Galaxy S25 Ultra needs to fix four major display issues with S24 Ultra
In some ways, the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s display is the best Samsung has ever produced. It finally has upgraded PWM dimming rates to match the iPhone, and Samsung’s new anti-glare filter makes it easier to see in sunlight.
But problems were brewing beneath the surface and slowly emerged over the last year, making us wonder if Samsung would address them in the upcoming Galaxy S25 series.
From a grainy display to dull colors, Samsung has some work to do when it comes to the quality and specs of the display itself. We’ve also seen permanent smudges on the screen on the Galaxy S24 Ultra model, indicating premature wear of the oil barrier.
Finally, Samsung remains one of the few companies that doesn’t offer an eye-friendly dimming option for those who are sensitive to PWM dimming and LED flicker. Here’s everything Samsung needs to improve on the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s display to regain its crown as the best phone with a display.
grainy display
Early on, users complained about a grainy display. While this is most noticeable at low brightness levels, some users noted that they could see grain even at regular or high brightness. The issue, technically known as “mura,” is something we haven’t seen so widespread since the days of the Google Pixel 2 XL, and it’s still present today on the Galaxy S24 Ultra display. You can see the uneven pattern in the image above, which I took using a microscope on a Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Graininess issues are caused by manufacturing defects where adjacent pixels are less bright than each other, making them appear speckled or grainy. Pixels on OLEDs are individually lit, and part of the manufacturing and calibration process is ensuring that each pixel meets specific uniformity levels.
It’s unclear whether Samsung skipped this step or if the M13 generation is particularly prone to this grainy issue. What’s clear, however, is that no other phone with an OLED screen suffers from such severe issues. There were rumors in November that Samsung had fixed the issues in the Galaxy S25 Ultra by using an M13+ panel, but we’ll have to wait and see if that’s the case.
permanent stains
Everyone has to wipe down their smartphone display from time to time to remove smudges and dirt, but some unfortunate Galaxy S24 Ultra owners have found that the smudges on their screens never go away.
This is believed to be caused by premature degradation of the oleophobic coating on the exterior of the display. This coating is applied to glass to minimize fingerprints and smudges because it is naturally resistant to water, oil, and other liquids.
The result is a display that looks perpetually dirty, and only replacing the glass can fix the problem. To make matters worse, a poll by Android Authority suggests that perhaps 50% or more of Galaxy S24 Ultra owners are experiencing this issue. Our advice to Galaxy S24 Ultra users who don’t have this problem is to buy a good Galaxy S24 Ultra screen protector for your phone right away.
Samsung need Fix this issue on Galaxy S25 Ultra. For a smartphone costing over $1,200, this is non-negotiable.
Better dimming options
As more research continues to accumulate, it’s become clear that using PWM dimming on displays and LED bulbs can cause health problems. Since I started writing about this issue almost two years ago, I’ve been able to help many people get rid of the headaches they experience every day by recommending smartphones and non-flickering light bulbs.
Unfortunately, Samsung is one of the worst perpetrators of display flickering. As companies obsess over making displays brighter and brighter, these displays are becoming more glaring and painful every year. The solution is pretty simple, but Samsung has so far refused to talk about it or make any kind of accessibility changes to improve users’ long-term health.
US users, especially, have few flicker-free options to choose from, as Samsung, Google, and Apple now equip every phone they make with a flicker display. Samsung does have a chance to solve the problem with the Galaxy S25 series and lead the way in eye health as the world’s largest smartphone maker.
If companies like OnePlus, Nothing, Vivo, Xiaomi, Oppo and many other brands can do it, then so can Samsung.
Don’t forget the fans
This last issue is the least serious, but probably the one that annoys fans the most. At launch, the Galaxy S24 Ultra had a dimmer display than previous Galaxy flagships.
I praised the display’s more realistic colors in my Galaxy S24 Ultra review , and while Samsung does a great job of tweaking colors to make them more realistic, the company seems to have forgotten that some users prefer bright, highly saturated colors.
Samsung released a patch about a month after the S24 Ultra’s release that addressed the issue and included a vibrant slider for those who wanted bolder colors. Hopefully, the company won’t forget this option when it launches the Galaxy S25 Ultra soon.
