAQ
    3. System requirements | Illustrator on iPad
  2. Workspace
    1. Workspace Illustrator on iPad
    2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
    3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on iPad
    4. Manage application settings
  3. Documents
    1. Work with documents in Illustrator on iPad
    2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
  4. Selecting and organizing objects
    1. Creating duplicate objects
    2. Objects with transitions
  5. Drawing
    1. Creating and modifying paths
    2. Drawing and editing shapes
  6. Text
    1. Working with text and fonts
    2. Creating text labels along a path
    3. Adding custom fonts
  7. Image manipulation
    1. Bitmap vectorization
  8. Color
    1. Applying colors and gradients
24. Cloud documents
  1. Basics
    1. Working with Illustrator cloud documents
    2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
    3. Publication of documents for verification
    4. Cloud storage update for Adobe Illustrator
    5. Cloud documents in Illustrator | Frequently Asked Questions
  2. Troubleshooting
    1. Troubleshooting creating or saving cloud documents in Illustrator
    2. Troubleshoot cloud documents in Illustrator
25. Adding and editing content
  1. Drawing
    1. Basic drawing
    2. Edit contours
    3. Drawing a graphic object with pixel-level precision
    4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, and Pencil tools
    5. Image trace
    6. Contour simplification
    7. Definition of perspective grids
    8. Symbol tools and symbol sets
    9. Correction of contour segments
    10. Making a flower in five easy steps
    11. Drawing perspective
    12. Symbols
    13. Drawing pixel-aligned outlines when creating designs for the web
  2. 3D objects and materials
    1. Learn more about 3D effects in Illustrator
    2. Creation of 3D graphics
    3. Projecting a pattern onto 3D objects
    4. Creating 3D text
  3. Color
    1. About color
    2. Choice of colors
    3. Using and creating color swatches
    4. Color correction
    5. Adobe Color Themes panel
    6. Color groups (harmonies)
    7. Color Themes Panel
    8. Recoloring a graphic object
  4. Coloring
    1. About coloring
    2. Coloring with fills and strokes
    3. Quick Paint Groups
    4. Gradients
    5. Brushes
    6. Transparency and Blending Modes
    7. Apply strokes to objects
    8. Creating and editing patterns
    9. Nets
    10. Patterns
  5. Selecting and organizing objects
    1. Selecting objects
    2. Layers
    3. Grouping and collating objects
    4. Move, align and distribute objects
    5. Placement of objects
    6. Locking, hiding and deleting objects
    7. Copying and duplicating objects
    8. Rotate and flip objects
    9. Object weave
  6. Redrawing objects
    1. Cropping images
    2. Transform objects
    3. Combining objects
    4. Cutting, splitting and trimming objects
    5. Puppet deformation
    6. Scale, skew and distort objects
    7. Objects with transitions
    8. Redrawing with shells
    9. Redrawing objects with effects
    10. Creating shapes with the Shape Maker and Shape Builder tools
    11. Working with live corners
    12. Improved touch-enabled repaint processes
    13. Edit clipping masks
    14. Dynamic figures
    15. Creating shapes with the Shape Builder tool
    16. Global change
  7. Text
    1. Adding object types to text and work objects
    2. Create bulleted and numbered lists
    3. Text area control
    4. Fonts and decorations
    5. Text formatting
    6. Import and export of text
    7. Paragraph formatting
    8. Special characters
    9. Creating text along a path
    10. Character and paragraph styles
    11. Tab
    12. Text and fonts
    13. Search for missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
    14. Update text from Illustrator 10
    15. Font for Arabic and Hebrew
    16. Fonts | Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting Tips
    17. Creating a 3D text effect
    18. Creative design
    19. Leading and letter spacing
    20. Hyphenation and line breaks
    21. Text enhancements
    22. Spell checker and language dictionaries
    23. Asian character formatting
    24. Composers for Asian scripts
    25. Creation of text projects with transitions between objects
    26. Creating a Text Poster Using Image Trace
  8. Creating special effects
    1. Working with effects
    2. Graphic styles
    3. Shading
    4. Design attributes
    5. Sketching and mosaic
    6. Shadows, glows and feathers
    7. Effect overview
  9. Web Graphics
    1. Web Graphics Best Practices
    2. Diagrams
    3. SVG
    4. Animation creation
    5. Fragments and image maps
  10. Import, export and save
    1. Import
      1. Putting multiple files in a document
      2. Managing linked and embedded files
      3. Link details
      4. Image extraction
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmaps
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save dialog box
      1. Save illustrations
    4. Export
      1. Using an Illustrator graphic in Photoshop
      2. Export illustration
      3. Collection of resources and their bulk export
      4. Packing files
      5. Create Adobe PDF files
      6. CSS Extraction | Illustrator CC
      7. Adobe PDF Options
  11. Printing
    1. Preparing to print
      1. Setting up documents for printing
      2. Changing page size and orientation
      3. Setting crop marks for trimming and straightening
      4. Getting Started with Large Canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overlay
      2. Color managed printing
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print styles
      5. Tags and bleed
      6. Printing and saving transparent graphics
      7. Trapping
      8. Printing of color plates
      9. Printing gradients, meshes and color overlays
      10. White overlay
  12. Automate tasks
    1. Combine data using the Variables panel
    2. Automation using scripts
    3. Automation using operations
  To view the default two-point perspective grid in a document, do one of the following:
  - Choose View > Perspective Grid > Show Grid.
  - Press Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+I (Mac) to display the perspective grid. The same key combination is used to hide the displayed grid. nine0003
  - Select the Perspective Grid tool from the Tools panel.
  Perspective Grid
  
