topic Re: Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit in Samsung Lounge

Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

GusB — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:46:08 GMT

The internet is currently raged in 'controversy' with the S26 Displays - Debating over "true" vs "simulated" quality. Having looked side by side with the S25 Ultra...whatever it is the S26 is nicer.

While Samsung initially claimed "up to 1 billion colours" , which does imply 10-bit, they have since walked back those statements, confirming that the S26 Ultra remains an 8-bit + FRC display.

1 billion comment

From this ☝️ to this 👇

1 billion removed

So is [the fruit] doing the exact same thing with the FruitPhone 17 which also claims "1 billion colours" but never formally states 10-bit?

I'm not an expert, but I've done lots of internet reading, as I'm interested now....

8-Bit + FRC vs. Native 10-Bit: "Tricking" Your Eyes

To understand the controversy, we first need to look at the numbers. The "bit depth" of a screen determines how many shades of each primary color (Red, Green, Blue) a pixel can display.

8-Bit Display: Offers 256 shades per channel, totaling 16.7 million colors.

10-Bit Display: Offers 1,024 shades per channel totaling 1.07 billion colors.

To help illustrate

So what is FRC?

Frame Rate Control (FRC) is a 'colour flashing' technique (called dithering). Instead of having a pixel that displays one shade or colour, the display flashes between two or more shades, so rapidly, that the human eye perceives a third or more, intermediate colours.

A standard 8-bit panel often struggles with smooth gradients (like a sunset or the sky), resulting in banding - visible "steps" between colors - you may have seen this - 8-bit + FRC effectively hides these 'steps' by shimmering between them, and looks nearly identical to native 10-bit to the naked eye.

Example

None of this is new - It's been around years!

[Fruit company] is a master of clever marketing. And while they claim 1 billion colours ( which 8bit+FRC does technically do), they never use the term "Native 10-bit Display" in their technical specifications - well, I can't find it ...

Since Samsung supplies the OLED panels for the FruitPhone 17, it is highly probable they share the same 8-bit + FRC architecture as the new S26 Series.

By using FRC, they can both achieve the "1 billion colors" look required for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content etc without the massive power draw and cost of a native 10-bit.

Still with me?

M13 Vs M14 Display Panels

The M14 display (used in the fruitPhone 17 and the new S26 Ultra) uses different technology and materials to the M13 (used in S25 series), which on top of the 20-30% reduced power, can also produce improved visuals.

Unless someone can prove to me otherwise, its highly possible this is what's happening.

I've seen many comments on Reddit where people are claiming 10bit on fruitPhone but no evidence - conversely, there were comments of a tear down showing an 8bit hardware panel...which strengthens this.

The bottom line...

Like with so many tech specs, we can get hung up with playing top trumps, my dad's stronger than your dad stuff..but all that matters is what you see and what you're happy with.

Don't get too deep in the tech rabbit hole folks, it's just a phone...there's a world out there...enjoy it.

Genuinely interested in hearing others views on this.

Gus out.

(Written by me, not AI)

Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

arianwen27 — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:12:20 GMT

I own and use a real 10 bit display with my pc. The amount of colours is mostly a marketing thing. The only real noticeable impact of colour depth is colour banding.

Yes 8 bit can have noticeable colour banding, yes 10 bit basically solves that issue. But it's not exactly needed to fix the issue.

For the majority of consumers, they won't actually be doing anything where they would see colour banding in the first place. The places someone would see it would probably be YouTube, where most videos are 8 bit, so a 10 bit display wouldn't help. Dithering does fix the issue pretty much. So unless you're doing fully professional work and everything you're working with is 10 bit, 8 bit with dithering is plenty fine.

10 bit solves colour banding, dithered 8 bit also solves colour banding enough that it basically goes away. So unless you actually need 10 bit for 10 bit content, dithered 8 bit is a good fix.

Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

Glenntech — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:11:36 GMT

Interesting read
Apple are masters of the deception
They got sort of caught out claiming sapphire screens when its a type of coating on the glass
So id say its extremely likely that as you say. They are using the 8 bit display
Especially as they dont claim anywhere to have a 10 bit display
As you say, when you showed me the difference, you can see it between the S26 Ultra and S25 Ultra displays

I suspect in the whole process in doing the publicity etc
Something got lost in translation and no one picked up on it sooner

Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

Tourbillon De La Vie — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:43:32 GMT

If only i cared

Re: Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

Pickle247 — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 23:03:11 GMT

😂

Re: Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

GusB — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 23:06:36 GMT

😂

Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

Rajsahab — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 23:54:28 GMT

Far as I know galaxy s26 ultra display is not 10bit its old 8bit display.

Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

Tech_Master — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:21:01 GMT

Thanks for the research! The S26U display looks more pleasing than the S25U's to my eyes but it's less bright, has less banding but still has banding.

However, it definitely looks worse than the 17 pro max, so is it really the same spec? And same grade of display?

Apple is notorious for their supply chain QC, so even if they source the panels from Samsung, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's the same spec / grade, as what Samsung uses in it's own devices, we have seen this before in other components.

I have a cheap midrange Xiaomi which claims 12-bit panel, it's doesn't show banding at all, so operating according to spec, but the display overall is not more or less impressive.

I think the point is, for the asking price, people are not looking for "good enough", they want great, cutting edge and long lasting tech, for those who plan to keep for 4-5 years.

I am sure if the ticket price on these phones was €900 or so, no one would care about the compromises, "good enough" will be okay.

Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

ChristinaMG2604 — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:34:57 GMT

It was announced as 10-bit. Look up Consumer Rights Act 2015 Section 24

Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

Lex1970 — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:36:56 GMT

To be honest although I was a bit annoyed as I've just ordered a S26 Ultra I think on a tiny mobile screen I don't think you would really see the difference with the naked eye it's probably more noticeable on a large screen such as a TV

Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

Joeeye — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:09:19 GMT

It's funny how worked up people get over nothing

Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

keith30 — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:19:31 GMT

I think it's because most other android devices use the 10-bit display compared to Samsung still using it's 8-bit screen display..big write up by Android Authority yesterday saying most users are going to be disappointed by the S26ultra.

Re: Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

GusB — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:30:28 GMT

Yes, 8bit+frc, not old though

Re: Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

GusB — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:32:15 GMT

Can you show me where it was announced by Samsung as 10bit?

Re: Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

GusB — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:33:34 GMT

Indeed. I think alot, if not most is click bait, story spinning to ride the wave of interest.

Re: Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

GusB — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:35:20 GMT

Not sure 'most' do, certainly some Chinese devices have a hardware 10bit display

Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

5ayf — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:11:44 GMT

I think it's the way it was worded, everyone assumed we were finally moving to the 10-bit displays (since other phone manufacturers were already using 10 and even 12-bit displays on their phones). Ultimately it doesn't matter as the new +FRC tech achieves the end goal. I guess it's the cost of the phone, the way it was portrayed (which has changed now) and a level of assumption we all made in thinking we now have a 10-bit display which is making some unhappy.

Re: Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

GusB — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:16:23 GMT

So the 12bit in some Chinese phones are actually 10bit+frc in my understanding

Re: Re: Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

5ayf — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:31:24 GMT

There we go lol so who actually has a 10-bit display!! Ultimately, it's a combination of lots of things that make a display amazing and Samsung is the best at that. Others may have a 8-bit +frc or even a 10 or 12-bit display but ultimately Samsung displays do look mind blowing especially on all ultra models.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Display Drama: 8-bit Vs 10-bit

GusB — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:54:57 GMT

We can get bogged down in numbers, stats and benchmarks... So much doesn't REALLY matter, at least to a large proportion of buyers.