Display Technology
LCD displays
The internal construction of LCD displays consists of several layers. The actual pixels themselves don't light up – they are only capable of transmitting light. Therefore, they must be illuminated by LEDs. Compared with OLED displays (that don't need to be backlit), LCD displays have higher energy consumption but are considerably cheaper to manufacture.
TN (Twisted Nematic)
One of the older LCD technologies that is still in use. TN displays are cheap to produce and provide high brightness and fast response times. The main disadvantage, however, is worse viewing angles where contrast is lost and colours are distorted. Thanks to the fast times, TN displays are popular with gamers.
IPS (In-Plane Switching)
IPS screens offer an excellent quality-price ratio, with faithful colour reproduction and wide viewing angles. Compared with TN displays, however, IPS displays have lower contrast and slower response times.
VA (Vertical Alignment)
VA screens can be found with MVA or PVA technologies. In terms of quality, they stand somewhere between TN and IPS screens and are characterised by high contrast, wide viewing angles and true colour reproduction.
OLED displays
OLED is a premium imaging technology that utilises organic electroluminescent materials. OLED displays are divided into two basic categories:
AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode)
An active matrix display, widely used in televisions, mobile phones and other screens. This is by far the best display technology on the market, offering fast response times, wide viewing angles, low power consumption, a sharp colour display, and perfect black reproduction. The main disadvantage is the higher cost and shorter life - AMOLED displays last approximately half as long as other display types.
PMOLED (Passive Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode)
A passive matrix display. Compared with AMOLED, this technology features a simpler design. It is used mainly for smaller displays, and is ideal for displaying static information and text.
