As far as mobile screens go, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has to be up there with the finest. With a 120Hz refresh rate, this 6.8-inch Super AMOLED screen provides smooth scrolling that scales down to 1Hz for battery efficiency. Also, there’s a new Vision Booster function to help you see better in low light situations.
However, I was most interested in finding out how brilliant this display really is, as Samsung promises a maximum brightness of 1,750 nits and a normal brightness of 1,200 nits. The iPhone 13 Pro Max and Google Pixel 6 Pro were my other two test phones, so I took them outdoors to see how they compared.
Outside in New York’s Bryant Park, I opened up the Reacher video on YouTube on all three phones and placed them on a table in direct sunshine. I used a Fujifilm X-T200 mirrorless camera to take shots while ensuring that each phone was set to its brightest setting while I stood above them.
In spite of its 6.7-inch screen, the Google Pixel 6 Pro’s display isn’t quite as luminous as the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s. As a result, I was able to see more detail on Reacher’s clothing and hair, compared to the picture on the Pixel 6 Pro.
I then compared the Galaxy S22 Ultra to the iPhone 13 Pro Max, and you can clearly tell that the S22 Ultra has a brighter and more colourful picture. Because I was using Vivid mode instead than Natural mode, the colours seem more vibrant. Even without it, the iPhone’s screen seems like it’s covered in a film, but the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s offers you a picture that’s more vivid and in-your-face. The lack of a notch and the thinner bezels of the S22 Ultra make it stand out from the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Last but not least, I compared the screens of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, S22, and S8 Plus. It absolutely does.
However, when compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the Pixel 6 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max appear like they’re on an other level. It’s pleasant to be in a strange place.
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra display test results
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | iPhone 13 Pro Max | Google Pixel 6 Pro | |
Max brightness | 1,359 nits | 1,038 nits | 842 nits |
sRGB color gamut | 137.5% | 109.3% | 104.2% |
DCIP-3 color gamut | 97.4% | 77.4% | 73.8 |
Delta-E color accuracy (lower is better) | 0.25 | 0.21 | 0.3 |
Aside from that, we also had a look at the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s display in our lab. We started by using a colorimeter to measure the peak brightness while adaptive brightness was switched on. A stunning 1,359 nits of HDR brightness was recorded by the S22 Ultra. The iPhone 13 Pro Max clocked in at 1,038 nits, while the Google Pixel 6 Pro clocked in at 842 nits.
We assess both the sRGB colour gamut and the more stringent DCIP-3 colour spectrum in order to evaluate colour accuracy. Natural display option gives the Galaxy S22 Ultra 137.5 percent of the sRGB and 97.3 percent of the DCI-P3 colour space coverage. Both the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s 109.3% and the Pixel 6 Pro’s 104.23% and 73.83% are beaten by this.
So, what about colour fidelity? With a Delta-E rating of 0.25 in Natural mode, the Galaxy S22 Ultra performed well, with a Delta-E score of 0 being the best possible result. As compared to the Pixel 6 Pro (0.3), the iPhone 13 Pro Max (0.21) was the best.
Bottom line for the Galaxy S22’s display
Is your phone’s screen more essential than everything else? For outside readability, I’d say it’s in the same league as camera and battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the clear winner in our tests and in the real world.
When it came to colour accuracy, the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s display outperformed the competition in both sRGB and DCI-P3.