13 inch MBP Display Brightness - Not as advertised?

[tich]

So I have a 2017 13 inch TB MBP, and a 2017 5k iMac. Both machines' spec say that their displays are 500 nits, when I put one next to the other at full brightness, the iMac is significantly brighter. Am I missing something in the way that brightness is measured (i.e. it's supposed to be this way), or should my MBP be on par with the iMac?

 

[matt2053]

"Nits" are relative to the surface area of the display. The iMac display is four times larger than the MacBook display. Thus, at the same level of brightness in terms of nits, it will output 4 times more light.

 

[tich]

"Nits" are relative to the surface area of the display. The iMac display is four times larger than the MacBook display. Thus, at the same level of brightness in terms of nits, it will output 4 times more light.

Got it, thanks for the clarification!

 

[Patcell]

"Nits" are relative to the surface area of the display. The iMac display is four times larger than the MacBook display. Thus, at the same level of brightness in terms of nits, it will output 4 times more light.

I didn't know that! Very cool. Thank you!