Galaxy S26 Ultra display review: Privacy at the cost of everything else

https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/samsung-galaxy/galaxy-s26-ultra-display-review

Publish Date: 2026-03-16 17:29:00

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(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

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For the past five years, display engineers at Samsung have been working on what looks like a display miracle from most angles. Privacy Display has been the talk of the town since the February 25th unveiling of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and for very good reason. It’s easily the most unique and, quite possibly, the most innovative new display concept in a decade. It’s also the most fun I’ve ever had testing a display.

But anything new often comes with tradeoffs, especially when it’s a first-generation product. The Galaxy Z Fold 2, for example, was such a massive leap forward for foldable hardware that it felt like it was made by a completely different company than the one that released the ugly original. Scores of products have seen this same kind of evolution from the first generation to the second, and I think that might also be the case for Samsung’s new Privacy Display.

Now, this isn’t to say Privacy Display is bad, but once the shiny new feeling has worn off and you look a little closer, it’s clear that you’ll have to deal with a few trade-offs to enjoy what might be Samsung’s crowning OLED achievement. I’ve asked Samsung to detail how they made Privacy Display and whether they feel anything specific can be improved in the future. I’ve yet to hear back at the time of writing, but for now, let’s take a closer look at what’s available today.

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