A nit is a standard measure of how bright a display is. The term comes from the candela, a unit of light intensity, and one nit equals one candela per square metre (cd/m²). It tells you how much light your screen emits into your eyes.
Brightness matters because it affects how well you can see content in different lighting conditions. A dim screen becomes hard to read in bright sunlight, whilst an overly bright screen can cause eye strain indoors. Typical laptop and desktop monitors range from 200 to 400 nits. Budget screens sit around 200 nits, whilst mid-range displays hit 300 nits. High-end monitors, gaming displays, and professional panels often reach 400 nits or higher.
Smartphones and tablets often run brighter: flagship phones commonly deliver 1000 nits or more at peak brightness to remain readable in direct sunlight. This is especially important on mobile devices where outdoor use is frequent.
HDR (High Dynamic Range) content benefits from brighter displays because it relies on peak brightness to show contrast between the brightest and darkest parts of an image. A monitor rated 1000 nits peak brightness will display HDR films and games more effectively than one rated 300 nits.
When buying a monitor or TV, check the nit rating if you work in a bright room or plan to watch HDR content. For typical office work and indoor entertainment, 300 to 400 nits is adequate. If your workspace gets strong sunlight or you want the best HDR performance, look for 600 nits and above.