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Just found out dark mode doesn't actually save battery on LCD screens | Dark Mode Design - The Design Community Hub

Just found out dark mode doesn't actually save battery on LCD screens

I saw this article from DisplayMate that said only OLED screens get a real battery bump from dark mode. My laptop has an IPS LCD panel so I'm just making things harder on my eyes for no reason apparently. Been designing dark themes for years thinking I was saving power but nope. Anyone else feel kinda stupid learning this late?

2 comments

2 Comments

fiona_nelson514mo ago

Wait hold on, I actually have to push back on this. The battery thing isn't the only reason to use dark mode. I've been running dark backgrounds on my LCD laptop for years and my eyes thank me at the end of the day. The blue light reduction alone is worth it, even if the battery doesn't change. Plus if you're like me and work in a dim room or at night, a white screen is basically a flashlight pointed at your face. I'd rather squint a little reading dark mode text than get that eye strain headache from bright white backgrounds. And honestly, most modern LCDs have decent black levels anyway so the contrast isn't terrible. So yeah, maybe we were wrong about the battery savings but the comfort tradeoff is totally worth it in my book.

finley_walker574mo ago

Oh man you totally just made me rethink everything! I was in the camp that dark mode was overrated unless you had an OLED screen, but honestly your point about working in dim rooms hit me hard. I've been staring at white screens at 11pm like an idiot thinking I was being productive, but you're right it's basically a flashlight to the face. I used to think dark mode made text harder to read on LCDs but I think I was just using bad apps with terrible contrast. You mentioned decent black levels on modern LCDs and I have to admit my laptop from last year actually holds up pretty well when I switch to dark mode now that I actually test it. The blue light thing is huge too, I already wear glasses for computer use but I still get that burning feeling after long days. Maybe I need to give this another real shot instead of just assuming it was a gimmick.