Many wonder about the difference between a TFT and an IPS display. Which of the two is better? IPS or TFT? Where exactly are the differences? And what does it have to do with an LCD?

Basically, both are LC displays; you don't actually say "LCD display", that's "doubled" since the word LCD already contains the "liquid crystal display". Liquid crystal displays (LCD) are available in one color (monochrome) or in full color. The full-color displays are then called TFT displays. TFT = "Thin-Film-Technology". This refers to the driver electronics and not the display technology.

An IPS display describes a special display technology, even if it is a color TFT display.

TFT = color LCD with driver for every single pixel directly on the glass, usually in TN-technology

IPS = TFT with wide viewing angle

The IPS technology is a so-called "in-plane switching" technology. It creates a contrast that is almost independent of the viewing angle. So, no matter if you look at the display directly from the front or rather from the left or top, the contrast remains constant. This means that IPS displays can be read well from all sides. IPS displays achieve a viewing angle of up to 85° in all four directions compared to 45° to 55° for classic TN displays (TFT displays).

TFT = 45-55° viewing angle

IPS = 85° viewing angle

Furthermore, the color stability is much higher with IPS displays. If you look at a normal TFT display in TN technology from above or below, you will observe the typical gray inversion effect. This refers to a sudden tilt of the colors into a negative display. The colors are lost and the display content turns gray to brown. The content remains somewhat recognizable, but appears in completely wrong colors. IPS technology doesn't know this effect, the colors remain intact.

Together with a good backlight, as used in all DISPLAY VISIONS displays, you can still achieve high brightness even when looking at the display from an angle.

TFT = Gray Inversion Effect

IPS = colors remain stable even when viewing angle changes

The AACS technology (All-Angle-Color-Stability) brings another technology advantage.

Due to their low transmission rates, TFT displays require very bright backlighting. This is achieved using so-called BEF films (Brightness Enhancer Film). They focus the light of the backlight to a small angle. In this way, a bright display can be created with a few LEDs (inexpensively). However, if you move your head outside the normal, the display quickly becomes much darker.

Not so with the AACS technology, because here the wide viewing angle of the IPS display is supported by a illuminationwith wide angle: thus we achieve a brilliant and bright display even at extreme viewing angles. With a much wider viewing angle than normal TFT displays, color stable and also incomparably brighter from the side.

Here you find some AACS, TFT and IPS Displays.