11.6" Display Brightness: Windows 7 vs OSX

[iRun26.2]

I know this sounds absurd, but it seems to me that the brightness of my 11.6" screen in Windows 7 (via Bootcamp) is noticeably brighter that what I see running OSX.

Has anyone else observed this? It seems illogical but I can't get over how much 'less bright' the screen seems to need to be when I boot to Windows7.

 

[alan111]

I agree 100%. I experience this exact same thing on my mba 2010 13". The 2nd to lowest setting of brightness in Win7 via bootcamp, is equivalent to about 3 notches past half on OSX. Very strange. Must be a driver thing. But I definitely noticed that it is much brighter in Windows 7.

 

[sishaw]

Could it be that the brightness settings on OSX are tweeked internally for greater battery life? And this doesn't carry over to the Windows partition?

 

[KPOM]

Could it be that the brightness settings on OSX are tweeked internally for greater battery life? And this doesn't carry over to the Windows partition?

I think that's the case. Apple optimized the drivers on the MacBook Air for OS X. The Boot Camp drivers are there so the machine works and nothing more. Battery life on a Mac is always better under OS X than under Windows, and I agree that I have noticed that the screen is brighter by default in Windows.

 

[alan111]

Could it be that the brightness settings on OSX are tweeked internally for greater battery life? And this doesn't carry over to the Windows partition?

That was exactly my first thought when I noticed this. And it most definitely is the reason.

 

[alan111]

I think that's the case. Apple optimized the drivers on the MacBook Air for OS X. The Boot Camp drivers are there so the machine works and nothing more. Battery life on a Mac is always better under OS X than under Windows, and I agree that I have noticed that the screen is brighter by default in Windows.

All part of Apple's plan to screw over Windows and prove that OSX is a better operating system, along with better battery life!! HAHA

I actually happen to prefer Windows (I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I grew up with Windows and have only begun to use OSX this year).

 

[iRun26.2]

I agree 100%. I experience this exact same thing on my mba 2010 13". The 2nd to lowest setting of brightness in Win7 via bootcamp, is equivalent to about 3 notches past half on OSX. Very strange. Must be a driver thing. But I definitely noticed that it is much brighter in Windows 7.

I'm glad someone else feels the same way. I didn't think I was imagining it.

It is such a letdown, coming back to the OSX brightness after using Windows 7. Don't get me wrong, I love OSX, I just wish I could make the screen super bright for times when I'm in very bright rooms (or outside).

It seems that somebody could/should write an OSX app to do this. I think I'd pay $10 to have the option to crank up the backlight in OSX (so it's as bright as in Windows 7).