Google Pixel 10 Pro Series Supports 480Hz High-Frequency Dimming to Alleviate Eye Discomfort
Google has upgraded the screen dimming technology of the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL, introducing a new “sensitive eyes brightness adjustment” feature. This feature increases the PWM dimming frequency of the main display to 480 Hz, which can effectively reduce screen flickering and thereby decrease headaches and eye discomfort for users.
PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) is a technology that regulates screen brightness by rapidly switching the current on and off. The PWM frequency, measured in hertz (Hz), indicates how many times the screen flickers per second. Frequencies above 1,000 Hz are generally imperceptible to the human eye, while lower frequencies can easily cause headaches or eye fatigue.
The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro used a PWM dimming frequency of 240 Hz, meaning the screen flickered 240 times per second. This level of flickering, combined with a dimming amplitude of over 20%, was prone to causing discomfort.
The new Pixel 10 standard edition continues to use this same scheme without any upgrades. However, the Pixel 10 Pro (including the Fold and XL versions) now supports increasing the PWM frequency to 480 Hz via the “sensitive eyes brightness adjustment” feature.
This new feature is not enabled by default and must be manually activated in the system settings. Industry insiders speculate that enabling high-frequency dimming might reduce the screen’s peak brightness, although no detailed test data has yet confirmed the exact impact. It is also unclear whether older or base-model devices can be upgraded to support this feature through software updates, as there may be hardware limitations involved.
