Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could arrive with an OLED panel built using its M14 materials, but there's a catch.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (pictured) has a peak brightness level of 2,600 nits
Samsung Galaxy S26 series, which is expected to be unveiled in early 2026, may not deliver the display upgrade many users expected. According to a recent leak, the entire lineup is set to debut with a panel that has the same 2,600 nits peak brightness level — just like the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S25 series. This is significant because Samsung typically increases brightness with each flagship cycle, while rivals such as Apple, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have already moved ahead with brighter M14-based OLED displays.
Tipster PhoneArt (@UniverseIce) says in an X post that the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra will sport OLED displays with a peak brightness level of 2,600 nits. This indicates that there will be no increase in the peak brightness level despite the expected shift to Samsung Display's latest M14 OLED material.
If true, this would leave the upcoming Galaxy S26 series behind competitors, including the iPhone 17 at 3,000 nits, the Xiaomi 17 at 3,500 nits, the Oppo Find X9 at 3,600 nits and the Vivo X300 at 4,500 nits. While 2,600 nits is still sufficient for outdoor use, the lack of progress for several generations has led to speculation that Samsung may be restricting brightness to manage heat or reduce costs.
An unchanging peak brightness does not necessarily mean Samsung is skipping the M14 panel. The tipster believes Samsung will still adopt M14 for its efficiency benefits, since the newer material offers higher purity, better durability and improved resistance to degradation. These qualities can enhance luminous efficiency, but they do not determine colour depth, dimming frequency or overall panel design.
With brighter screens unlikely, the M14 upgrade may be paired with other refinements. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumoured to gain a new version of Corning Gorilla Armor with stronger anti-reflective properties, which could improve real-world visibility even at the same 2,600-nit level. Samsung is also said to be working on a Privacy display feature that automatically dims sensitive content in crowded environments.
However, the tipster is uncertain whether the Galaxy S26 lineup will support 10-bit colour or high-frequency PWM dimming. Both are increasingly common among rivals and can significantly affect picture quality and user comfort. The leaker cautions that these features should not be expected unless Samsung confirms them.
Beyond display changes, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to get faster 60W wired charging, up from 45W, along with 25W wireless charging. The Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus may also move to 20W wireless charging.
Reports suggest that the South Korean tech giant is taking a conservative approach across camera upgrades, battery improvements and internal cooling, possibly to keep pricing competitive with the iPhone 17 lineup. The flagship Galaxy S26 lineup is widely expected to launch in January 2026, although some reports mention February or March as alternate windows.
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