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(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Android Central Labs is a weekly column dedicated to deep dives, experiments, and a targeted look into the tech you employ. It covers telephones, tablets, and every part in between.
For the previous 5 years, show engineers at Samsung have been engaged on what appears to be like like a show miracle from most angles. Privateness Show has been the discuss of the city for the reason that February twenty fifth unveiling of the Galaxy S26 Extremely, and for superb motive. It is simply essentially the most distinctive and, fairly probably, essentially the most revolutionary new show idea in a decade. It is also essentially the most enjoyable I’ve ever had testing a show.
Now, this is not to say Privateness Show is dangerous, however as soon as the shiny new feeling has worn off and also you look just a little nearer, it is clear that you will have to take care of a couple of trade-offs to take pleasure in what is perhaps Samsung’s crowning OLED achievement. I’ve requested Samsung to element how they made Privateness Show and whether or not they really feel something particular might be improved sooner or later. I’ve but to listen to again on the time of writing, however for now, let’s take a better take a look at what’s accessible in the present day.
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Immediately’s finest Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely offers
Privateness Show or bust
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(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
If there’s any single motive to get a Galaxy S26 Extremely this yr, it is the Privateness Show. This new kind of OLED panel redesigns the pixels, separating them into two varieties: wide-angle and narrow-angle. This show deviates from the standard diamond PenTile matrix design of most AMOLED shows and opts for a sq. of two inexperienced, one blue, and one purple subpixel to make up every pixel.
That is essential as a result of it performs the important thing function in how Privateness Show works and why its design impacts the show’s total high quality metrics. When Privateness Show is disabled, all of the pixels are turned on. When Privateness Show is enabled, the wide-angle pixels are utterly shut off.
(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
The brilliance of this design is that it does not simply work like a privateness display protector; it really works at all angles and may even be used to cover particular content material you select in granular element. You can too choose particular apps or situations for Privateness Show, so even when the operate is enabled, it will solely kick in for particular occasions or apps that you simply select (or you may simply flip it on on a regular basis).
For the reason that narrow-angle pixels primarily emit gentle in a slender cone, it is troublesome to see the display content material from sure angles. The one time Privateness Show truly makes content material unimaginable to see is from excessive angles. Even a reasonable tilt simply dims the brightness from an angle. No, it does not work almost in addition to advertising would possibly indicate, however it’s unimaginable, and enabling Most Privateness mode will produce the obvious impact.
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The least obtrusive Privateness Show mode is utilizing it just for particular apps, PIN/sample/password entry, and notification pop-ups. This leaves the display trying regular more often than not, with solely sure sections exhibiting any change. Turning on Privateness Show for every part will instantly ship a reduce in brightness and determination, a direct aspect impact of turning half the pixels off.
If this appeals to you, it may be one of the best motive to purchase a Galaxy S26 Extremely and the one factor it’s best to most likely care about stepping into. In any other case, I clarify the porential trade-offs beneath.
Adverse results
(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Privateness Show achieves a aim brilliantly, however like every massive change or new concept, some standard measurements or beliefs needed to fall. Privateness Show seems to negatively have an effect on brightness output at any angle, viewing angles on the whole, decision and pixel density of the show, shade richness and quantity, and the anti-reflective layer folks beloved on the S24 Extremely and S25 Extremely. Sure, even when the function is disabled.
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Will you discover these variations with out evaluating them side-by-side to a different cellphone? Perhaps, and possibly not. It depends upon how a lot you care about any one among these particular person components. Because of this, I do not suppose this show might be thought-about “one of the best” in any conventional sense of show high quality measurement. Clearly, that is nice if privateness is what you prioritize over all else.
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(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Now, does this show look dangerous? No. Does it look worse than the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s? Sure. My measurements present it is a minimum of 300 nits dimmer on the brightest setting, regardless of Samsung claiming it has the identical peak brightness output. With Privateness Show enabled, that quantity is reduce down a lot additional, which means you most likely will not be utilizing Privateness Show on the seaside.
(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Privateness Show additionally barely negatively impacts distinction when disabled, an impact that is additional pronounced as brightness will get decrease and, particularly, in the event you use the Further Dim accessibility function.
The brand new pixel construction additionally implies that issues look much less crisp than some other flagship cellphone you should purchase. To mitigate this, Samsung seems to be utilizing a sharpening filter, which will certainly annoy some folks, however I have not observed it on a regular basis. Mostly, I noticed this impact whereas taking a look at images within the built-in Gallery app. Samsung additionally seems to have downgraded the anti-reflective layer when in comparison with the Galaxy S25 Extremely, which you’ll see within the gallery above.
Questionable consolation
Samsung Galaxy S26 PWM and dithering show evaluate – YouTube
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A part of my show testing at all times contains consolation measurements, and Samsung hardly ever does properly on this part. The corporate’s use of low-frequency PWM dimming has been a supply of discomfort for many individuals, together with me, for years, and the Galaxy S26 Extremely’s show does not change this issue in any respect. It nonetheless makes use of the identical paltry 480Hz fee the corporate has used for a couple of years now, whereas different firms are pushing PWM charges to five,000Hz and past.
The dearth of change was significantly shocking to me, provided that each Apple and Google launched new PWM-sensitive accessibility options final yr, however Samsung hasn’t given any phrase on whether or not it is engaged on related avenues or not. Samsung can also be nonetheless utilizing an 8-bit show right here, whereas most opponents have moved to true 10-bit shows, which means the corporate has to make use of temporal dithering to faux 10-bit colours.
Whereas it is not typically a very good match for people who find themselves delicate to LED flicker, the irony of the lowered brightness output implies that some delicate customers might discover this launch extra comfy. See the distinction in brightness output within the picture beneath.
(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
What is perhaps extra shocking is {that a} new group of customers is now reporting eye pressure with the S26 Extremely, and it appears to be brought on by how Privateness Show works. A number of social media posts are popping up from folks noting that the brand new show offers them eye pressure, and it is not associated to the PWM fee.
As a substitute, it seems to be associated to the concept that directional pixels create alternating patterns of distinction, inflicting eyes to pressure in a approach that is much like an improperly calibrated 3D display. As there is no strategy to calibrate the S26 Extremely’s display, it is possible we will see one other group of individuals emerge who merely can’t use the Galaxy S26 Extremely with out ache.
Modern, however not with out potential tradeoffs
(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
From a standard standpoint, this can be one of many worst flagship shows in recent times, and positively the worst Samsung might have ever placed on a cellphone relative to the competitors. Nonetheless, as I mentioned earlier than, it is not a dangerous show in most senses, however it’s worse than different telephones, together with many older Samsung flagships.
However Privateness Show might properly eclipse that for the conventional one that most likely does not care all that a lot about show “excellence,” anyway. The brightness output is nice, the colours look nice, and different metrics are nonetheless greater than “ok.” The factor that is going to blow folks’s minds is the headliner function, anyway, and that is possible sufficient to promote folks on the concept of switching to an S26 Extremely.
Samsung is doing one thing distinctive with the Galaxy S26 Extremely, and it would simply be essentially the most compelling show innovation we have seen in over a decade. Attempt the Privateness Show and maintain prying eyes out of your private info.
