TN vs IPS - Could one be really better for gaming?

[Jlavigne]

Good day guys!!
So, I'm starting with a simple question and hope I missed this information from my searches... I have 2 computers, one that I've built last summer, the other one that I built maybe 3 years ago.

My son is using the old PC while I use the new one (of course! :lol. BUT... when I look at his screen when he plays a game, the images a much better than mine, more sharp and the reactivity is amazing. He has a cheaper GPU than mine. The only thing I can think of is the monitor...

I use an 21.5'' LCD with IPS panel, 1920x1080, 2ms. He has a 20'' LCD with TN panel at 1680x1050, 2ms.

Would just the monitors alone create this difference? I haven't tested switching my monitor with his, I want to keep my 1080 resolution... haha

Any suggestions?
Tks!!

J

 

[dudmont]

Well, for starts, I'd suggest looking up online your monitor and seeing if people have recalibrated it, and what settings they used. I'm not sure what brands you have so I can't lend a lot more info.
I use two IPS displays, I had a TN before these 2, and I think a good TN can be comparable, so long as you're not looking at it from weird angles. In the end, every monitor has strengths and weaknesses, figuring out which work best with your situation is where the answer lies.
I would recommend you do switch sometime, like when he's at grandma's house, and just for a little bit.

 

[Dunlop0078]

What are the model number's of these monitors? There are some pretty sub standard IPS panels out there.

Generally I would say your 1080p IPS monitor should look quite a bit better. It has a higher resolution so it should be sharper, also IPS panel's generally have a wider color gamut and more accurate colors than a TN. However IPS panels tend to have slower response times and more input lag than a TN, this can introduce "ghosting" when moving which makes things look a bit blurry in motion and make the game feel a bit sluggish as it takes longer for a button press to register on the screen. This is usually only apparent on older or very cheap IPS monitors.

Are you sure you have the game you are playing running at the correct resolution in the in game settings? I feel like your monitor should look noticeably better not noticeably worse.

 

[Jlavigne]

They are both Samsung monitors. The IPS one is S22B350H and the other is a SyncMaster T200, if my memory is right.
I've tried checking online, did a comparison of the specs (except an actual test... which I'll do this weekend).
Yes, the resolution is correct. 😉

 

[dudmont]

The other thought I have is this, seeing as how the resolution of the TN is lower, your sons games are probably running with higher detail settings, even if his graphics card isn't as strong.