Galaxy S26 Ultra Drops Best-in-Class Anti-Reflective Coating

Samsung made several meaningful changes with the Galaxy S26 Ultra this year — slimmer chassis, refined camera module, and the new Privacy Display feature. But after hands-on time and side-by-side comparisons, I’ve identified one subtle downgrade that power users will immediately notice:

The front glass on the Galaxy S26 Ultra no longer has the extremely effective anti-reflective coating found on the S25 Ultra. And it’s very noticeable. Unfortunately. 

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Galaxy S26 Ultra Display – What Changed?

On the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Samsung used one of the most effective anti-reflective coatings we’ve ever seen on a smartphone. The display looked almost “ink-like” under harsh lighting. Reflections were muted, glare was diffused, and outdoor readability was exceptional.

S25 Ultra vs S26 Ultra anti-reflective display

With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, there still appears to be some anti-reflective treatment — but it is no longer on that same elite tier. In side-by-side testing against the S25 Ultra, the S26 Ultra reflects significantly more ambient light when:

• Sitting flat on a desk under overhead lighting

• Used outdoors in direct sunlight

• Positioned near windows or bright studio lighting

Visually, the behavior is now closer to what you’d see on the iPhone 17 Pro Max rather than the S25 Ultra.

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs S26 Ultra Anti-reflectivity

That’s not to say the S26 Ultra display is bad — far from it. But it no longer leads the industry in glare reduction.

Why Would Samsung Make This Change?

According to Samsung, this is a small trade-off made to accommodate the new Privacy Display feature on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. This feature requires some modifications to the display structure, affecting the effectiveness of the anti-reflective coating. The coating is still there, the same one as the S256 Ultra. However, you may notice slightly more glare and reflections on the new model. Nothing serious, but noticeable.

Is the Galaxy S26 Ultra Display Still Elite?

It absolutely is! The Galaxy S26 Ultra panel is everything you want in a flagship smartphone display:

• Extremely bright

• Color accurate

• Smoother than ever

But it’s important to separate display quality from optical reflectivity performance. They are related, but not the same.

Sky Blue S26 Ultra Home Screen.

The S25 Ultra arguably had the best glare reduction of any mainstream smartphone. The S26 Ultra steps back from that benchmark, but is still great. If you want to read my full thoughts after an extended hands-on with the S26 Ultra, check it out here.