Samsung Responds: Why the Galaxy S26 Ultra Screen Might Look Dimmer

Shortly after the launch of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, a wave of feedback from tech labs and early adopters suggested that the device’s 6.9-inch screen appeared slightly dimmer than its predecessor, the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Now, the company has officially weighed in on the matter. Samsung said that the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s display brightness drop is a result of the new Privacy Display feature, but they labeled it “negligible.”

The Privacy Display technology is a significant departure from software-based filters. It works at the pixel level, mixing “narrow” and “wide” pixels together to change the direction of light. The goal is to keep sensitive information visible only to the person holding the phone while making the screen harder to read from the sides. However, this complex light control seems to have a side effect on peak luminance.

Privacy Display: Samsung admits ‘negligible’ brightness variation in Galaxy S26 Ultra

In a statement provided to TechRadar, Samsung acknowledged that users might notice “some variation” in brightness under specific conditions. According to the company, these differences are most visible when the phone is at certain angles while on maximum brightness. However, the impact on daily usage should be “negligible,” they claim.

The company frames this variation as a design choice in order to offer a great visual experience while helping people protect their privacy. Some reviewers found that lowering the brightness level as Samsung suggested actually reduced the noticeable difference between the new model and the older S25 Ultra.

Many users have reported that the difference is nearly impossible to spot unless both phones are placed side-by-side and viewed from a sharp angle. Most seem to value screen privacy over a few extra nits of brightness.

While a small group of users on platforms like Reddit reported eyestrain, many prominent tech experts have praised the feature as a genuine hardware innovation. It appears that “PrivacyDisplayGate” may be more of a technical curiosity than a functional failure.

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