Which Laser is Brighter?
Determining which laser is brighter requires comparing specific lasers, not just colors or types. While some generalizations can be made, the overall brightness depends on several factors including power output (measured in milliwatts or mW), wavelength (color), and beam divergence (how spread out the beam is).
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Power Output (mW): A laser with a higher milliwatt rating generally produces a brighter beam. For example, the Spyder 3 ArcticBlue boasts over 3500mW, making it exceptionally powerful https://m.wickedlasers.com/arctic. However, this is a high-powered laser and not suitable for all applications.
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Wavelength (Color): Green lasers (around 532nm) are often perceived as brighter than red or blue lasers of the same power output https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/41624/why-do-green-lasers-appear-brighter-and-stronger-than-red-and-blue-lasers. This is because the human eye is more sensitive to green light. Specifically, green lasers are 10 to 50 times brighter than red lasers in daylight [reference from provided text]. However, at night, the eye's sensitivity shifts, and the differences may not be as pronounced. https://laserpointerforums.com/threads/which-laser-color-is-the-brightest-at-night.103377/
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Beam Divergence: A laser with a tightly focused beam will appear brighter than one with a wider, more spread-out beam, even if they have the same power output.
Examples from References:
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Green Lasers: These are frequently cited as brighter than red lasers due to the eye's sensitivity to green light.
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Milwaukee Laser Levels: One Reddit thread suggests that the Milwaukee laser level is brighter than the Dewalt counterpart https://www.reddit.com/r/MilwaukeeTool/comments/11xge2n/anyone_using_milwaukee_laser_levels/. However, this is a comparison of specific laser models, not a general statement about all Milwaukee vs. Dewalt lasers.
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Laser Power and Voltage: A laser's brightness is not always directly proportional to the input voltage. Some lasers have drivers that regulate the power output regardless of input voltage within a certain range. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskElectronics/comments/16sn013/would_this_laser_get_brighter_if_i_put_5v_through/
Conclusion
To definitively answer "which laser is brighter?", you need to specify the lasers being compared and their respective power outputs, wavelengths, and beam divergence.
