CompTIA A+ Core 1 – Display Types, Attributes, and Parts

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

A type of display that allows light to shine through liquid crystals in order to display images, requiring a separate backlight for visibility.

Twisted Nematic (TN) LCD

The original version of this display, providing fast response types but poor viewing angles and bad color shifting on off-angles.

Vertical Alignment (VA) LCD

An upgrade from the original version of this display, providing good color representation but slower response times than the original.

In Plane Switching (IPS) LCD

A version of this display that provides excellent color representation at the cost of higher expenses during production.

Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED)

A display that uses organic compounds to emit light when receiving an electric current, requiring no backlight but costing significantly more than other display types.

Mini LED

A type of display that uses the same backlight technology as conventional LCDs on a smaller form factor, with each light able to be individually enabled/disabled for more varied color/intensity, providing better control over color representation and dark screen areas.

Touchscreen

A hybridized display typically utilizing digitizers in order to provide input as well as visual display.

Digitizer

A component that allows physical interaction to be translated into digital interaction.

Pixel Density

A measurement of how many pixels exist within a given space. The higher it is, the better the clarity and sharpness of the display.

Refresh Rate

Typically measured in hertz (Hz), the number of cycles per second that a display has. The higher it is, the more responsive the display is, though the display itself is not the only thing that affects its maximum.

Screen Resolution

The number of pixels on the horizontal and vertical of the display, with higher pixels meaning a sharper and clearer view.

Color Gamut

The range of colors available on a display or output piece, with various standards.