Apple Revises 2018 MacBook Air Display Brightness to Up to 400 Nits After macOS 10.14.4 Release - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Revises 2018 MacBook Air Display Brightness to Up to 400 Nits After macOS 10.14.4 Release

As noted on Reddit, Apple has updated its tech specs for the 2018 MacBook Air to indicate that the notebook now has a display brightness of up to 400 nits, compared to up to 300 nits previously.

macbook air display
We've confirmed with Apple that this increase is tied to the macOS 10.14.4 software update released on March 25. Apple's release notes did mention that the update "corrects the default screen brightness" for 2018 MacBook Air models, although no specific details were known at the time.

Prior to macOS 10.14.4, Laptop Mag found that its 2018 ‌MacBook Air‌ review unit maxed out at a brightness of 234 nits, while NotebookCheck determined an average value of 315 nits. It's unclear why there is such a big discrepancy there, but it'll be interesting to see how much the number increases in subsequent testing.

Battery life stats for the 2018 ‌MacBook Air‌ remain unchanged on Apple's tech specs page.

(Thanks, Aaron!)

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Buy Now)
Related Forums: MacBook Air, macOS Mojave

Popular Stories

macOS 27 on MacBook Pro

Apple Says macOS 27 Won't Be Compatible With These Macs

Wednesday June 3, 2026 8:29 am PDT by
During WWDC 2025, Apple revealed that macOS 26 Tahoe would be the final major macOS version for Intel-based Macs. macOS 27 will be compatible with Apple silicon Macs only, meaning that you will need a Mac with an M-series chip or a MacBook Neo with an A18 Pro chip in order to install the software update. Apple will unveil macOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote this Monday, June 8, and the...
MacBook Neo on Yellow Feature

MacBook Neo is So Popular That Apple Reportedly Doubled Production

Wednesday June 3, 2026 9:24 am PDT by
On an earnings call in late April, Apple's CEO Tim Cook said that customer response to the MacBook Neo was "off the charts," and the popularity of the laptop has reportedly led the company to significantly boost production. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this week said he believes that MacBook Neo shipments to Apple were doubled from an initial target of 5 million units to 10...
iphone 18 pro blue%402x

iPhone 18 Pro: Dark Cherry, Light Blue, and Dark Gray Chassis Leaked [Update]

Thursday June 4, 2026 5:18 am PDT by
Update: Since publication, new information has come to light suggesting the images have been AI-manipulated and are not in fact iPhone 18 Pro chassis parts. The original article follows. The color options Apple is reportedly planning for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max have appeared online today in the form of images of chassis parts of unknown authenticity....

Top Rated Comments

igroeg Avatar
93 months ago
So they can actually tweak that via software. Great! I'll buy the MBA once they include 2 additional CPU cores in a future MacOS update.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
93 months ago
Not going to be satisfied until the screen can vaporize debris trapped under the keys.

EDIT: Never mind, the difference is amazing! :eek:



Attachment Image
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
93 months ago
Seems like everybody out there wants two things: brighter displays, and dark mode.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
93 months ago
Apple overclocked its own display! Stopped innovating my a$$!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RightMACatU Avatar
93 months ago
Wish I could increase MY brightness level with a simple update :p
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NT1440 Avatar
93 months ago
Oh and suddenly it’s possible for Apple to deliver better “hardware”.
They wanted to keep that “feature” for the next gen model, but according to the sales, they had to act
You’re WILDLY overestimating consumer purchasing decisions if you honestly think an average person has any idea what a nit is.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)