Had to pick between #121212 and #1a1a1a for my app background

Spent 3 hours testing both on an OLED phone. Pure black looked too harsh. The slight gray of #1a1a1a was way easier on my eyes after 20 minutes. Went with the gray. Users haven't complained yet. Anyone else have a preference for their dark mode base color?

2 comments

2 Comments

phoenix84522d ago

Pure black looked too harsh" is exactly why I went the other way actually. I work nights and stare at screens in a dark kitchen before service, so pure black #000000 is my go-to because it blends into the shadows around me and doesn't create that floating panel effect. But I get why you picked #1a1a1a, especially if you're doing any kind of content reading where text contrast matters more. The real test is how it handles in different lighting though - I've seen apps that look perfect at midnight but totally wash out under fluorescent lights. (Which is why I'm still mad most apps don't let you just pick your own hex code, you know?)

dixon.nathan22d ago

You know what's funny, I actually had a similar debate with myself for months about this. I ended up going with a dark gray that's like #2d2d2d because I found that pure black made my eyes work HARDER in the daytime. Like my brain couldn't figure out where the screen ended and the real world began or something. But then I moved my desk next to a window and the whole thing got ruined by glare anyway. I swear, lighting conditions change everything - I've had setups that looked amazing in my bedroom at 2am but totally unreadable in a coffee shop. It's honestly ridiculous that we're still stuck with just "light" and "dark" modes when monitors can display MILLIONS of colors now.