Apple MacBook Pro (17-inch) - Manual (Page 29)

Chapter 2 Getting to Know Your MacBook Pro 29
3 By default your system is set to “Reduce the brightness of the built-in display when
using this power source.” Deselect this option if you don’t want your display to dim to
save on battery consumption.
When this feature is enabled, your display dims a small amount when you go from
using the power adapter with your MacBook Pro to using battery power. When you
plug in the power adapter again, your display returns to its previous level of brightness.
4 By default your system is set to “Automatically reduce the brightness of the display
before display sleep.” Deselect this option if you don’t want the display to dim before
the MacBook Pro sleeps.
Changing the Size of Images on the Screen
Your MacBook Pro has a 17-inch display with a default resolution of 1680 x 1050.
You can change the size of images on your screen by changing the screen resolution.
You can choose a lower resolution in the Displays pane of System Preferences.
When you switch to a lower resolution, items on the screen appear larger, making
them easier to see. However, lower resolutions might not be as sharp as the display’s
default resolution.
With some resolutions, a black band appears on each side of the display. If you don’t
want to see the bands, you can choose a “stretched” version of the resolution to have
the image cover the entire screen and eliminate the bands.
To change the resolution on your display:
m Choose Apple () > System Preferences from the menu bar. Open the Displays pane of
System Preferences.