What is va panel: IPS vs VA: Comparing LCD Types Found In TVs

What Is a VA or SVA Display? A Basic Definition

VA stands for vertical alignment and is a a type of LED (a form of LCD) panel display technology. VA panels are characterized as having the best contrast and image depth among the other main types of display panels, TN (twisted nematic)and IPS (in-plane switching), but also the longest response times. As such, you may want to think twice before choosing a VA panel as a gaming monitor. However, we regard contrast as the most important factor in a monitor’s image quality. So if you’re looking for the best possible picture, we highly recommend a VA display.

When buying a PC monitor or even a gaming laptop, you may see displays listed as “SVA” instead of “VA”. SVA stands for “super vertical alignment” and is a term created by Samsung. Long story short, SVA is a type of VA panel that claims to bring better viewing angles, which is why some people will say SVA stands for “super viewing angles. ” Either way, SVA means better image quality when viewing the screen from the side, above, below or in very sunny or bright atmospheres.

According to Samsung, SVA panels achieve better viewing angles by laying its liquid crystals into varying directions, allowing viewers to see the same color no matter their viewing angle. “With shaping liquid crystal cell structure as a boomerang, further dividing each sub-pixel into two different sections that are oppositely aligned (also referred to as fish-bone structure), viewing angles are no longer an issue,” Samsung says. However, an IPS display will likely still offer better viewing angles than an SVA display.

SVA panels also use polymeric stabilizers, which are is supposed to bring better cell transmittance and eat up less power than regular VA panels.

Common Types of LCD Panels:

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Row 0 — Cell 0	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.

VA Vs IPS — Which Panel is the Best?

Even after the introduction of newer display technologies, LCDs still remain relevant even today. LCD displays are used for multiple purposes (TV, Monitor, Mobile Phones, Laptops, Automobiles, etc.) and one single configuration cannot satisfy all the purposes. So, LCD displays come with two different panels – VA (Vertical Alignment) and IPS (In-Plane Switching) to satisfy the different viewing needs of consumers.

A VA panel offers a superior contrast ratio but a narrow viewing angle. Contrarily, an IPS panel offers a wide viewing angle but a low contrast ratio.

So, ultimately the question of which panel is best depends on how you plan to use the display.

The following article explores the different advantages and disadvantages of the LCD panels and which one you should go with based on your needs.

NOTE: In the rest of the article, we used the term ‘TV’ as a general display device and the evaluation applies to TVs and Computer Monitors as well.

Outline

1. VA (Vertical Alignment) Panel

As the name suggests, the liquid crystals in a VA Panel are aligned in a vertical or perpendicular direction to the glass substrate.

When you pass polarized light through the cells, the second set of cells that lies perpendicular to the first blocks the light. This creates a black state.

Now, when you apply an electric current, it causes the cells to align in a horizontal manner and allow the light to pass through. This causes to display the picture.

As mentioned earlier, displays with VA Panels provide a great contrast ratio. You can find VA panels that typically come with contrast ratios of 3000:1 or 6000:1. A comparable IPS panel will only have a contrast ratio of 1000:1.

But they fall behind when it comes to viewing angles. Viewing angle denotes the angle at which you can sit and watch the TV / monitor without a drop in the picture quality.

VA panels have narrow viewing angles. You will only be able to have an immersive experience when you sit straight opposite the display. The wider angles will not provide you the same experience.

The VA panels are great for gaming as generally, you will straight opposite to the monitor while playing games

Pros

It offers contrast ratios that are 3x times better than that of IPS panels.
It has good black uniformity.
It is affordable.

Cons

It has a narrow viewing angle. It does not provide the same experience when you sit wider to the TV.
It has a low color range.
It has a slow response time.

2. IPS (In-Plane Switching) Panel

In this, the liquid crystals are arranged parallel to the glass substrate instead of the perpendicular alignment. Furthermore, the structure of crystals and the placement of electrodes differ from the one used in VA panels. The electrodes occupy more space that results in lower contrast and brightness of the screen.

With the IPS panels, you can view the TV / monitor from a wide-angle and still get an impressive picture quality. Unlike VA panels, you will notice very little difference in color reproduction when you sit at a wide-angle from the display.

