I’ve noticed that sometimes my MBAir 15inch screen just isn’t bright enough for my 55 year old eyes, and, despite thinking it would be my main working machine for the next 3 years, I’m considering getting a MBP16inch, probably with the nano screen.
I’d love for someone to tell me this either a crazy idea or brilliant idea.
I’d rather not spend the money, but … you know …
BTW: I live in a sunny place and I’d love to be able to work outside more easily.
Isn’t that coating dimming the screen a bit?
(Unfortunately I haven’t seen one in real life; stores near to me don’t have such models in their showrooms)
We don’t see the world through your eyes, so hard to answer directly. I have a 16" M3 Max (2024) and it is plenty bright. So much so, that I rarely need to crank up the brightness to full on. There’s an issue with the M3 display that dithering can cause eye strain – which I’ve experienced. I use a utility, Stillcolor, to reduce that.
The brightness of the display is measured in nits. MacBook Air is 500 nits:
MacBook Pro 1000 nits, so twice as bright:
I would compare them in the store to make sure it is worth it to you.
This may not work for you, but I have a M1 Max MBP Pro and a M4 13" iPad Pro. The iPad’s screen is vastly superior to the MBP. The iPad screen is brighter, crisper, and with blacker blacks. Again, I realize the iPad may not work for your main work, but I thought I’d pass this along. I’ll upgrade my MBP immediately if/when Apple releases one with an OLED screen. It’s only 
.
I wouldn’t compare in store. Artificial lighting is quite different to working out on the deck. I’d vote for ordering from Apple and returning or onselling if it doesn’t seem like the higher brightness is worth it.
I think I know what my problem is!
I’ve got the new iPad Pro, and I’ve got Mac Studio displays, and I think my eyes are loving the better screens and struggling with the MBA screen, even though it is lovely.
That’s a good suggestion. My nearest Apple Store is 3000km away, and a very long swim, so I’ve just ordered one on line from Apple. The extended December return period helps.
Did you end up keeping it or returning it? If you returned it, how did that go?
I am so glad you asked!
I got two MacBook Pros before Christmas. I kept the 16-inch and returned the 14-inch. It’s summertime here, and I have found the brightness of the 16-inch screen has been so good for working outside, which makes a big difference for me. And the nano-textured display, genuinely, it does make it easier to use in bright light.
I previously had the 15-inch MacBook Air, and even inside it just wasn’t quite bright enough for my old eyes! My youngest daughter loves her new MacBook Air 
.
The return process was… Adequate.
I’m minor, not sure if it’s a bug or if it’s deliberate or what. The order page on the Apple website said that neither laptop was eligible for return, which was actually quite stressful because they’re not cheap. But when I phoned them, they happily put the return through.
But then… They didn’t put the Courier information through correctly, so when Sandra, my local Courier, arrived, she couldn’t take the laptop away. Which wasted me another day, but they got it right the second time.
He was just a really annoying thing that the Apple customer service person didn’t do: she didn’t apologise on behalf of Apple for screwing up the pick-up and wasting my time. Instead, she used that weaselly word approach that so many modern call centre staff find a train to do, and she apologised for my email address not receiving that DHL paperwork. It was weirdly put, but it felt like they were putting the blame on me for them not shipping the paperwork correctly.
So the return process was annoying, but at the end of the day, I’ve got this brilliant 16-inch nano-textured MacBook Pro that I love, love, love!
Now all I have to do is just justify spending all that money and actually finish off my next book.