Updated 6 Nov 2026
IPS, VA, TN or OLED? What the panel changes and what the spec sheet doesn’t say
Panel stated in the spec sheet, with the price and score of each.
IPS, VA or OLED: what does the panel change for your use?
See what each panel statesStep 1 of 5
What each panel states
Four types, four strengths according to the specs.
O painel is the screen technology, and the spec sheet usually says which one. Each type has its strength, and none is the best at everything.
| Panel | Strength | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| IPS | More stable viewing angle and colour when you look from the side | Black is usually less deep than on VA and OLED |
| VA | Higher contrast: deeper black and more detail in dark scenes | The response can be slower; check the stated response time |
| TN | Fast response and low price | Colour and viewing angle are usually more limited |
| OLED | Each point lights up on its own: true black and fast response | Higher price; a still image left up for a long time can leave a mark, and the spec sheet doesn’t measure that |
A summary of what each technology usually offers. The Radar doesn’t test any panel: the score gives more picture points to OLED, then IPS, VA and TN, and that is an editorial rule based on the spec sheet.
Step 2 of 5
The monitors with the highest score in each price range
The highest score up to each price, with today's price.
Up to £200.00
The highest score among 149 monitors up to £200.00.
Up to £300.00
The highest score among 193 monitors up to £300.00.
Up to £2,000.00
The highest score among 244 monitors up to £2,000.00.
Step 3 of 5
The price of each panel today
Median price and score by panel.
Today’s catalog doesn’t have enough monitors of each panel yet to show a median. Check the panel on the chart to see the ones there are.
Step 4 of 5
What the spec sheet doesn’t say
Calibration, uniformity and measured brightness.
Two monitors with the same panel can behave differently. The store’s spec sheet rarely lists the screen’s factory calibration, a uniformidade (whether brightness and colour are the same from corner to corner) or the measured brightness. The HDR the spec sheet states (HDR10, HDR 400) is the name of a standard, not proof of picture quality. The Radar measures none of this, and the picture score comes from pixel density, the panel and the stated HDR. For people who work with colour, a calibration instrument solves what the spec sheet doesn’t.
It’s a spec sheet rule, not a usage test: the Radar doesn’t turn on the monitor or measure the screen.
Step 5 of 5
Which panel for which use
Work, gaming and creative work call for different things.
For office and creative work, IPS is the Radar’s starting point, for colour and viewing angle. For gaming and movies, VA is pleasing for its contrast, and OLED for its black, if the price fits. TN shows up in cheap, fast models. What matters most is the use: see which monitor to buy, o 144 Hz guide e a comparison tool to put two models side by side.
How we read the panel
- 402monitors in the catalog
- 06/11price date
The panel is the screen technology, and each type has a strength in the spec sheet: IPS for colour, VA for contrast, TN for response and OLED for black. The Radar reads what the spec sheet states and doesn’t measure the picture. Catalog of 06/11/2026: 402 monitors, median price of £170.00.
| Item | What the Radar does |
|---|---|
| Panel type | Reads what the spec sheet states: IPS, VA, TN or OLED |
| HDR | Shows the stated standard, without measuring brightness |
| Calibration, uniformity and measured brightness | Doesn’t measure: the spec sheet rarely lists them |
| Minimum monitors per panel in the table | 3 for the panel to appear |
The best by price range
Next step
See the monitors that fit your criteria
Each point is a new monitor, by price and spec score.
Frequently asked questions
IPS, VA or OLED: which panel should you choose?
It depends on the use. IPS has more stable colour and viewing angle, VA has more contrast and OLED has true black, but costs more. TN is fast and cheap, with more limited colour. The Radar shows the panel that the spec sheet states and the median price of each.
Is IPS better than VA?
Neither is the best at everything. IPS usually has a more stable viewing angle and colour, and VA usually has more contrast. The difference depends on the model, and the spec sheet rarely gives a measurement. The Radar compares the price and spec sheet score of the two, and doesn’t claim which has the nicer picture.
Is an OLED monitor worth it?
It is for people who want deep black and fast response and accept paying more. A still image left up for a long time can leave a mark on OLED screens, and the spec sheet doesn’t measure durability. See the median price of OLED in today’s catalog before deciding.
Is the TN panel still worth it?
It is for people who want fast response and a low price and accept more limited colour and viewing angle. The spec sheet states the panel, and the Radar shows its price in the catalog. The Radar doesn’t test the picture of any panel.
What is HDR on a monitor’s spec sheet?
HDR stands for high dynamic range, an image standard with more difference between light and dark. The spec sheet states the name of the standard (HDR10, HDR 400). The name doesn’t measure the monitor’s real brightness, and the Radar shows only what the spec sheet states.
How much does an IPS monitor cost today?
It depends on the size and resolution. The Radar shows the median price of each panel in the 06/11/2026 catalog, which today has 402 monitors, from £55.00. Check the panel and the size on the chart to see the models.
How do I read the chart?
Each dot is a new monitor. The further right, the more expensive; the higher up, the better the spec sheet score. The price uses a logarithmic scale: each step is worth more dollars than the one before, so the cheaper ones don’t get bunched together. The line connects the monitors that no other, among those filtered, beats on both score and price at once. Compare monitors of the same size: pick the inch range in the top bar.
Where does the score come from?
From the monitor’s spec sheet, with public weights (image, smoothness, connections, ergonomics and recency). The score compares within the type: the Hz of an office monitor are measured against the office yardstick, those of a gaming monitor against the gaming one. It shows what the spec sheet states, not the calibration or the measured brightness. Size doesn’t count toward the score. The full calculation is in How we calculate the score.
Why do some monitors appear without a score?
Because the store’s spec sheet doesn’t give enough information: we need at least three components of the score. We’d rather leave a monitor without a score than make one up. Those monitors stay off the chart and remain in the table, with the price and the button to compare stores.
How many inches do I need?
For a work desk, 24″ at Full HD and 27″ at QHD are the sizes where text looks sharp without scaling up. At 27″ Full HD the density drops to 82 pixels per inch and the text looks less defined; 32″ calls for QHD or 4K. Each monitor’s page shows the pixel density calculated by the Radar.
Is the price on the chart what I’ll pay?
This is the lowest price from Amazon.com, a direct store, the manufacturer’s official store or a seller rated 4.0 with 100 or more sales, usually paying upfront, on the date we checked. It changes without notice, and the colour can change the price. The buy button goes straight to the store, where the price of the day applies.
Read next
Where the numbers come from
The panel comes from the spec sheet (the catalog’s pn field); what the store calls LED or W-LED is the backlight, not the panel. The table uses the median of the 06/11/2026 catalog, with at least 3 monitors per panel, and doesn’t predict the price of any model. In the picture score, the panel is worth up to 2.5 points (OLED 2.5; IPS 2; VA 1.5; TN 0.5), together with pixel density and stated HDR: it’s an editorial rule based on the spec sheet. The Radar doesn’t measure calibration, uniformity, brightness or durability.
The guide helps you decide and doesn’t recommend a monitor for you: the final price is the one at the store, and the spec score doesn’t measure the real calibration or durability.
Data from 6 Nov 2026.