Does sunlight damage warnings for displays also apply for sunlight on the back of the display?

Question

I read the question here: Should I keep my monitor away from direct sun light?

It clearly states that direct sunlight is a bad idea.

I'm buying a Surface Studio 2, and I intend on placing it in direct sunlight, since I was under the impression that it only applies to direct sunlight in the front of the screen (the area where you look at the display) - in my case the sun will be hitting the back of the device.

Will it still cause damage?

The device's backside is almost white, and I live in Denmark, which is not exactly near the equator. However, it will be exposed around 10 - 12 hours a day.

It applies to anything which generates heat or is made of plastic. What makes the biggest difference is whether you're talking 12 hours a day inside the tropics or 3 hours a day up near the arctic circle. — Tetsujin, Jun 10 '19 at 15:18
I live in Denmark, and the backside of the display is white. I guess that makes a difference? What would your gutfeeling say about this? — Mathias Lykkegaard Lorenzen, Jun 10 '19 at 18:20

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 10 '19 at 18:27

There are four problems with direct sunlight and displays :

Heat - Shortens display life. If the plastic case is uncomfortably hot to the touch, it may be damaging the electronics. In some cases, the flat parts of the display themselves can be subject to thermal damage as well.

Background light - makes it hard for users to see details on the screen. It requires high brightness from the display, which also can make it run hot and shorten display life.

Glare - from behind or a glancing angle, light from behind will make the display impossible to use.

Casing bleaching - if you have some old Apple computers from the 80s, you will know they yellow in the sun. Similar things can happen to other plastics and dyes. Fortunately, having a slightly lighter gray display case isn't a big problem, compared to the very ugly color that Apple cases became.

And your gutfeeling? Would you buy a Surface Studio 2 and place it in sunlight like I intend to, under my conditions? — Mathias Lykkegaard Lorenzen, Jun 11 '19 at 08:33
No idea. How hot do things get when left in the sun? Can you see the screen effectively on other displays in that same location? — MountainMan, Jun 11 '19 at 17:52

Does sunlight damage warnings for displays also apply for sunlight on the back of the display?

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