Yes the backlighting is the same - however the 'problem' is simply hype. Yes the *hardware* lower limit is too high, however using the software driver to slightly reduce it into calibration, it is perfect. Just because you have to use software *and* hardware to get it done is not an issue in actual use. People report this 'problem' on forums ad nausium, and having one in front of my face, I can tell it's a non-issue.
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This is baloney, particularly when the intent is for
critical (or even just
accurate) color work.
Reducing the brightness via software (on the display or in the video drivers) reduces the overall tonal range the display can use and that has a negative side effect on color rendition as well. I've covered this extensively in other threads and so anyone looking for details can search around.
One thing I will add is that if you do adjust the LUTs to dim the display and the color meter reads the display as, lets say 120cd/m2 when in fact it's 200 (sans LUT fiddling) it is not going to actually be that dim. Despite how much you try to fiddle with software, to reduce the brightness of the display, a display that is too bright will always be too bright.
Case in point, my displays. My primary monitor is a ACD 20" and the secondary is a Dell 2005FPW. The ACD dims down via hardware without issue, the Dell is 200cd/m2 at it's dimmest hardware setting. Fiddling with the OSD on the Dell, I can get EyeOne Match to measure the dell at 120cd/m2 just like the ACD. Unfortunately, this is just not the case as windows are noticeably brighter on the Dell. ColorEyes also gives me the same false reading.
For me, this is no issue, since my focus is on the ACD and the Dell is only used for holding tool pallets. However, someone trying to use a display like the Dell as their color-editing display will run into accuracy issues and there is no way to get around them using software.
I've done extensive testing on my Dell, trying various combinations of profiling and fiddling, I've measured the tones, tried to smooth grayscale gradients using ColorEyes and it is not possible to get the display to calibrate well enough for critical color work. You cannot alter Ones and Zeros in any way that will alter the behavior of a devise operating in the physical world.
If critical color work is the goal, skimping on hardware to save a couple hundred will always net you less than what you want.
Oh... and more important than the display is your ability to perceive color with your own two eyes. Just because you can't readily see (or in some cases even aware of) any issues, it does not mean they do not exist. For critical work, the idea is to minimize variables you can control so you can more easily work with what you can't. Using overly-bright displays is counter-productive to that goal.