But when it comes to black uniformity, the IPS panels are sub-par. These panels do a poor job in displaying a bright image in the center of a completely black screen.

One more major drawback with the IPS panels is that they exhibit a distinct phenomenon called ‘IPS Glow’. You will notice some light patches on the corners of the screen. This happens when excessive light is passed through the screen.

Initially, IPS panels are mainly used in TVs due to their wide viewing angles, as we can watch TV in our living room from anywhere. But due to their better quality, color accuracy and response time, LCD panels gradually occupied the high-end computer monitor and laptop screens

Pros

IPS panels have wider viewing angles. You will notice little difference in the picture quality even when you watch the TV from extreme angles.
It has a high refresh rate. You will enjoy a smooth and fluid gaming experience.
It has a low response time.
It has a decent refresh rate.

Cons

Their contrast ratio is not as good as that of VA panels.
It has poor black uniformity.
The IPS panels are very expensive.

VA Vs. IPS: Table Comparison

We have listed the different features you have to consider while buying a TV and how the panels fare against each feature.

Factor	VA	IPS
Picture Quality	Good	Moderate
Viewing Angles	Narrow viewing angle	Wide viewing angles
Contrast Ratio	Very high (6000:1)	Moderate (1000:1)
Response Time	Lowest Up to 1ms ( offers an “instant” response ) Highest 16 ms ( slow response ) Lowest is good For Gamers less than 2 ms For Normal users less than 5ms	Lowest Up to 0.5ms ( offers an “instant” response ) Highest 16 ms ( slow response ) Lowest is good For Gamers less than 2 ms For Normal users less than 5ms
Refresh Rate	Highest Possible – 144 Hz,160 Hz, 165 Hz, 240 Hz Lowest Possible – 60 Hz,75 Hz, 100 Hz Highest Refresh Rate is Good	Highest Possible 144 Hz,160 Hz, 165 Hz, 240 Hz, 280 Hz, 360 Hz Lowest Possible 60 Hz,75 Hz, 100 Hz Highest Refresh Rate is Good
Black Uniformity	Better black uniformity	Poor black uniformity
Performance	Slow response time, high refresh rate, and low input lag	High response time and highest refresh rates
Suitable For	Office or study use, online games, and high-end PC gamers.	Digital artists and programmers
Price	Moderate	Expensive

Factors you need to check while choosing your TV panel

Below is the comprehensive list of factors that you have to check before choosing your TV panel,

Image Quality

IPS: These panels have the highest color range. You will be able to enjoy a realistic gaming experience. Besides, they have better viewing angles. So, you won’t notice any drop in picture quality even when you are not sitting in front of your TV / monitor.

VA: Even though the color range is not as great as the IPS panel, it does a pretty good job in showing the color variations. But the viewing angle is narrow. So, you have to sit straight opposite the TV / monitor.

VA panel compensates for its decent color range with an impressive contrast ratio. You will be able to see great detailing in the difference between light and dark colors.

The clear winner here is IPS panel because of its high color range and better viewing angle.

Refresh Rate

IPS: IPS panels have one of the highest refresh rates. While you easily find an IPS panel with a refresh rate of 144Hz, some of the latest ones come with a refresh rate of 360Hz. If you are a serious online-gamer, digital artist, or video editor, then you have to go with the highest refresh rate within your budget.

VA: VA panels have lower refresh rates than IPS panels. Most VA panels come with a refresh rate of 120Hz. If you want to have a higher refresh rate, then you have to be willing to spend extra. VA panels have a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz.

The winner is IPS panel because of its high refresh rate of 360Hz.

Response Time

IPS: IPS panels generally come with a response time of 4 milliseconds. This would suffice for watching TV or playing most games. But, if you are playing racing games or first-person shooting games, you need to have a response time of less than 2 milliseconds.

Luckily, some of the latest IPS panels come with super-fast refresh rates of 1 to 2 milliseconds.

VA: VA panels generally have a slower response time than IPS panels with 5 milliseconds. So, there is a higher chance for you to experience motion blur. But, some of the VA panels that come with an expensive price tag have faster response times.

The winner is IPS panel because of its fast response time.

Viewing Angle

IPS: When it comes to the viewing angle, IPS panels far outweigh the VA panels. They have wider viewing angles. You will experience no drop in picture quality even if you sit and watch the TV from an extreme angle.

