Hardware The Mystery of the IPS Screens Debunked!

[TechAndrew]

Hello,
After testing 3-5 different MH Gen New Nintendo 3DS XLs and talking with store enployees to gather some info on New 3DS screens, I have come to a confirmable and plausible conclusion, backed by evidence, which in this case is taking a look at different New 3DS units from various manufacturing periods.

All NTSC Monster Hunter Generations New Nintendo 3DS XLs are Dual TN. Units made onward will be Dual TN as well.

Nintendo usually manufactures their 3DS units with Dual TN screens. However, when they started manufacturing New 3DS XLs back in Feb. 2015 and made the last batches of O3DS XLs, they gave IPS screens a try. In the beginning, they tried Top IPS only. In the end of 2015 and beginning of 2016, they gave Bottom IPS screens a try. Note that they still used TN, in addition to IPS. They have continued using both TN and IPS screens randomly, up until the last batches of the Pokemon 20th Anniversary Edition New 3DSs, which was when they realized that IPS cost too much. Since then, all 3DSs were, and still are, manufactured with Dual TN.

If you do find a New 3DS manufactured after Feb 2015-Feb 2016 with IPS, it's probably because the screens were swapped.

I hope you find this information valuable, just as much as I do.

Sincerely,
TechAndrew

 

[zoogie]

Retail store employees are a reliable source for manufacturing info? Not buying that at all.
They're there for small talk and selling you stuff, that's all.

 

[TechAndrew]

Retail store employees are a reliable source for manufacturing info? Not buying that at all.
They're there for small talk and selling you stuff, that's all.

That's not where I get all my information. I have acquired various New 3DSs from different manufacturing periods and have found a pattern. The employee, however, has said something that lined up with my findings. I obviously don't fully trust them.

 

[zoogie]

That's not where I get all my information. I have acquired various New 3DSs from different manufacturing periods and have found a pattern. The employee, however, has said something that lined up with my findings. I obviously don't fully trust them.

You're drawing conclusions from your experiences that you really can't make like assuming the use of TN is only a cost issue. Nobody except Nintendo knows the motivation behind the switching back and forth between TN and IPS.

 

[TechAndrew]

You're drawing conclusions from your experiences that you really can't make like assuming the use of TN is only a cost issue. Nobody except Nintendo knows the motivation behind the switching back and forth between TN and IPS.

The conclusion that I have made in this thread is helpful in finding a 3DS with an IPS screen or two IPS screens. It doesn't matter whether it's really the reason of cost that caused Nintendo to stop using IPS screens. What I definitely can conclude is that if you want an IPS 3DS, you're more likely to get IPS screens on 3DSs manufactured between Feb. 2015 to Feb. 2016. Remember that Nintendo didn't just use IPS screens during this time; They used both TN and IPS.

I have also opened a poll regarding MH Gen 3DS screens, and none of the results except for one (possibly a mistake, there's always that one guy) are IPS.

 

[aos10]

They use IPS screen sometimes when they are low on TN screen.
They have to continue make the same numbers of 3DS every batch or they won't met the market requirements.

 

[nccom]

I always enjoy reading these stupid threads about mysterious TN or IPS screens Can I ask a simple question - why do you even think that 3DS uses TN/IPS screens? Because some idiot on neogaf said so? Have you tried to actually research something, to take a look at pixels, to find information about screen suppliers for 3DS?

 

[CheatFreak47]

I always enjoy reading these stupid threads about mysterious TN or IPS screens Can I ask a simple question - why do you even think that 3DS uses TN/IPS screens? Because some idiot on neogaf said so? Have you tried to actually research something, to take a look at pixels, to find information about screen suppliers for 3DS?

There's a copy of the CTR Aging floating around on the internet, which is what they use at the factory to run hardware tests.
One of those tests, checks the types of screens. The result it displays tells you, flat out what kind of display it has on the top and bottom. The results tell you for both top and bottom weather or not they are IPS or TN. (JDI or Sharp)

 

[invaderyoyo]

I always enjoy reading these stupid threads about mysterious TN or IPS screens Can I ask a simple question - why do you even think that 3DS uses TN/IPS screens? Because some idiot on neogaf said so? Have you tried to actually research something, to take a look at pixels, to find information about screen suppliers for 3DS?

Idk if Nintendo's using TN/IPS panels, but I do know that the ones being called TN look washed out in comparison to the ones being called IPS. I have both and the difference is pretty noticeable. That's enough for anyone to want the so-called IPS panels over the so-called TN panels.

 

[Bubsy Bobcat]

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A NTSC OR PAL 3DS. THEY'RE TV SIGNALS.

 

[nccom]

The results tell you for both top and bottom weather or not they are IPS or TN.

No, they will tell you the manufacturer (Sharp or JDI) and it has nothing to do with IPS or TN.

ones being called TN look washed out in comparison to the ones being called IPS

Being called is the keyword here.

