Ever tried using a laptop outdoors in bright sunlight? The glare from the sun make it impossible to use most laptops outside in daylight.
Not being able to read your computer screen properly can have a slew of negative effects including eye strain and lowered productivity. This means if you need to work on your computer outdoors, a standard laptop just won’t cut it.
So, how do you know if a rugged laptop will be usable in harsh sunlight?
What is the Best Laptop Screen to Use in the Sun?
The easiest way is to know if a laptop can be used effectively outdoors is by looking at its Nit rating.
A Nit is a way to measure the screen’s luminance or intensity of light. In other words, nits are used to describe the brightness of a laptop or computer screen.
The term Nit comes from the Latin word nitere, which means ‘to shine’.
A regular laptop screen typically has a brightness of between 200 - 300 Nits. Some cheaper laptop screens are only 200 - 250 nits, and are only suitable for use indoors away from a window.
A rugged laptop can range from 500 nits to more than 1000 nits. Rugged laptops also usually include anti glare coatings to improve visibility even more.
Getac V110 - 800 Nit Display
For a laptop designed for regular outdoor use the Getac V110 is a popular choice.
This rugged laptop operates in the brightest work conditions and also has touchscreen capabilities.
With a large, bright 11.6” LumiBond display with Getac Sunlight Reading Technology the Getac V110 has:
- Increased sunlight readability
- Increased brightness
- High contrast ratio
- Better view angle
- Enhanced crisp colours
This technology also increases the strength of the screen because of the bonding materials used between the LCD screen and the touch screen.
LumiBond technology also reduces the risk of condensation occurring between the LCD screen and the touch screen.
Another impressive feature of the Getac V110 is the 800 Nit display. That’s more than double the brightness of a normal laptop and three times brighter than the average TV.
Getac B300
At 700 nits The Getac B300’s display is slightly less bright than the Getac V110, but it makes up for it with a nearly 2” larger screen.
As an optional upgrade, this laptop can come with QuadraClear sunlight technology which gives you a 1400 nit display - making it one of the brightest laptop screens on the market.
QuadraClear sunlight technology uses both increased screen brightness and anti-reflective technology to allow the laptop to be:
- Energy efficient
- Mercury free
- More durable
- Consistently usable in all conditions
How Else Can You Reduce Glare on Your Screen?
If your rugged laptop works well but lets you down outdoors, an anti-glare screen is an affordable option that could help.
An anti-glare screen, or glare screen, is a transparent panel that helps limit glare from the sun. Anti-glare screens might needed for your desktop display if you work in an office where your computer is exposed to direct sunlight from a window.
Not all rugged laptops are designed specifically for sunlight use and an anti glare screen could help to increase visibility.
Both the Getac devices mentioned above are some of the best rugged laptops suited to outdoor use. If you need a laptop that you can work on outside in the middle of the day, then the Getac B300 (with QuadraClear technology) will get the job done with a powerful 1400 Nit display.
If you need any advice on rugged laptops and laptop screens, talk to one of our experts at Roaming Technologies by calling 1300 131 933 or contact us online.