- Samsung recognizes the variation in screen brightness of the Galaxy S26 Ultra
- It is a product of the new privacy display function.
- It is unlikely to affect the user experience.
Is the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra screen slightly dimmer due to new privacy screen technology? The short answer is yes. However, I just received the most thoughtful response from Samsung and it definitely sheds some light on the screen brightness controversy.
Last week, I reported how, based on benchmarks and my own testing, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 6.9-inch screen, when viewed at an angle, appears slightly less bright than the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s screen.
These tests confirmed the findings of other tech publications and the results of our own Future Labs tests, which found slight variations in nits and color density, both of which favored the S25 Ultra.
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When I wrote the story I asked Samsung for comment. He did not respond before publication, but has now provided me with an official statement that reads as follows:
“Privacy Display is designed to protect user privacy by providing a vivid visual experience when using the phone in normal usage cases. Some variations will be seen when holding the phone at certain angles and when set to maximum brightness; however, any impact on actual use when holding the phone should be negligible.”
it’s real
Let’s start with the obvious. Samsung doesn’t deny that “some variation” will be seen, and it’s implicit in its statement that the privacy screen (pixel-level technology that hides the screen from prying eyes viewing it from opposite angles) is to blame. Of course, the caveats are that the phone needs to be “held at certain angles” and that it also needs to be set to maximum brightness.
However, I tend to agree with Samsung’s assessment that the impact of these variations is negligible. I never noticed it during my initial testing. To test the theory, I had to place it next to the S25 Ultra, make sure the brightness settings of the S26 Ultra and the previous phone matched, and then view them from an angle to really see the difference in brightness.
Additionally, when I lowered the brightness as Samsung instructed, I noticed less variation.
Is this the end of ‘PrivacyDisplayGate’? Probably. While there were some on Reddit who reported nausea and eye strain from using Privacy Display, I didn’t experience any of that, and that’s despite spending hours at a time using the flagship phone.
Ultimately, Privacy Display is one of the reasons I loved this phone, and in my review I called it “a true innovation in display hardware that has no equivalent in any other modern smartphone.” Even if you reduce the screen brightness a little, I think it’s worth it and I stand by my review of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Do you have a Galaxy S26 Ultra? How has your experience been? Tell us in the comments below.
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