Just as at one point the competition between mobile phones had megapixels as the number to look at when looking at a spec sheet (look, we have a 200MP camera!), I think that number is now the nits on a smartphone’s screen.
The other day, for example, I saw technical specification sheet Flagship Killer from 2024 Realme GT 6and, surprise, 6000 nits peakmeaning maximum brightness. Then next to that number I saw a more modest 1600 nits HBM. What the hell is HBM? I asked myself. Well, it’s an abbreviation for high brightness modethen high brightness mode. But then what is the difference between maximum brightness and high brightness mode? Which one actually tells me how bright my smartphone screen is? This is what I found after reading some specialized articles.
What does HBM mean for maximum brightness of your mobile phone screen
In short, high brightness mode This specification should be taken into account when choosing a mobile phone with the brightest screen. And, going back to the example of Realme GT 6, its 1600 nits in high-brightness mode is quite in line with the most popular high-end models of 2024, such as the 2000 nits HBM of the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the 1600 nits of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. OnePlus 12. That is, let’s say the standard in the high range ranges from 1500 to 2000 nits HBM.
But when is HBM applied, and when peak where do we see characteristics up to 6000 nits? Roughly speaking, if you activate the brightness in manual mode and set it to maximum, then you will have high brightness modeHowever, unless you are outside in the blazing sun, you may not want to keep it that bright. Heck, turn off the lights in your room and set the brightness to 50% and you will see what I mean.
On the other hand, your mobile phone’s brightness level is most likely modulated in an automatic mode that increases or decreases it depending on the ambient light level. And the maximum brightness level is not very useful for several reasons: it can be irritating to the eyes, it is definitely bad for the autonomy of your mobile phone – it drains the battery faster – and it is also bad for the longevity of your phone.
And the brightness is 6000 nits peak?
You will have them, but in very specific scenarios and only in some parts of the panel. In particular, when playing HDR content, you will have very high levels of brightness, i.e. a wide dynamic range. And due to the specifics of using a smartphone, we believe that you will “see” these 6000 nits of brightness when taking photos with different dark tones, because, of course, we do not believe that you will sit back and see all the magnificence of movies. like Dogma on your smartphone screen or not?
So, is it a marketing ploy for manufacturers to talk about more than 3,000 nits? A little, yes, especially since the use cases are very limited. However, it is true that we are increasingly getting brighter and better quality screens, even if these beautiful panels are almost always showing WhatsApp or an ephemeral Instagram video.
Source: Digital Trends
