Why VA Gaming Monitors Kinda Suck...
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the creator shares their experience with VA-based gaming monitors, highlighting the stark contrast between the deep blacks offered by VA panels and the motion blur issues that can affect gaming performance. After disappointing experiences with two VA monitors, the Samsung G302 and the Cooler Master GM34CQARGB, due to smearing and motion artifacts, a comparison is made with an IPS alternative. The LG 34GN850 is tested against the VA panels, showing better motion rendering. The video concludes that while VA panels excel in contrast, the motion issues may be a deal-breaker for some gamers, and high-end Samsung VA panels might offer a solution.
Takeaways
- đź The speaker finds VA-based gaming monitors unsuitable for gaming due to motion smearing issues.
- đ„ïž A comparison between IPS and VA panels shows VA panels have better contrast ratios but suffer from motion blur.
- đ The Samsung G302 VA monitor was disappointing due to its blurry motion rendering, leading to its quick return.
- đ The LG IPS monitor was preferred over the Samsung VA for its better motion rendering despite similar specs.
- đ The Cooler Master gm34cqargb VA monitor was criticized for its severe black smearing problem during motion.
- đ§ The monitor's settings like overdrive and Clarity settings were insufficient to fix the smearing issue.
- đš The extent of black smearing on the VA panel was found to vary significantly depending on the scene's color palette.
- đïž The speaker bought an LG 850 IPS monitor to compare with the VA panel and found less smearing and better motion.
- đ The inconsistency of smearing in games like No Man's Sky made the speaker realize the issue is color-dependent.
- đ The LG 32GK60 VA monitor was tested for comparison, but it also showed significant motion smearing.
- đ€ High-end Samsung VA panels are rumored to have solved the smearing problem, but the speaker hasn't tested them personally.
Q & A
What is the main issue the author has with VA-based gaming monitors?
-The author finds that VA monitors, despite their strengths, have significant motion blur and smearing issues that negatively impact the gaming experience.
What is the primary advantage of VA panels over IPS panels as mentioned in the script?
-VA panels offer a superior contrast ratio, being much better at displaying deep black levels compared to IPS panels.
What game did the author play on the Samsung G302 VA monitor, and what issue did they encounter?
-The author played 'Escape from Tarkov' on the Samsung G302 and found the motion rendering to be blurry, making it difficult to spot enemy players at a distance.
What was the author's first impression of the Cooler Master gm34cqargb VA monitor?
-The author was initially impressed by the beautiful image, bright and contrasty colors of the Cooler Master gm34cqargb, but the motion rendering with its smearing problem was very disappointing.
What settings did the author try to adjust on the VA monitors to combat motion blur?
-The author tried adjusting settings such as overdrive and clarity settings in the display menus to improve motion rendering.
How did the author's experience with the LG IPS display compare to the VA monitor in terms of motion rendering?
-The author found the motion rendering on the LG IPS display to be much better, without the smearing effect experienced on the VA monitor.
What is the difference between the LG 850 IPS monitor and the Cooler Master VA panel in terms of panel technology?
-The LG 850 uses a nano IPS panel, while the Cooler Master VA panel uses quantum dot technology, which is referred to as a 'gimmick' in the script.
Which game did the author find to have less smearing issues on the VA panel?
-The author found 'Battlefield 5' to have less noticeable smearing issues on the VA panel, depending on the map.
How does the extent of black smearing on the VA panel vary depending on the color palette of the scene?
-The extent of black smearing on the VA panel varies massively depending on the color palette, with some color schemes causing more smearing than others.
What did the author conclude about the suitability of VA panels for gaming?
-The author concluded that while VA panels have excellent contrast ratios, the motion rendering issues with smearing make them a deal-breaker for gaming.
What did the author suggest about high-end Samsung VA panels in the closing thoughts?
-The author mentioned that some high-end Samsung VA panels, as reviewed by others, seem to have mostly solved the smearing problem, but they did not have first-hand experience with these monitors.
Outlines
đź VA Monitors and Gaming Experience
The speaker shares their personal experience with VA-based gaming monitors, expressing dissatisfaction with their performance in gaming due to motion smearing. They compare the motion display of an IPS and a VA monitor, highlighting the blurriness of the latter. The speaker also mentions the superior contrast ratio of VA panels but emphasizes that it's overshadowed by the motion rendering issues. Sponsorship from the be quiet! Silent Wing 4 fan is acknowledged, and the speaker's first disappointing experience with a Samsung G302 VA monitor is discussed, due to its blurry motion rendering, leading to its quick return. A comparison with an LG IPS monitor with similar specs is made, noting the significant difference in motion clarity.
