Is 1,600 nits of brightness good for a MacBook Pro?

Yes, 1,600 nits is excellent for a MacBook Pro 14" or 16" (M-series Pro or Max) and Pro Display XDR. The panel hits 1,600 nits peak and holds 1,000 nits sustained full-screen. Typical laptops top out at 300-500. Here's why it doesn't feel that way. The system caps everyday SDR content near 500 nits and holds the brighter range in reserve. You end up seeing roughly half the screen you paid for. Your Mac isn't broken; the limit is software, not the display. Around 1,000 nits is the threshold where a screen reads in a bright room or outdoors. MacBrightness opens that locked range on the keys you already press, $5 one-time.