A Nit is another term for one candela per square meter (cd/m2), which is the SI (International System of Units) base unit for measuring luminance. In the display monitor industry, it is used to measure the brightness of the surface area of a CRT monitor, LCD or other display device. A nit is equal to one candela per square meter. The term, Nit, comes from the Latin niter, to shine. Computer displays typically have luminances of 50 to 300 cd/m2. A luminance of at least 800 cd/m2 is required for a screen to be viewable under direct sunlight.