đ„ In-Depth Analysis of VA Panel Issues
This paragraph delves deeper into the issues faced with VA panels, particularly the smearing problem that worsens with movement. The speaker's second experience with a VA panel, the Cooler Master GM34CQARGB, is described, noting its beautiful static image quality but poor motion rendering with significant black smearing. Various in-game comparisons between the VA and IPS panels are made, illustrating the overshoot and blurriness of the VA panel. The inconsistency of smearing depending on the color palette is discussed, affecting not only gaming but also general browsing in dark mode. The speaker also compares the LG 32GK60 VA monitor with the Cooler Master VA, finding similar issues with motion rendering despite some differences in the extent of smearing. The paragraph concludes with the speaker's overall impression that while both IPS and VA panels have shortcomings, the motion rendering issues of VA panels are a deal-breaker for gaming.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄVA-based gaming monitors
đĄIPS gaming monitor
đĄMotion smearing
đĄContrast ratio
đĄResponse time
đĄOverdrive and Clarity settings
đĄColor palette
đĄGaming display
đĄNano IPS
đĄDeal breaker
đĄHigh-end Samsung VA panels
Highlights
The presenter's opinion that VA-based gaming monitors are not ideal for gaming due to motion smearing issues.
A comparison of motion display between an IPS and a VA gaming monitor, illustrating the smearing effect on the VA panel.
The mention of life's complexities where VA panels and IPS panels have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Introduction of the sponsor 'be quiet silent Wing' for their contribution to the monitor used in the video.
The presenter's initial excitement and subsequent disappointment with the Samsung G302 VA panel due to motion blur.
The difficulty in spotting enemies in games like Escape from Tarkov due to motion blur on VA panels.
The comparison of response time and refresh rate specs between a 24-inch LG IPS display and the Samsung G302 VA panel.
The presenter's second disappointing experience with the Cooler Master gm34cqargb VA panel due to severe black smearing.
The ineffectiveness of overdrive and Clarity settings in reducing motion artifacts on the Cooler Master VA panel.
The purchase of a comparable IPS alternative to the VA panel for a direct comparison in gaming performance.
First impressions of the LG 850 IPS monitor showing a significant improvement in motion rendering compared to the VA panel.
The inconsistency of smearing intensity depending on the color palette of the game scene on the VA panel.
The impact of smearing on non-gaming activities like dark mode browsing on the Cooler Master VA panel.
The purchase of the LG 32GK60 to test if the smearing issue is consistent across different VA monitors.
The LG V8 Monitor's larger screen size and 1440p resolution, and the presenter's positive first impression.
The persistent smearing issue on the LG V8 Monitor, despite it being less severe than the Cooler Master VA.
The presenter's closing thoughts on the trade-off between the contrast ratio of VA panels and the motion rendering issues.
A call to action for viewers to share their experiences with VA panels in gaming in the comments section.
Mention of high-end Samsung VA panels that reportedly solve the smearing problem, but the presenter's lack of personal experience with them.
The presenter's final note on the discrepancy between theoretical promise and practical experience with technology.
Transcripts
over the last while I've been living with some va-based gaming monitors and I quickly came to Â
the conclusion which is my opinion of course that VA monitors despite many strengths kind Â
of suck for gaming now if you want a very condensed reason why I think that here is Â
some motion being displayed on an IPS gaming monitor whereas here is some motion being Â
displayed on a va-based gaming monitor oh look at that smearing now as is always the case with Â
life it's not quite as straightforward as VA panels give you cholera and IPS panels Â
give you belly rubs so we're gonna have a closer look at gaming on VA panels in this Â
video to see how we feel about it by the end of it but before we get into that it's Â
time for a word from today's video sponsor that helped buy some monitors for the video
in a world dominated by garbage trash fans one fan Rises to the Â
top with uncompromised build quality and a dedication to Performance the Â
be quiet silent Wing fours lay waste to the competition no unicorn vomit gimmicks Â
just silent performance and dependable reliability the be quiet silent Wing Force
foreign
experience with a VA panel was earlier this year with a Samsung g302 and I was really Â
excited to try it out because VA solves one of the biggest shortcomings of ips displays Â
contrast ratio IPS displays really struggle to display deep black levels and VA is much Â
better at it although my excitement evaporated quickly for the g302 because the motion rendering Â
was very blurry which in a game like escape from tarkov which I was playing a lot back Â
then it makes it really difficult to spot enemy players far off in the distance because every Â
time you move everything just kind of blurs together it didn't look very good so I sent Â
it back quite quickly and replaced it with a 24 inch LG IPS display which despite having Â
very similar response time and refresh rate specs had motion rendering that didn't feel Â
like it was rubbing Vaseline into my eyes every time I touched my mouse and this was my first Â
disappointing experience with VA you can have black levels deeper than the Mariana Trench Â
but if the monitor has built-in heavy motion blur it's not going to be a good gaming display
now my second experience with a VA panel was by far the longest and most disappointing and Â
it was with this Cooler Master gm34 cqargb what a beautiful name now don't get me wrong Â
this monitor has a beautiful image it's bright contrasty the colors pop and are really amazing Â
but that's with static images the moment that there's movement things all fall apart really Â