VA: The VA panels have a very narrow viewing angle. You have to sit as close to the straight axis of the TV to enjoy the picture quality. If you sit wider, there will be a significant loss in the picture quality.

The winner is IPS panel because it has a wider viewing angle.

Contrast Ratio

The contrast ratio refers to the difference between the maximum and minimum brightness. It is the capacity of the display monitor to show dark colors darker and bright colors brighter.

IPS: IPS panels do a decent job in the contrast ratio segment but they are nowhere close to that of VA panels. An IPS panel offers a contrast ratio of 1000:1. When you watch a black color environment in an IPS panel, the black color will be slightly greyed out.

VA: VA panels offer a superior contrast ratio of 6000:1 that is very impressive. It has the capacity to show dark environments as darker. So, you will enjoy the picture detailing shown by the VA panels.

The winner is VA panel because of its high contrast ratio of 6000:1.

Black Uniformity

Black uniformity is a monitor’s ability to display black color throughout its screen.

IPS: IPS panels are not really great at displaying the uniform black color throughout the screen. Due to the low contrast ratio, the black color will appear slightly greyed out.

VA: VA panels have a good black uniformity. But it also depends on the TV model you go with. Not all TV models with a VA panel have good black uniformity. But it is safe to say that in general, VA panels have better black uniformity than an IPS panel.

The winner is the VA panel because it can display black color uniformly throughout the screen.

Conclusion

To put it short, the main difference between the panels lies in the alignment of the liquid crystals. The alignment results in the differences in the performance and picture quality of the panels.

The VA panels are ideal for office/study use, high-end PC games, and online games. If you are looking for a panel for mixed usage, the VA panel should still suffice your needs.

The IPS panel, on the other hand, is best for programmers, photo and video editors and digital artists.

If you have any further doubts or queries, let us know using the comments section. Our team will help you out. You can also post your thoughts and views in the comments box.

Cooktop. What’s this?

The hob is a flat body, approximately 3-6 cm thick, with gas burners or electric burners installed on it. The panel is installed (cuts like a kitchen sink) into the countertop cover in any place convenient for you, with one condition, no closer than 100-150 mm to the wall or furniture for gas surfaces, and no closer than 40 mm for electric ones. In the Osmin store you will find hobs:

Recently, built-in kitchen appliances have become increasingly popular, and the first place, of course, belongs to built-in hobs. Perhaps there is no more indispensable element in our kitchen than a stove. It is used by those who do not like to cook, and passionate cooks who love to spend their free time around it. It is worth noting that when buying a hob, not everything is as simple as it might seem. Basically, all hobs differ in the type of heating, material, dependence on the oven and set of functions.

Cooktop. surface type.

Gas — these include those panels in which gas burners of various capacities are used as a heating element, ranging from about 100 to 3500 watts.
Electric — this type includes panels with an electric heating element, usually cast iron «pancakes» or glass ceramics.
Combined — a combination of gas burners and an electric heating element. Usually the ratio of gas to electricity is 3 to 1 or 2 to 2. These surfaces are good if you do not have a main gas pipeline and use gas bottles, in the absence of gas you will be able to cook food on electric burners.

Which panel you buy depends on whether you have a gas main in your kitchen, or how reliable the electrical wiring in your apartment is.

Cooktop. Together or apart?

They are divided not only into gas, electric and combined, but also into dependent and independent.

Dependent — the hob is dependent on the oven. This means that the control panel is located on the oven, while there are no buttons or knobs on the panel itself. This combination is convenient to buy if you need an oven, and you want to install it directly under the hob and end up with an ordinary stove, but built into your kitchen furniture. It is familiar and quite convenient.
Independent — hob has a control panel responsible only for its operation. The type of such a hob is not related to the type and location of the oven.

Tip from Osmin. When purchasing a dependent kit, you cannot use components from different companies, because they are not compatible with each other, even one manufacturer does not guarantee that any of its panels can be combined with any oven of its production. Each manufacturer has a compatibility table that clearly describes which hob fits which oven.

Control.

It is very easy and convenient to operate the hobs. Depending on preference, control can be touch or using knobs.

Cooktop. Color and material.

