Debate: Should dark mode text always be pure white or a softer off-white?

I'm working on a project and my client in Austin hates off-white text, says it looks washed out. But pure white (#FFF) on dark backgrounds gives me eye strain after about 2 hours of coding. Which side are you on and why? Got a specific hex code you swear by?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathanking5d ago

The client in Austin saying it looks washed out - does he mean on his actual screen or just in mockups? In my experience that reaction changes a lot depending on what monitor or phone they're looking at. I'd be curious what hardware he's using for testing.

elliotburns4d ago

I had a buddy who went through almost this exact same thing with a client, and it drove him crazy for weeks. He finally just caved and used pure white, then a week later the client came back and said his eyes were hurting after long sessions and asked if there was a softer option. So my buddy switched it to #E0E0E0 and the client actually said it felt easier to read but still looked crisp to him. I think a lot of times these preferences come down to people not really knowing what they want until they see it and use it for a while. Pure white can look fine in a quick glance but it's rough for anyone staring at a screen for hours. My go-to is usually #E8E8E8 or sometimes #D4D4D4 depending on the background darkness, feels like a good middle ground.

-1