Monitor & TV Panel Types: What Creators Need to Know

When you shop for a display, you’ll see a mess of letters—LED, LCD, IPS, OLED, QLED, Plasma—but most of it boils down to a few real differences.

LCD/LED (The Standard)

• LCD (Liquid Crystal Display):

  • The classic flat panel—almost every modern monitor is technically an LCD.

  • Needs a backlight—that’s where “LED” comes in.

• LED:

  • Just an LCD with an LED backlight (instead of old-school fluorescent).

  • Better energy use, thinner screens, brighter images.

  • Most “LED monitors” are just LCDs with LEDs behind them.

IPS vs. VA vs. TN (How It Looks From the Side)

• IPS (In-Plane Switching):

  • Best color accuracy and wide viewing angles.

  • If you want your colors to look right from any seat, get IPS.

  • Preferred for creative work, photo/video editing, and design.

• VA (Vertical Alignment):

  • Deeper blacks, better contrast.

  • Good for watching movies or if you work in the dark a lot.

  • Slower response times, not ideal for fast action (but fine for most studios).

• TN (Twisted Nematic):

  • Oldest and cheapest.

  • Fast response (gamers liked them), but poor color and viewing angles.

  • Not recommended for creators.

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode)

• OLED:

  • Each pixel lights up individually—true black and amazing contrast.

  • Super thin, flexible screens are possible.

  • Used in some high-end monitors and most new smartphones.

  • Downsides: Pricey, possible “burn-in” if you leave static images on too long.

QLED (Quantum Dot LED)

• QLED:

  • LCD/LED tech with a “quantum dot” layer for brighter, richer colors.

  • Great for TVs, decent for monitors, but not a magic bullet.

  • Usually very bright, but not as “true black” as OLED.

Plasma (Retired Champ)

• Plasma:

  • Big, heavy, used to be the king for home theater.

  • Amazing color and motion, but burns a ton of power, gets hot, and is basically extinct in new products.

Echo’s Take:

• Studio/Creator Use:

  • Go for IPS panels for the best color and viewing angle.

  • If you’re buying a TV, LED/LCD is fine; QLED if you want more pop.

  • OLED if money is no object, and you want stunning color/contrast.

• Skip:

  • TN panels (unless it’s dirt cheap and you only need spreadsheets).

  • Plasma (unless you find one cheap for vintage gaming).

Bottom Line:You don’t need to get lost in the acronyms. IPS LED for monitors = safe bet for creators. For TVs, LED/LCD or QLED is solid, OLED if you want to flex.