How to increase the brightness of the new MacBook Pro to over 1000 nits

Developers Jordi Bruin and Ben Harraway have released an app called Vivid that allows Apple’s new MacBook Pro and Pro Display XDR models to double the brightness across the system, something that wasn’t possible before.

For reference, Apple says the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro MiniLED display can peak at 1,600 nits in bright areas or 1,000 nits at full screen. It’s almost unmatched in consumer laptops or desktop displays – it’s more in line with what you’d expect from a high-end TV.

Vivid overcomes this limitation by using “a clever blend of different technologies. This includes Metal, Carbon, Cocoa, Swift, SwiftUI, and even some C code”to almost double the overall brightness from the usual maximum when using any desktop app . one of the developers.

However, the application is not always completely ready. If you frequently switch between desktops, you will find that your display takes some time to resolve correctly after each switch. It briefly looks blurry when you first move to a new location. In addition, colors may not appear correctly in certain video content.

However, the Vivid effect is impressive when it works. It’s bright, looks great, and can fight sun glare like any laptop. There’s even a nice, elegant extension to the regular macOS brightness on-screen indicator that shows you whether you’re within the normal brightness range or the newly unlocked extended range.

The license key for the app costs about $16, but you can try it before you buy it. The free version, however, only renders half the screen at a time. It shows you the difference, but the screen cut in half loses its meaning until you pay.

According to the FAQ on the app’s website, with a link to Apple’s documentation, using Vivid is unlikely to pose any risk to your hardware. And its impact on performance is relatively small. However, it’s not surprising that constantly using your laptop at twice the normal brightness will have a big negative impact on battery life.

The FAQ also states that if Apple makes any changes to macOS that cause Vivid to stop working, the Vivid developers will try to update the app to make it work. If the developers fail after three months, they will be open to a refund, they said.

If you want a game with its limitations, you can download Vivid from its website.

Listing image by Vivid