Enamel — most often white, black or brown, but sometimes they are found in other colors of the rainbow, but much less often.
Stainless steel is one of the most popular colors, it will suit almost any kitchen and will go well with the kitchen sink as it they are usually the same color.
Aluminum — very similar in color to stainless steel, but a lighter shade.
Glass-ceramic — at the base, all surfaces with such a coating are black, but some models have a rather extraordinary look, there are also white panels.

Price.

Appliances of approximately the same class have similar feature sets, build quality and approximately the same price. And here everything depends on your taste and, of course, the design of the future kitchen. Thanks to progress, it is now possible to purchase a reliable hob with much wider capabilities than before for a fairly small amount.

Every year, hobs acquire more and more new features that provide them with the most convenient operation.

A modern hob significantly increases labor productivity, allows you to expand the range of cooked dishes, and generally serves to create comfort in the house. A good hob is also a source of good mood. Those who already use the new modern stove, most likely, experienced great bliss, noting that due to the uniform heating of the oven, the pies do not burn, the milk on the quick heating burner boils almost instantly, and cleaning the stove surface made of modern materials is easy and pleasant.

Only here the choice of a plate is a rather complicated process. In the Osmin store, qualified sales consultants will always help you make a choice. And our articles will help you to find out a lot of useful information before going shopping.

What are the dimensions of the hobs

The hob gives the user much more freedom of action than the old familiar stove with burners on top and an oven below them. An independent hob can be built into a cabinet or countertop, you can choose any type of heating or several different ones at the same time. The usual four burners can be replaced with two or, for example, six.

In addition, you can get away from the standard square shape and prefer rectangular, teardrop-shaped or triangular with any mutual arrangement of burners. The main thing when choosing is to take into account your own needs, the size of the kitchen and, of course, the hob itself.

The main dimensions of the hob are its width and depth. The thickness of the device is less important, as it usually matches the thickness of the countertop and is 4-6 cm.

The standard size of the hob is considered to be an appliance with a width of 59-60 cm, a depth of 50-60 cm. Small devices are called devices 30-40 cm wide, the same 50 cm deep.

Let’s analyze all the dimensions in more detail.

Hob width

This parameter depends primarily on the number of burners. The width can be distinguished:

Narrow hobs: 30 and 45 cm wide.

Width 30 cm is typical for two-burner models of different types of heating. Their real width is somewhat less — 28-29 cm, due to the embedding of the device. The front burner may be smaller in diameter and less powerful than the back burner.

For example, Electrolux EHH93320NK is an induction hob with identical burners, and Whirlpool AKT 352/IX is a gas hob with a front burner with a diameter of 75 mm and a rear one of 90 mm.
Gas hobs of this width can also be single-burner — like the Miele CS 1011 G with a WOK zone, which allows you to cook in dishes with a convex bottom.

45 cm — standard width for three burner hob . Most of them have two lower power burners on the left, one higher power with a fast heating function in the middle on the right. This configuration is somewhat unusual at first, but very convenient.

You can choose any type of heating — induction 44 cm Zigmund Shtain CIS 029.45 BX, Korting HGG 485 CTB — type «gas on glass» with a WOK burner.

Standard hobs — 4 burners, 60 cm wide. The mutual arrangement of the burners can be not only rectangular, but also non-standard — a rhombus or a trapezoid.

A huge selection of color and style solutions, grill design for gas panels, fittings material opens up wide possibilities. It is noteworthy that the choice of colors is much wider for gas stoves — for example, Restart products are available in burgundy, vanilla, copper, blue, green and others.
Among the electric ones, you can find the Korting HI 6450 BGR model in gray or Kuppersberg FT6VS16 C in beige.

Wide are 9 models0086 70 to 90 cm. Mostly 5 or 6 burner models.

P five-burner — from 68 to 90 cm.

The fifth burner, as a rule, of increased power and diameter, is located in the center — like the gas Korting HGG 785 CTW 72 cm wide or the induction Kaiser KCT 7795 FI RotEm 77 cm.

There is an arrangement of the fifth burner in a separate third row, which makes control more convenient, since the fifth switch is placed under it. But the width of the product also increases and can reach 90 cm. For example, the Korting HGG 985 CTN gas-on-glass model is 89 cm.

