Despite a lack of major upgrades, there is a lot to like about Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra. The Privacy Display alone is a marquee feature, but it and the updated OLED panel might be a problem for some users.
We noted in our Galaxy S26 Ultra review that the display was noticeably dimmer compared to its predecessor. Through clever technology, the Privacy Display can block a bystander’s view of your screen but it also appears to make the display less bright.
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Not good and my eyes get tired really quick with S26 Ultra. I prefer S25U display – much more clear and comfortable.Here are macro shots without Privacy mode. S26U at the bottom. S25U is on upper side. pic.twitter.com/8q7N6EGVXGMarch 3, 2026
Some have claimed that the issue was noticeable even with Privacy Display turned off. So, it’s not clear if it is actually related to Privacy Display or the panel itself.
It’s also not clear how widespread the issue actually is though. Even on Reddit posts and social threads we’ve seen more users reporting that they’re not noticing any issues compared to those who are.
Ice Universe, another major Samsung leaker, at one point said that he was investigating the issue. Again, most responses indicate a non-issue but a few people noted that the text clarity is worse. Blurriness could lead to eye strain and thus headaches or nausea.
More recently Ice Universe declined to continue investigating and wished people luck.
Personally, I’ve had the S26 Ultra for about a week and haven’t noticed anything annoying about the display or blurring. That said, I haven’t noticeably suffered from PWM dimming issues in the past.
What to read next
PWM Dimming
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
It is possible though that the issue could be related to PWM dimming. Our friends at Android Central have dug deep into this with tons of reporting on PWM dimming. While it may not affect everyone, the people it does impact can find themselves unable to use modern technology because of how their eyes and body react to modern displays.
Simply put, Pulse Width Modulation is how a smartphone display rapidly turns off and on to trick you into thinking you’re seeing a dimmer image. Unfortunately, for some people this flashing cycle causes problems with their eyes, and it seems to be exclusively found in OLED panels, like the ones Samsung uses for the Ultra.
Not the only controversy
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
When it comes to the S26 Ultra and it’s display, Samsung has already had to apologize for a totally different issue.
Samsung advertised the S26 Ultra has having a 10-bit display. The bits refer to colors, so 10-bit would be a billion colors while the panel is actually 8-bit, only showing 16 million colors.
Samsung has had to clarify that the display is an 8-bit panel and that 10-bit actually refers to 10-bit mDNIe color processing, not the displays native depth.
What to do?
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
If you find that the S26 Ultra is causing you eyestrain, Samsung does have tips for reducing strain. These include turning on dark mode or extra dim in the settings. There is also an Eye Comfort Shield feature in the settings that will change the colors based on the time of day.
However, if that doesn’t work, you may need to purchase a different phone or return to your Galaxy S25 Ultra, which is still an excellent phone.
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