Display Brightness

[netnative]

I purchased a Series 5 44mm Black Stainless Steel Case Watch with Space Black Milanese Loop from the Apple Online Store that was delivered on September 20th. The display was less bright than the two Series 5 44mm Aluminum case demo units at my local Best Buy store, and also less bright than my wife's Series 4 44mm Stainless Steel Case Watch. I returned it and reordered the same Watch model with the same band which was delivered on September 30th. Unexpectedly, the new Watch has the same display brightness deficiency as the one I returned. Coincidentally, both units were shipped UPS Next Day Air from a US warehouse rather than from China. I had Series 0, 2 and 4 Watches and had never confronted a display brightness issue before. I do not know if to reorder again.

 

[PBz]

You have compared the 5 with the ‘active’, not passive AOD screen, on with the 4 and the 5 is less bright? How much so?

I had the 4 and now have the 5. I have always turned my brightness setting all the way down on the 4 as that was more than bright enough for me. With the 5 I have actually enabled AOD and turned off raise to wake as the AOD is bright enough for me 90% of the time and saves battery.

I have read that the ‘active’ display of the 5 is slightly more dim than the 4 but not a ton. I would guess that display units are set to as bright as they can be. I don’t know.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

I find the series 5 to be a little less bright as well. Was always on lowest brightness settings on the series 4, on medium brightness now on the series 5.

 

[Significant1]

The sapphire is darker than ion-x on the aluminum models. Series 5 have an improved light sensor and that is good, because the s4 is in my opinion lacking. The s4 seems to use the brightness from last time and not adapting to a dark room. In general I think my S4 aluminum is too bright even on lowest setting.

 

[netnative]

The sapphire is darker than ion-x on the aluminum models. Series 5 have an improved light sensor and that is good, because the s4 is in my opinion lacking. The s4 seems to use the brightness from last time and not adapting to a dark room. In general I think my S4 aluminum is too bright even on lowest setting.

It fInd remarkable that the display of the more expensive S5 Watch models is, by design, less bright than the display of the least expensive S5 model, and that the display of the improved S5 Watch is less bright than the S4 Watch it replaces.

 

[deeddawg]

It fInd remarkable that the display of the more expensive S5 Watch models is, by design, less bright than the display of the least expensive S5 model

First Apple Watch? Welcome.

FYI that's been the case for years. Not a Series 5 thing. Sapphire crystal fronts are less transmissive than the Ion-x glass fronts. Because physics.

the display of the improved S5 Watch is less bright than the S4 Watch it replaces.

Not mine. My SBSS S4 and SBSS S5 appear to be the same brightness, and when measured with a lightmeter app in Flashlight mode they give the same Exposure Value.

 

[PBz]

My SS AW4 looked more crisp, and as bright as the Aluminum 4 I had. I don’t use max brightness but I thought the SS version was more crisp.. to my eyes.

 

[Mw0103]

Could this be the display calibration issue OS 6.0.1 was issued to address?

 

[deeddawg]

Could this be the display calibration issue OS 6.0.1 was issued to address?

That would explain the differing perceptions. I'm sure those seeing a difference aren't making it up. I'm not seeing one though. So maybe a calibration of display to ambient lighting?