badly it has a pretty serious black smearing problem with movement that picture that I showed Â
you in the beginning of the video of the smury asteroid yes that one that was from this display Â
the smearing problem is so bad on this monitor that in the video where I first looked at it I Â
was convinced the panel was damaged in shipping but a lot of people commented on that video Â
saying nah that's just what VA looks like now in the displays menus there are a lot of settings Â
to help combat this things like overdrive and Clarity settings but that smeary asteroid picture Â
was with the best settings I could find for the monitor in terms of motion rendering having said Â
that it is better in some games than others Battlefield 5 for example doesn't have an Â
immediately obvious smearing problem at least depending on the map so despite having very Â
impressive response time and refresh rate specs this monitor has a really bad motion artifact Â
which after spending a month using this monitor as my primary gaming display I just couldn't get used Â
to it it's so distracting so I decided to go out and buy a comparable IPS alternative to this VA Â
Ultra wide so that they can battle it out it's a surprisingly light big monitor now for this video Â
I went out and bought this GN 850 by LG because aside from two characteristics it being an IPS Â
as opposed to a VA and it having a slightly less aggressive curve to it specs wise this monitor Â
is remarkably similar to that Cooler Master VA panel I've been using it's even got a nano Â
IPS panel compared to the quantum.va on the other monitor so it's like gimmick IPS versus gimmick VA Â
and first impressions were very positive yeah the motion is so much better than it is on the VA Â
panel like it is a remarkable difference between the two actually but remember earlier in the video Â
I said Battlefield 5 wasn't nearly the worst offender when it came to the smearing on the VA Â
panel so let's get to some other comparisons first I tried out some high contrast CS go with the IPS Â
display in its stock configuration compared to the VA panel in the best motion settings now Â
this is by no means a perfect test but it does help to illustrate the difference the VA panel Â
has a lot more overshoot and the edges of the gun is quite a bit more blurry and despite being Â
said to the same refresh rate and having similar response times to my eye in person the VA looked Â
a lot blurrier I then moved over to No Man's sky where initially subjectively I didn't notice much Â
of a difference between the two displays which I found really weird considering that I noticed Â
really bad smearing while using the VA panel at home so I got into my ship flew around a bit Â
it and eventually found some smearing on the VA and the inconsistency of the smearing intensity Â
in no man's sky made me realize something which I quickly confirmed playing around in Photoshop the Â
extent to the black smearing on this Cooler Master VA panel varies massively depending on the color Â
palette of the scene which is why some games smear more than others on this display and considering Â
the worst defending color palette it's real bad news for people who like to use dark mode browsing Â
even just scrolling through a dark Mode YouTube feed on this Cooler Master VA looks pretty rough Â
which shows it's not only a problem for gaming but don't get me wrong even motion that is in a Â
color palette that doesn't offend this monitor is still pretty bad looking but at least it doesn't Â
have that deep black smearing in it but is that the case for all VA monitors are they all good Â
unless you like movement and gray well to find out I guess I've gotta go buy another monitor
now I also bought this LG 32 gk60 for a couple of reasons first off I wanted to display that price Â
wise landed between The Cooler Master and the Samsung display that I tried a while ago also Â
it is one of the few VA panels that I've seen around at the moment that isn't curved that's Â
that's quite rare for some reason so let's plug in this LG V8 Monitor and see if it's Â
any better now my first impression is actually that I really like this screen size 32 inches Â
awesome although this one's 1440p which you know the pixel density is not great but at 4K this Â
would be amazing anyway that's not really why we're here so let's get into some of the games Â
that we used earlier for motion rendering tests oh another player that's very rare Â
um anyway aside from that even even not in a scene where the monitor is offended by Gray's Â
ah the motion rendering is really bad on these displays bye player and after that excitement I Â
launched my spaceship and very quickly realized that the smearing was definitely a problem on Â
this monitor as well oh it's so bad and with this shot that looks like it's from footage of Â
a Bigfoot sighting there's the smearing clear as day having said that the smearing on this LG Â
VA isn't quite as bad as the smearing on that Cooler Master VA but honestly it still looks Â
pretty terrible so at the end of the day both IPS and VA each have one main shortcoming IPS doesn't Â
have particularly good contrast ratio whereas VA has pretty terrible motion rendering one of those Â
is a bit of a shame the other is a complete deal breaker at least to me now I am quite sensitive to Â
this kind of thing so maybe it's not going to be as big a deal for you let me know in the comment Â
section down below if you have a VA panel that you use for gaming where you don't really mind Â
about the smearing or haven't noticed all also I have seen some Hardware unboxed reviews of some Â
high-end new Samsung VA panels which apparently mostly solve the problem however I haven't had Â
any first-hand experience with either of those monitors so I can't really comment on that which Â
neatly brings me to the closing thoughts on this video something may seem very promising on paper Â
but it doesn't mean that it won't attack your eyes with dessert Forks the moment you get it Â
behind closed doors anyway until the next video thank you for watching bye thank you
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