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Galaxy S26 Ultra: Privacy Over Brightness?
3 Mar
Summary
- Galaxy S26 Ultra's new Privacy Display significantly reduces screen brightness.
- Peak brightness dropped to 586 nits with maximum privacy settings enabled.
- Samsung's latest phone is dimmer than its predecessor, even with privacy off.
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 Ultra, featuring a novel Privacy Display technology. This innovative feature, integrated directly into the panel, allows users to toggle privacy settings on or off. However, laboratory tests indicate a notable decrease in screen brightness when the Privacy Display is active.
When its maximum privacy protection is engaged, the Galaxy S26 Ultra's peak brightness falls to 586 nits. This represents a significant 67.6% reduction in light output, making the screen challenging to view in bright outdoor conditions. Even indoors, the brightness drop is perceptible.
Furthermore, the S26 Ultra's display is objectively dimmer than its predecessor, the Galaxy S25 Ultra. While rated for up to 2,600 nits, testing showed a peak brightness of 1,806 nits with the Privacy Display off, slightly less than the 1,860 nits recorded on the S25 Ultra. This reduction is visible even at wider viewing angles, despite Samsung's improvements in display technology.
Despite the reduced brightness, Samsung maintains the same starting price as the previous model. The trade-off offers enhanced peace of mind against shoulder surfing, allowing users to reclaim a brighter display by disabling the privacy feature when needed.
