While choosing the right monitor to satisfy all your gaming needs, it is always better to go by the trial and error or the pros and cons method to list out all the necessary things you may require. And when the discourse concerns the choice for a new gaming monitor, it always comes down to two options: Should you get an IPS or LED.
In this article, we shall explore the differences between the two and help you choose your best option depending on your requirements. Read on to find out the best fit for you!
IPS vs LED: The long Battle Between The Best
Before coming to a conclusion on what is the best choice among IPS and LED for you, we first have to discuss for what purpose you are going to use your monitor. And if you have clicked on the title of this article, said purpose has to be FPS gaming. Frame rate or Frame Frequency is the most important aspect in FPS gaming. The abbreviation FPS stands for Frames Per Second. Naturally, for games that rely on FPS for the whole gaming experience, it is imperative that you choose the one that provides the highest FPS. If you are looking for how to select and buy a monitor then check our previous guide.
What are the factors you should consider?
While differentiating between IPS and LED monitors, there are a few factors you should take into account. These are:
- Image Quality and Display
- Refresh Rate
- Power consumption
- Compatibility
These stand vital while choosing the correct monitor. But before we start to list the pros and cons for each factor, here’s what IPS and LED really stand for.
What is an IPS Monitor?
The term IPS stands for In-plane switching. It is an important member of the LCD panel technology family. It is usually characterized by vibrant color accuracy and better response time. They are usually the costlier ones in the monitor family and have been reported to stand the test of time as well.
An IPS monitor owes its name to the IPS panel equipped in its body, which alone comes with varied features according to price variation. Investing in one can be really fruitful if you’re looking for something that can do way more than just gaming.
What is a LED Monitor?
LED Monitors come from a long family of LCD screens. The term stands for Light-emitting diode and as cool as that sounds, its technology uses LEDs to light up the content of each pixel. Specialized as a display model, it offers brighter screening with backlight technology. It also consumes lesser power than other monitors.
The benefit of using a LED monitor lies in the fact that it consumes lesser energy and is better for the environment. It is easier on the eyes as it provides a broader dimming range. If it comes to price, these monitors are definitely cheaper than IPS screens.
Comparing between the two: Difference between IPS and LED
Image Quality and Display: An IPS screen consumes more power and offers vibrant color accuracy. The in-plane switching technology offers the same color density and reproduction no matter from which angle you view your monitor screen.
The backlight technology used by LED screens consume lesser energy but are also inefficient in producing the same quality images from all viewing angles.
Refresh Rate: Refresh Rate is an important aspect to take into consideration while gaming. IPS monitors with newer panels usually have a very fast refresh rate which means, your screen will not hang up while adjusting from one color to another.
Comparatively, LED monitors using either VA or TN technology usually have a response time of 1ms. It definitely cannot get any faster than this at this price rate, but the color quality is definitely compromised.
Power Consumption: Owing to their huge color contrast and vibrancy, IPS Monitors are extremely power consuming and might not be a good move for the environment.
LED screens on the other hand are reliable power-saving systems that produce images slightly lower in quality.
Compatibility: Both IPS and LED screens combine different technologies and incorporate other display panels to make more efficient systems, these include:
a) LCD models with IPS panels featuring the backlight quality signature to LED screens
b) LED backlight feature incorporating an IPS panel or a TA panel
c) IPS models with the same panels featuring LED or LCD backlight technology.
Choosing the best monitor for FPS gaming
Though an IPS screen will definitely provide a more vivid display, it is better for an FPS gamer to opt for a LED screen on an overall aspect. A richer competitive gaming experience is bound to follow.