One more hint for you - http://img1.lesnumeriques.com/news/39/39641/n3ds_vs_3ds.jpg http://www.personal.kent.edu/~mgu/LCD/asv.htm

 

[CheatFreak47]

No, they will tell you the manufacturer (Sharp or JDI) and it has nothing to do with IPS or TN.
Being called is the keyword here.
One more hint for you - http://img1.lesnumeriques.com/news/39/39641/n3ds_vs_3ds.jpg http://www.personal.kent.edu/~mgu/LCD/asv.htm

Alright, let's say you are right, the only difference is the manufacturer, not the screentype. (I'm not sure you are right, I don't have a microscope handy to check, though I certainly have enough consoles with the different types to have a look at)

But let's just say for a second you do know what you're talking about.
Great. Cool. Thanks for clearing up that misconception.
But it seems you've still failed to see the point.

And that is that one of the different types of screens the n3DS can come with, does, in fact, look better than the other.
So I'm not really sure what you're trying to accomplish here.

 

[nccom]

The point is - there are no TN screens on 3DS or N3DS and there are probably no IPS screens either. Just call them Type A and Type B or something like this and stop this bs naming already.

 

[aos10]

The point is - there are no TN screens on 3DS or N3DS and there are probably no IPS screens either. Just call them Type A and Type B or something like this and stop this bs naming already.

What?
so Nintendo created (ordered) new type of screen that look just like TN and IPS?

 

[Deleted User]

I believe everyone is calling them what NIntendo calls them from the SDK?

 

[nccom]

so Nintendo created (ordered) new type of screen that look just like TN and IPS?

...look at the links.
And I should probably create a new topic about this.

 

[CheatFreak47]

The point is - there are no TN screens on 3DS or N3DS and there are probably no IPS screens either. Just call them Type A and Type B or something like this and stop this bs naming already.

What's next, gonna whine about how everyone calls Kibibytes "Kilobytes"?
Using KB when they really mean KiB?

Communication is about knowing what everyone is talking about. As long as everyone knows what the heck you're talking about, the need for perfectly accurate terminology is moot.

If I say "IPS" with regard to the 3DS's screens, people know I mean the screens that they have that were manufactured by JDI, the ones with the better viewing angles and more accurate colors. And If I say "TN" they know I mean the ones made by Sharp which are debatably worse than the JDI displays.

Basically, this:

 

[nccom]

What's next, gonna whine about how everyone calls Kibibytes "Kilobytes"?
Using KB when they really mean KiB?

Sigh. Yes, I will. Linux uses correct KiB=1024, Apple uses correct KB=1000, but Windows for some weird reason uses KB as 1024 and since the majority of users are on Win now we have people who think that 1024=1000 and that leads to numerous confusions and complains about hdd sizes.
Just like people who try to find mystical TN/IPS screens in their 3DS and even call Nintendo to try and explain that to them

If I say "IPS" with regard to the 3DS's screens, people know I mean the screens that they have that were manufactured by JDI, the ones with the better viewing angles and more accurate colors. And If I say "TN" they know I mean the ones made by Sharp which are debatably worse than the JDI displays.

No, they will think that you're talking about actual lcd type like the guy above who didn't even knew that there were other lcd types besides TN or IPS.
BUT if you were to use "" while talking about screen types or better yet call them JDI/Sharp screens that would be awesome and will clear up all the confusion.

So if you have consoles with different screen types - can you find a microscope or a good camera to take macro pics of pixels? I know for sure that there are no TN screens in 3DS and IPS pixels have very specific structure which should be easy to see if there are actually IPS screens in there.

 

[tony_2018]

Hello,
After testing 3-5 different MH Gen New Nintendo 3DS XLs and talking with store enployees to gather some info on New 3DS screens, I have come to a confirmable and plausible conclusion, backed by evidence, which in this case is taking a look at different New 3DS units from various manufacturing periods.

All NTSC Monster Hunter Generations New Nintendo 3DS XLs are Dual TN. Units made onward will be Dual TN as well.

Nintendo usually manufactures their 3DS units with Dual TN screens. However, when they started manufacturing New 3DS XLs back in Feb. 2015 and made the last batches of O3DS XLs, they gave IPS screens a try. In the beginning, they tried Top IPS only. In the end of 2015 and beginning of 2016, they gave Bottom IPS screens a try. Note that they still used TN, in addition to IPS. They have continued using both TN and IPS screens randomly, up until the last batches of the Pokemon 20th Anniversary Edition New 3DSs, which was when they realized that IPS cost too much. Since then, all 3DSs were, and still are, manufactured with Dual TN.

If you do find a New 3DS manufactured after Feb 2015-Feb 2016 with IPS, it's probably because the screens were swapped.

I hope you find this information valuable, just as much as I do.

Sincerely,
TechAndrew

Doesn't give much detail on how to identify the IPS screens, or a part # to look for.

 

[TechAndrew]

Doesn't give much detail on how to identify the IPS screens, or a part # to look for.

The only real way, in my opinion, to identify IPS screens is to first compare an IPS New 3DS and a TN New 3DS side-by-side.
I understand that there really isn't a way to know whether the New 3DS XL was made during the IPS era or not. However, what is for sure is that you shouldn't get any MH Gen or later New 3DS.