Problem with the screen brightness of my laptop (adaptive backlight, adaptive brightness, dynamic contrast, advanced contrast ratio issue)

[AIvan26]

Hello,

I have a problem with my laptop, below are all details. Please let me know about the causes of my problem and how to eliminate them.

MY SETUP/ARRANGEMENT:

1) Dell Precision M6800 laptop (Intel HD 4600 graphics, Nvidia Quadro K3100M), switchable graphics (Nvidia Optimus technology) is disabled in BIOS; 2) Windows 8.1 Pro x64, all firmwares, BIOS and drivers are the latest versions, all latest windows updates are installed (I performed a clean OS installation, then installed all necessary drivers, then installed all Windows updates, no additional software were installed); 3) I always use "Maximum Performance" power plan with the following settings in its section "screen": -- turn off display (on battery: 10 min, plugged in: 15 min), -- display brightness (on battery: 85%, plugged in: 85%), -- dimmed display brightness (on battery: 85%, plugged in: 85%), -- enable adaptive brightness (on battery: switched off, plugged in: switched off); 4) There is uniform dark grey background on the Windows desktop (this background might be any other dark color, uniform or not, without any bright areas).

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:

Display brightness changes in spite of the adjusted settings in active power plan. The problem exists in two cases only: (i) I work on battery; (ii) transition from battery to mains or vice versa. In case "i" display brightness increases when a bright object appears on the uniform dark grey background of my Windows desktop (for instance if you run notepad.exe and its mainly white window appears over the desktop) and display brightness decreases when the above bright object disappears from the uniform dark grey background of my Windows desktop (for instance if you close or reduce to the taskbar the notepad.exe window). In case "ii" display brightness decreases when you pull a power connector/plug off the laptop and increases when the connector/plug is plugged into the laptop again.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE PROBLEM:

This issue does not have a place if switchable graphics (Nvidia Optimus technology) is enabled in BIOS, and the laptop screen is driven by, I assume, Intel HD 4600 graphics. As I utilize on my laptop 10-bit color depth workflow and correct color reproduction, it's much comfortable to work without switchable graphics. I tried all latest video drivers, from both the laptop manufacturer web-site and Nvidia web-site drivers including their latest beta-drivers, but the problem exists regardless of the driver version installed. There isn't the problem under Windows 7 Pro x64.

[Silvia_L_Intel1]

Hello Artemka, thanks for contacting us through the Intel Communities.

In regards to the problem you are experiencing of your Dell laptop, I would recommend you to install the latest graphics driver available v3621.

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=3720&DwnldID=23884&ProductFamily=Graphics&ProductLine=Desktop+graphics+drivers&ProductProduct=4th+Generation+Intel%C2%AE+Core%E2%84%A2+Processors+with+Intel%C2%AE+HD+Graphics+4600&DownloadType=Drivers&lang=eng https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=3720&DwnldID=23884&ProductFamily=Graphics&ProductLine=Desktop+graphics+drivers&ProductProduct=4th+Generation+Intel%C2%AE+Core%E2%84%A2+Processors+with+Intel%C2%AE+HD+Graphics+4600&DownloadType=Drivers&lang=eng

Artemka, could you please let me know where are you getting these names from? (adaptive backlight, adaptive brightness, dynamic contrast, advanced contrast ratio issue)

[PDeeg]

Rolling back to driver 10.18.10.3621 has resolved it for me. Absolutely nothing else has worked.

[Silvia_L_Intel1]

Thanks for the feedback Dekken. I'm going to report this behavior.

[PDeeg]

It appears to be more sinister than previously noted.

From my perspective, it occurs when my laptop is turned on while the battery is charging, once the power is removed, and then re-established the dimming stops.

[AIvan26]

Hello,

thanks for your answer, I installed v3621 but it did not help, the problem exists.

Artemka

[JWest9]

Hi. I've actually registered to specifically answer this problem. You may or may not like the answer.

I just bought a new laptop with the 4600 Intel graphics adapter. I updated all drivers to the latest immediately and I began to see the brightness change when i opened windows on the desktop and went back to it or in videos and even games. I ended up speaking to support at the company I bought it from, all who were baffled.

To cut a long story short I rolled back the intel graphics driver to version 10.18.10.3383 dated 06/01/2013. The problem has gone.

My brightness issues happened especially when connecting and disconnecting the power cable before this also. None of this happens now. Considering I basically only use the 4600 for desktop graphics and i use my nvidia gtx 850m for everything else this is a solution for me.

I hope this works for you. Either way let me know. I think it might have been because the laptop uses a TN monitor which gets confused by the new drivers, but I guess I'll never know.

I look forward to hearing if this works for you.