Why Dark Mode Reduces Your Productivity
Summary
TLDRThe video discusses the pros and cons of dark mode in apps. It highlights that dark mode can extend battery life on OLED displays and reduce eye strain in low light, but may also decrease visual clarity, slow reading speed, and affect cognitive performance. The narrator suggests personal preference plays a key role in choosing between light and dark modes.
Takeaways
- 🔋 Dark mode can increase battery life, especially on OLED displays where black pixels don't consume power.
- 📱 For LCD displays, dark mode can still save power through local dimming, but the effect is less pronounced.
- 🌑 The power savings from dark mode can be minimal at default brightness but can be significant (39-47%) when brightness is at 100%.
- 👀 Dark mode is beneficial for reducing eyestrain, particularly in low-light conditions, by reducing the need for bright white pixels.
- 🌞 However, dark mode can also worsen eyestrain by causing a decrease in vision sharpness, known as the halation effect.
- 📚 Dark mode can negatively impact cognitive performance, slowing down reading speed and reducing the ability to spot spelling mistakes.
- 👓 Using dark mode with small font sizes can exacerbate the downsides, further reducing reading speed and increasing eye strain.
- 🌳 From an evolutionary perspective, our eyes are better adapted to spot dark objects against a light background, which is why dark mode might not always be optimal.
- 🏞️ The military uses this evolutionary trait in camouflage, highlighting the contrast between dark silhouettes and bright backgrounds.
- 💡 The choice between dark and light modes is largely a matter of personal preference, with some preferring dark mode at night and light mode during the day.
Q & A
What is the main benefit of using dark mode on devices with OLED displays?
-The main benefit of using dark mode on devices with OLED displays is that it increases battery life because black pixels on an OLED display do not consume power.
Does dark mode save battery life on devices with LCD screens?
-Dark mode does not significantly save battery life on traditional LCD screens because their power consumption is roughly the same regardless of the color of each pixel. However, modern LCD panels with local dimming can save some power in dark mode by turning off the backlight in zones that only contain black pixels.
How much power can dark mode save on devices at maximum brightness?
-At maximum brightness, dark mode can reduce power consumption by 39 to 47%, which is a significant gain.
How does dark mode help in reducing eye strain?
-Dark mode helps reduce eye strain by reducing the amount of bright white pixels, which can cause glare and make eyes feel tired more quickly, especially when using a device at night or in dimly lit rooms.
What is the halation effect and how does it affect readability in dark mode?
-The halation effect occurs when white letters on a dark background appear blurry because our pupils open wider to let in more light, decreasing the sharpness of vision. This can make the letters bleed into the dark background, making them harder to read and increasing eye strain.
What impact does dark mode have on cognitive performance?
-Dark mode can negatively affect cognitive performance, making reading slower and causing users to find fewer spelling mistakes when proofreading documents.
Why might dark mode be less effective with small font sizes?
-Dark mode is less effective with small font sizes because it increases eye strain and reduces reading speed further. People often use small font sizes to fit more information on the screen, but this can be counterproductive.
What evolutionary context is provided to explain the disadvantages of dark mode?
-Humans have evolved to hunt during the day, making our eyes adapted to spotting dark objects against a light background. This evolutionary trait explains why dark mode can make it harder to recognize shapes and read text.
How does the military use the evolutionary trait related to vision?
-The military uses the evolutionary trait by advising against exposing oneself on a hilltop, as a dark silhouette can easily be identified against the bright sky.
What personal preference does the speaker mention regarding the use of light and dark modes?
-The speaker mentions that they prefer using light mode during the day and dark mode at night, highlighting that the choice between light and dark modes often comes down to personal preference.
Outlines
🌙 Dark Mode: Advantages and Disadvantages
This paragraph discusses the pros and cons of using dark mode in apps. It starts by highlighting the common belief that dark mode can extend battery life, particularly on OLED displays where black pixels consume no power. However, this benefit is less significant for LCD screens unless they have local dimming technology. The script then points out that dark mode can reduce eye strain, especially in low-light conditions, by minimizing bright white pixels. On the flip side, dark mode can also increase eye strain and decrease visual sharpness, a phenomenon known as the halation effect. Furthermore, it is noted that dark mode may negatively impact cognitive performance, slowing reading speed and reducing the ability to spot spelling errors. The paragraph concludes by suggesting that the choice between dark and light modes is largely a matter of personal preference, with the speaker favoring light mode during the day and dark mode at night.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Dark Mode
💡OLED Display
💡LCD Display
💡Local Dimming
💡Eye Strain
💡Halation Effect
💡Cognitive Performance
💡Brightness
💡Battery Life
💡User Preference
Highlights
Dark mode can increase battery life on devices with OLED displays because black pixels don't consume power.
For devices with LCD screens, dark mode's power-saving benefits are less straightforward due to the backlight illuminating the entire display.
Modern LCD panels with local dimming can save some energy by turning off backlight zones that only contain black pixels.
