Samsung confirms the Galaxy S26 Ultra's screen is worse than it initially claimed

Prior to the launch, Samsung confirmed in pre-launch briefings that the flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra would feature a screen that supports 10-bit color depth. This would be a marked upgrade from the display used by the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, this was misinformation.

In an email to Android Authority, Samsung has now confirmed that the Galaxy S26 Ultra instead launches with an 8-bit display. This means the new flagship offers no marked improvement in color depth over its predecessor.

Find the statement we received from a Samsung spokesperson below:

Galaxy S26 series uses 8-bit display panel. It features the new customized Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset which offers up to 4x the image processing power for improved viewing.

Unfortunately for Samsung, an improved chipset doesn’t magically turn an 8-bit display into a 10-bit-capable panel.

8-bit vs 10-bit displays

There’s a marked difference between 8-bit and 10-bit color depth levels — close to a billion additional displayable colors in the latter’s favor. While you likely won’t notice all these individual colors, they do affect how one shade transitions to the other. Fewer available colors means more noticeable crossover points — or banding — where one shade transitions into the other. There are ways around this, but it means the theoretical differences and visual experiences between the two display specs can be vast.

This Galaxy S26 Ultra’s lack in this department is pretty disappointing, too, given that 10-bit color depth isn’t a smartphone novelty. Plenty of smartphone makers have included 10-bit panels in far cheaper devices. There shouldn’t be an excuse for a smartphone that demands $1,299 from consumers, especially if initial briefing information indicated that the feature would be present.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s display is under additional scrutiny this year, given the launch of its much-hyped Privacy Display feature. This nifty tech uses a unique pixel arrangement to obfuscate information on the phone’s display when viewed at certain angles. However, some users have noted that this feature may impact the S26 Ultra’s display fidelity in all scenarios, whether it’s active or not.

Notably, if you want a 10-bit panel on a Samsung phone, you may have to wait several years. A new rumor suggests Samsung could skip the spec on the Galaxy S27 series as well, reserving it for 2028’s S28 lineup instead.

Whether you care about display color depth or not, Samsung’s practice of claiming a spec and then reneging after the device’s launch sets a worrying precedent. Mistakes happen, but this is a particularly glaring one.