  A. Switching widget between the planes B. Left -down perspective C. Length of the vertical grid D. The line of grid perspectives E. Right -out Perspoon F. Horizon Line Higher High No. Zero point I. Horizon level J. Grid extent K. Grid cell size L. Zero point M. Grid extent N. Grid right plane control O. Grid plane right control O. P. Left Grid Plane Control Q. Origin;
  
  The Perspective Grid toolbox consists of the Perspective Grid and Perspective Selection tools . nine0003
  
  The Perspective Grid tool can be accessed by selecting it in the Tools panel or by pressing the Shift+P key combination. After selecting the Perspective Grid tool, the following is displayed:
  - Left and right grid controls for adjusting planes
  - Horizon height
  - position of the left, right and vertical planes;
  - visibility and extent of the grid cell; nine0003
  - mesh size;
  - origin;
  - Left and right zero mark widgets used to move the grid
  In addition, when a perspective grid is selected, the plane toggle widget also appears. This widget is used to select the active grid plane. In the perspective grid, the active plane is the plane on which the object is drawn to project the observer’s point of view onto that part of the scene. nine0003
  
  Plane switching widget
  
  A. Left grid plane B. Plane without active grid C. Right grid plane D. Horizontal grid plane
  
  You can position this widget in any of the four corners of the scene and choose to display it along with the Perspective Grid. To set these preferences, double-click the Perspective Grid icon in the Tools panel. The following options are available in the Perspective Grid Options dialog box. nine0003
  
  Show Active Plane Widget
  
  This option is selected by default. If you clear this check box, this widget is not displayed along with the perspective grid.
  
  Widget position
  
  You can choose to display the widget in the top left, top right, bottom left, or bottom right corner of the document window.
  
  Selecting the Perspective Selection tool displays left, right, and horizontal grid controls. To switch to the Perspective Selection tool, you need to press the key combination Shift + V or select it in the Tools panel. The Perspective Selection tool lets you do the following:
  - put objects, text and symbols into perspective;
  - switch active planes using key combinations;
  - Moving, scaling and duplicating objects in perspective space
  - Move and duplicate objects perpendicular to their current position on the perspective plane
  When using the Perspective Selection tool, active planes in the perspective grid are indicated by the following handles. nine0003
  
  Active plane
  
  Pointers
  
  Left grid plane
  
  nine0821
  
  Right grid plane
  
  nine0821
  
  Horizontal grid plane
  
  The Perspective Select tool snaps objects to the active plane grid when moving, scaling, duplicating, or adding objects to perspective. Objects snap to grid lines if the distance to the line is less than 1/4 of the cell size. nine0003
  
  You can enable or disable snapping using View > Perspective Grid > Snap to Grid.
  
  This parameter is set by default.
  
  Related content
  - Drawing perspective
  Logging in
  
  To come in
  
  Account Management
  
  Real Time Sectional Planes Instant3D — 2020
  
  The Live Cut Planes tool allows you to dynamically cut models using any plane.
  
  Use the Real Time Section tool as an analysis tool to complete design tasks in various perspective views. Real-time section planes can be displayed permanently. They are automatically saved with the model.
  
  To toggle the display of Live Cut Planes, select View > Show/Hide > Live Cut Planes. nine0003
  
  Real-time cutting planes do not belong to the model. When using the Live Slice tool, you can add materials, features, and other Instant3D features. Video: Using real-time cutting planes
  
  To use the Live Section tool:
  1. Select a planar face or plane, right-click and select Live Cut Plane.
    nine0876 The size of the plane is set according to the selected face. The plane can be resized by dragging the handles. The FeatureManager design tree displays the Real-time Section Planes folder, which stores all of the real-time section planes.
  2. In the Live Section Planes folder, select the plane and rename it LSP1 .
  3. Click anywhere in the graphics area. nine0002 The real-time cutting plane will be disabled and the plane markers will disappear. The coordinate system of the plane also disappears.
  4. Right-click the boundary of the plane and select Fit to part.
    The size of the plane will be enlarged to such an extent that it cuts through the entire body.
    
    Using other context menu items, you can restore the original size of the real-time section or hide the section.
  5. Right-click on the boundary of the plane and select Show triad . nine0011
  6. Drag a coordinate system handle to dynamically cut the model.
    A ruler will appear for precise measurements.
    
    For edges that are not editable, use a different color than edges that can be edited. You cannot change the selection of these colors.
  7. You can stop dragging the real-time section plane at any time, select the section outline to display the ruler, and then change the geometry of the object’s model. nine0079
    
    To measure an object, select Tools > Analyze > Measure and then select the object.
  8. You can use small coordinate system circles to rotate the Live Cut Plane tool and cut the model at different angles. Using the protractor, you can set the exact angle of rotation.

Active plane	Pointers
Left grid plane nine0821
Right grid plane	nine0821
Horizontal grid plane