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PkennethV

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 16, 2006
853
9
Toronto
Hi all,

Forgive me if this information is out there, but I’m having trouble coming up with the right keywords to Google for the answer without bringing up results talking about a different (but much more commonly talked about) question.

I’d like to know whether the 14” & 16” MacBook Pro with the notch displays utilize local dimming zones when not playing back HDR content (e.g. just navigating around the desktop or writing a text document in dark mode).

I understand that when not playing back HDR content, the screen max screen brightness is capped at 500 nits (as opposed to the 1,600bit peak brightness of up to 39% of the screen), but when it is operating in SDR mode at 500 nits & below, does it still utilize local dimming zones?

I am mostly interested in the answer to this question because the geek in me is curious as to whether battery life would be effected in any way (whether trivially or meaningfully) by the use of dark mode on these new machines when not viewing HDR content (like with OLEDs).


Thanks!
 

maxsquared

macrumors 6502a
Jun 27, 2009
626
446
London
It’s not local “dimming”, the lightbulb don’t even lit up. Local dimming is referred to edge lit, when array of LED lights around the edge of a screen, it will dim a zoom that’s dark, though the dimming is not perfect, but MacBook Pro screen is mini LED, there are thousands (or hundreds) of lightbulbs, when showing pure black the lights bulb would just shut, in theory it will save power.
 

PkennethV

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 16, 2006
853
9
Toronto
It’s not local “dimming”, the lightbulb don’t even lit up. Local dimming is referred to edge lit, when array of LED lights around the edge of a screen, it will dim a zoom that’s dark, though the dimming is not perfect, but MacBook Pro screen is mini LED, there are thousands (or hundreds) of lightbulbs, when showing pure black the lights bulb would just shut, in theory it will save power.
Apple themselves use the term "local dimming zones" when referring to the mini-LED displays on the NotchBook Pro as well as the 12.9" iPad Pro, and Pro Display XDR (as do a slew of other manufactures with their mini-LED displays).

iPad Pro example from the launch keynote:
"we then grouped these mini-LEDs into over 2,500 local dimming zones."
@49:47

NotchBook Pro example:
"the state of the art backlight features thousands of mini-LEDs arranged into individually controlled local dimming zones."
@37:13
 
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white7561

macrumors 6502a
Jun 28, 2016
934
386
World
Hi all,

Forgive me if this information is out there, but I’m having trouble coming up with the right keywords to Google for the answer without bringing up results talking about a different (but much more commonly talked about) question.

I’d like to know whether the 14” & 16” MacBook Pro with the notch displays utilize local dimming zones when not playing back HDR content (e.g. just navigating around the desktop or writing a text document in dark mode).

I understand that when not playing back HDR content, the screen max screen brightness is capped at 500 nits (as opposed to the 1,600bit peak brightness of up to 39% of the screen), but when it is operating in SDR mode at 500 nits & below, does it still utilize local dimming zones?

I am mostly interested in the answer to this question because the geek in me is curious as to whether battery life would be effected in any way (whether trivially or meaningfully) by the use of dark mode on these new machines when not viewing HDR content (like with OLEDs).


Thanks!
The answer is yes. And it does save power. I forgot the exact details but I tested it awhile ago
 

maxsquared

macrumors 6502a
Jun 27, 2009
626
446
London
Apple themselves use the term "local dimming zones" when referring to the mini-LED displays on the NotchBook Pro as well as the 12.9" iPad Pro, and Pro Display XDR (as do a slew of other manufactures with their mini-LED displays).

iPad Pro example from the launch keynote:
"we then grouped these mini-LEDs into over 2,500 local dimming zones."
@49:47

NotchBook Pro example:
"the state of the art backlight features thousands of mini-LEDs arranged into individually controlled local dimming zones."
@37:13
Oh, I guess it's sort of local dimming then.
 

bill-p

macrumors 68030
Jul 23, 2011
2,929
1,589
I’d like to know whether the 14” & 16” MacBook Pro with the notch displays utilize local dimming zones when not playing back HDR content (e.g. just navigating around the desktop or writing a text document in dark mode).

Yes.

And no, battery life isn't affected significantly unless you are closer to max brightness.
 
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