At default brightness levels, dark mode reduces power consumption by 3 to 9%, while at maximum brightness, it can reduce power consumption by up to 47%.
Dark mode can help reduce eye strain, especially in low-light conditions, by reducing the amount of bright white pixels on the screen.
Using a bright white screen in a dimly lit room causes glare and can lead to eye strain.
Dark mode's benefits for reducing eye strain are countered by the halation effect, where white letters on a dark background become blurry and harder to read.
Dark mode can slow reading speed and reduce the ability to spot spelling mistakes, affecting cognitive performance.
The disadvantages of dark mode are more pronounced with smaller font sizes, which increase eye strain and reduce reading speed.
Humans have evolved to see dark objects against a light background, which explains why light mode might feel more natural for reading.
The military uses the principle of dark objects against a light background for camouflage, avoiding exposing dark silhouettes against bright skies.
Despite its widespread adoption, dark mode has notable downsides and might not be suitable for all use cases.
Personal preference plays a significant role in choosing between dark mode and light mode, with some users preferring to switch based on the time of day.
Dark mode is popular, but its impact on productivity and eye strain varies depending on the individual's usage patterns and device type.
The video's discussion was inspired by a comment on the creator's use of light mode for coding, emphasizing personal preference in the dark mode vs. light mode debate.
Transcripts
Let’s talk about dark mode. Many apps support it, but does dark mode have any
advantages over light mode? Or is it just a gimmick? Well, as always, the answer lies
somewhere in the middle. So let’s start by looking at the advantages of using dark mode.
The most commonly cited benefit is that dark mode increases battery life. And that's true
if your device has an OLED display. Black pixels on an OLED display don't consume power,
so more black pixels equals less power. And when I say black,
I really mean black. Dark shades of blue or gray don't count.
And keep in mind, this is only for OLED displays. If your device has an LCD,
things get more complicated. Most LCDs have a backlight that illuminates the entire display,
meaning their power consumption is roughly the same, regardless of the color of each pixel.
So no battery savings from dark mode. Modern LCD panels have local dimming,
where the screen’s backlight is split into independently controlled zones.
If a zone only contains black pixels, the backlight can be turned off in that zone,
saving energy. So dark mode does save some power on modern LCD displays as well.
So how much power can dark mode really save? Some websites say it uses 5 to 30% less power, but it
actually depends on the brightness of your screen. This study found that at default brightness
levels, dark mode reduces power consumption by just 3 to 9%. Barely noticeable. However, when you
crank the brightness to 100%, dark mode can reduce power consumption by 39 to 47%. A huge gain!
The second benefit is that dark mode reduces eyestrain. Eye strain occurs
when your eyes get tired from long intense use,
like when driving long distances or staring at a screen for long periods of time.
When it comes to displays, eye strain is primarily caused by brightness,
especially if that brightness is not adjusted to our surroundings. See our eyes have adapted
to look at things with equal brightness compared to our surroundings. Using a bright
white screen at night, in a dimly lit room, will cause an irritating glare,
and will make your eyes feel tired more quickly. And looking at a dim screen
during the day will require your eyes to work harder to make out the letters on the screen.
So dark mode can definitely help reduce the amount of bright white pixels,
which reduces eye strain when using your device at night or in dimly lit rooms.
But that's where the advantages end. Here are two surprising downsides of using dark mode.
First up, while dark mode can reduce eyestrain, it can also worsen it. A study from 2013 found
that dark mode worsens your ability to recognize shapes. When looking at a dark object or screen,
our pupils open wider to let in more light. That decreases the sharpness of
your vision. White letters will bleed into the dark background,
making them blurry and harder to read. This is called the halation effect. Your eyes will
have to work harder to make out the letters on screen, and that increases eye strain.
Blurry letters bring us to the most surprising disadvantage of using dark mode. It affects our
cognitive performance. One study found that you’ll read slower while using dark mode,
and if you’re proofreading a document, you’ll find fewer spelling mistakes.
So better switch to light mode when writing an important email to your boss.
Another study found that the downsides of dark mode are even worse when you use small font sizes.
And yet, that's what many people do. We tend to use small font sizes to cram more information
on the screen, making us feel like we're more productive. But actually the opposite is true.
By reducing font size we reduce our reading speed and increase eye strain even further.
These disadvantages might come as a surprise, but from an evolutionary context,
they make a lot of sense. Humans have evolved to hunt during day,
so our eyes are adapted to spotting dark objects against a light background.
The military uses this evolutionary trait to their advantage. The golden
rule of camouflage is to never ever expose yourself on a hilltop because
your dark silhouette can easily be identified against the bright sky.
So there you have it. Dark mode is being adopted everywhere,
but it’s not without downsides. It can both increase and decrease eye strain,
it slows your reading speed and it affects your cognitive performance.
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Oh, and this video was inspired by someone calling me a freak for using
a light color theme while coding. In the end, I think it’s all about preference.
I enjoy using light mode during the day and dark mode at night. But then again,
bugs are attracted to light, so maybe I should only use dark mode when coding...
Thanks for watching, and till next time!
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