Brightness Nits: What Are They & Why They Matter

One term that will come up as you shop for a television, smartphone, or advertising display is “nits.” This term is most likely one you’ve never heard before. This blog will educate you on brightness nits and why they matter. Continue reading to learn more!

What Is a Nit?

A nit is a measurement of the amount of light emitted from an object or surface. It’s important to understand nit brightness when purchasing a computer monitor or television. Or perhaps you want to figure out the brightness of your current display. The higher the nit, the brighter the surface will appear.

Candelas and Nits

To fully understand nits, you need to understand candelas. Candelas measure light intensity in a specific direction. The word may seem close to the word “candle,” and that’s because candela is “candle” in Spanish.

One candela produces about the same light intensity as a candle, hence its name. Various light sources generate different numbers of candelas. A 100-watt lightbulb emits around 1,600 lumens, equivalent to 16 candelas.

One nit of brightness equals one candela per square meter. You’ll often hear nits and candelas mentioned when discussing screen brightness. Both are used to measure the light emitting from a specific direction or area.

Why Nits Are Important

One reason nits are important is that they help consumers understand the true brightness of a display. Most televisions and other screens can’t reach the full range of color vision humans have. Nits provide a way to measure the amount of light that meets a human’s color vision. Displays still can’t capture the entire spectrum of color people can see.

When a person looks at a display with two different nit values, they won’t be able to tell the difference in brightness. The nit brightness measurement helps when your eyes can’t see the brightness variation, but you still want the display with optimal intensity. This discrepancy matters greatly for businesses using LED advertising signs. Companies need the brightest signs for clarity for their customers.