A VA (Vertical Alignment) panel is a type of LED (a form of LCD) panel display technology that uses vertically aligned crystals that tilt to allow light to pass. While IPS crystals are parallel with the glass substrate, VA crystals are perpendicular to the substrate. VA panels are characterized as having the best contrast and image depth among the other main types of display panels, TN (twisted nematic) and IPS (in-plane switching), but also the longest response times. VA panels are not as common as IPS panels for monitors, but they are one of the most common choices for TVs. VA panels are a good choice if you often use your computer in a dark room, as they are the only LCD panel type that can produce deep blacks in a dark room. However, if youre not in a dark room, the difference in contrast is hardly noticeable, especially since many monitors have anti-glare coatings that can reduce the effective contrast ratio of the display. VA panels are not the best choice for competitive gamers, as they tend to have slower response times overall compared to similar TN or IPS models, especially in near-black scenes, where they tend to be significantly slower, resulting in dark trails behind fast-moving objects in dark scenes, commonly known as black smear.