K-Moss
Reinhard62
tck175
Hi guys, just adding my 5 cents here. IMHO there’s no clear yes-or-no answer. I do think Windows 11 tends to be more problematic than not. Does it dither, do extra image processing, and cause more issues for people here compared to older Windows versions (anecdotally)? Yes, from what I’ve seen on this forum. Is it completely unusable for everyone with LED strain? No.
I’ve been struggling with tech and lighting for over 10 years, but somehow ended up with a setup on Windows 11 that I can use for 10–12 hours a day without much trouble. I even tried the same LCD panel on a newer laptop with Iris XE, disabled Intel drivers (used basic display drivers), and it was still quite usable – just mild strain. Not symptom-free, but manageable. In the past, most laptops that eventually worked for me started with “a bit of strain,” then some adaptation over time.
I can’t explain it scientifically, but I suspect I just got lucky with laptop choices back in the 2010–2015 era and adapted to some degree. My health is pretty good at the moment, and I notice if I run myself down (flu, eye strain from testing bad tech, etc.), the good laptop strains again until I recover.
The point is, there are countless variables, and no single fix works for everyone. Windows 11 may be good enough for some, but it’ll probably never be perfect because of image processing. If you’re very sensitive, results will vary. It really depends on your circumstances.
By the way, the dithering is just one variable. I tried using ditherig.exe and other tricks to disable this one type of dithering (or it's best to call flicker/smoothing/etc.?) and it doesn't make too much of a difference. I still believe - less flicker=less work for the eyes and brains=better, but it never is a big needle mover in my specific case. It is for some others around here, though.