6-burner pans are generally the same width as 5-burner pans — ranges from 89 to 90 cm . The burners are arranged in three rows, but there are also more original models — like Fulgor Milano QH 906 G WK X with a separate front left zone for large dishes.

Very wide panels — from 90 to 130 cm — available with 6 or 7 burners in different shapes.

Among them, most are gas, but there is also an induction De Dietrich DPI7969XS, in which 6 heating zones are combined into 3. The original Ilve HP125FC model is 116 cm wide with a FRY TOP burner — a thick, flat stainless steel surface raised above the level of the panel.

Hob depth

This parameter is determined based on the dimensions of the countertop. It is known that the optimal value is 52 — 60 cm, most models are oriented towards it.

For shallow hobs — from 20 to 40 cm — the burners can be arranged in one row, like the electric Teka TR 941 HZ 40 cm deep or the gas Fulgor Milano CPH 1124 G WK TC WH X 38 cm. Models stand out in this category with hood — their depth is about 20-22 cm, as, for example, in Elica NIKOLATESLA LIBRA BL / F / 83. Single-burner models also have a shallow depth.

Standard depth is 50 to 60 cm. Actual dimensions vary within ± 5 cm for ease of installation. Products of all types of heating, with any number of burners, can have this size. For example, the most popular Asko HI1611G four-burner induction hob has a depth of 52 cm.

Deep models — up to 80 cm, as a rule, with a large number of burners. Most often, such surfaces are gas, often with an original corporate design. For example, in the five-burner Wolf ICBSRT484F at 72 cm, the central segment is a homogeneous “French surface” with uniform heat distribution.

Surface dimensions depending on heating

As a rule, the type of heating does not affect the size of the hob. Built-in panels, whether they are gas, electric or induction, have approximately the same standard dimensions.

Gas. This surface is usually chosen if the house is gasified. But even in this case, you can install a combined or domino-type panel of several two-burner ones.

The minimum width of these models is approx. 30 cm, the standard width is 60 cm.
The depth is most often the usual 50-60 cm, which correlates with the depth of kitchen cabinets and tables.
Height (thickness) — from 4-5 to 10 cm.

Surface dimensions depending on heating

Electrical. If we take the usual models for 4 burners, then the order will be similar:

width — 57-60 cm,
depth — 50-55 cm,
thickness — 4-5 cm.

Induction. These devices have the same principle:

standard width — 60-65 cm,
depth — 50-55 cm,
thickness — 4.5-5.5 cm.

The situation is the same for glass-ceramic panels.

The number of burners you need is easiest to determine if you remember how many of them you usually turn on at the same time and add one more burner as a spare. Only a greater variety of models and designs and often a lower price speak in favor of standard four-burner stoves.

Cabinet or cabinet dimensions for built-in

Determining the place of the hob in the kitchen is no less important than choosing the right model.

The countertop where the panel will be embedded should be located at a distance of at least 60 cm and no more than 1 meter from the sink. The minimum size corresponds to the width of a standard kitchen cabinet with a worktop. Products will be placed here before cooking — so that they can be cut and not burned. With a distance of more than a meter, when preparing food, you will often have to move between the sink and the hob.
It is also recommended to leave free space on the side of the hob opposite from the sink. Placing a cabinet, a pencil case, a refrigerator, a window, etc. there is impractical for security reasons. The minimum width of this free space is about 30 cm.
In some models, on the back side, behind the hob, it is recommended to install a protective panel.

Having chosen the location, the hob must be properly installed by cutting a hole in the cabinet or countertop. The size of the cutout is smaller in width and depth than the panel itself, since a few millimeters are given in reserve: so that there are no cracks and gaps.

For standard panels, a space of 56×49 cm +/- 1-3 mm is cut out in the countertop.

Under the hob, there can be both an oven and other household appliances or just a cabinet. For optimal placement, the thickness of the worktop should be greater than or equal to the thickness of the panel.
If the hob is thicker, then the countertops are enlarged by adding another layer of chipboard, MDF or other material so that the panel does not protrude upwards more than necessary.

Each model presented in the Hausdorf online store is accompanied by a detailed embedding diagram or installation instructions, which indicate:

mounting dimensions and clearances around the device,
product depth with and without control panel,
recommended location of the socket, gas pipeline and hood,
protective panel dimensions.