Improved color gamut, smarter always-on display and extremely high peak brightness are among the highlights, according to DisplayMate.
I got some face time with the Galaxy S8 and S8+'s screens last week, and I can tell you they look good. What I can't tell you is exactly how good, and that's where DisplayMate, a longstanding expert in display technologies, comes in.
The publication has gotten its hands on early Galaxy S8 samples, putting the them through a rigorous suite of tests covering just about every aspect of the displays. As you'd expect, there are significant improvements across the board, but there are also a few surprises along the way. Highlights include:
- Contrary to pre-announcement rumblings, the GS8 uses a diamond subpixel pattern (as opposed to an RGB stripe, as was rumored.)
- The GS8 supports subpixel rendering, where each (red, green or blue) subpixel can be addressed and rendered to, improving perceived sharpness.
- Viewing angles have been improved, with a smaller reduction in brightness when viewed at 30 degrees.
- The display supports 100% of DCI-P3, bringing its color gamut in line with current 4K TVs.
- Peak brightness is a whopping 1,000 nits in high ambient light mode. (610 nits when the level is manually adjusted.)
- As well as being certified for Mobile HDR Premium, there's also an Expanded Dynamic Range mode to upscale non-HDR content on the phone.
- There's an ambient light sensor on the back of the GS8, to give a more accurate reading of environmental light levels.
- The core functionality of the Always-On Display mode is reportedly now handled by hardware, as opposed to the app itself. This won't affect the user experience, but should save power.
- Display power consumption is comparable to that of the Galaxy S7, only with a wider color gamut, this making it more efficient overall.
The verdict?
The Galaxy S8 is the first in a new generation of OLED Smartphones that have a Full Screen Display design. It has many major and important state-of-the-art display performance enhancements, features and functions, with mobile OLED display technology now advancing faster than ever. The Galaxy S8 is the most innovative and high performance Smartphone display that we have ever lab tested. So the Galaxy S8 becomes the Best Performing Smartphone Display, earning DisplayMate's highest ever A+ grade.
DisplayMate's write-up goes into great detail on all aspects of the Galaxy S8 and S8+'s displays, so be sure to take a look if you want to pour through all the technical details.
Reader comments
Surprise: Galaxy S8 has the 'best smartphone display'
I don't mind the edge display , the only thing I'm not keen On is the fact that displays are narrower to enhance the userbility .
For an example , I went down from having a note 4 and 6p to a lg G5 , and for me being a largeish dude , I found the smaller g5 did have some pocketable benefits , but typing is not as nice as it is on a big device for a bunch of reasons , not to mention the obvious detriment of being a fat fingered bugger.
Now to my main point I compared my g5 to a G6 in store and the g6 was even narrower than my g5 .
Even in landscape you lose some of your ceiling , I could see that being a pain in some circumstances.
Although there are more practical reasons for the edge display. Smaller form factor being one my s7 edge is way smaller then my daughter iPhone 6 plus . My new s8 plus is slightly bigger then my s7 edge . The edge is not for everyone and that's OK . For me I just love the fill in the hand and above all else it just looks so damn good .....and that's all that matter to those that own the edge 7, we don't care if some don't see the worth in it . 4 people at my office purchased the edge for the sole purpose of that it's the best looking phone , we don't have to make anymore excuses then that ...
Who is going to be first getting DeX working on their S7 edge....or note.
The best test is to try it in your hand. I have the S6edge, my husband has the S7edge & my son has Iphone7. I liked mine till I held the 7edge...what a difference! Almost bought the 8 after seeing it yesterday, but decided to wait & see what the next note one will be like.
Sure, the display is great but what about the audio? Why leave that out? It makes no sense. It should have a hi fi dac with stereo speakers.
Shocker. Lol. Samsung makes fantastic screens.
I like the argument that the curved glass is not bad because it is less curved than the S7E. Well that just proves the point that a curved screen is not superior. Now make the next Samsung S less curved than the 8 (flat) and you got a winner.
Samsung already has a winner numbers tell the tail. S7 edge 2 to 1 over flat 7. The s8 looks unbelievable in person
Posted via note 5 are gs7 edge the beast
@Ducati916, apparently, Android Authority disagrees with you, at least for the US. No data on global but am guessing it tracks the same.
It's Galaxy S5 by a mile, with GS-7 Flat in second place, almost tied by GS-6 in third, with GS-7 Edge a distant fourth. Read it under this headline: "You might be surprised by the most popular Samsung phone in the US."
Here's the excerpt:
"According to Kantar’s figures, the Galaxy S5 still lives in the pockets of an impressive 15.6 percent of Samsung’s US consumers. The Galaxy S7 only just nabbed second place ahead of the Galaxy S6, with 11.5 percent and 11.4 percent respectively. The S7 Edge came in a distant fourth with just 5.8 percent of Samsung’s user base."
Just curious who is this Display Mate. Like, is Dr. Raymond perhaps receiving a little financial motivation from samsung. I've never seen anything other than the latest galaxy as the winner.
For AMOLED displays they've legitimately been the winner for a long time. DisplayMate is in the business of selling products/services to improve displays.
Well Samsung Oled have been the best screens on smartphones and TVs for years now
Far superior than Lcd... Wich the iPhone still uses
Although I have to say... Edge screens do cause glare... Not as much on the S8 or note 7... Compared to the s7 edge... I fact a lot less now... But it's still there
Cause there always the best. 70 million displays have been ordered by apple. Need I say more
Posted via note 5 are gs7 edge the beast
Give me a flat screen any day of the wk over curved. Also I need to see this 2:1 screen ratio in action bc I'm having doubts with it being superior to 16:9
After checking out the 8 and 8+ in a shop, playing sound video, web surfing and playing for a bit. Think of a normal screen and then imagine having another few cm of screen real estate. It translates to more of your forum/Instagram/ email feeds/ less scrolling and letterbox friendly. Feels super in the hand. Less curved than my S7 Edge. Easier to hold than a phone same height with a smaller screen. Had to be experienced.
But if you don't really do any of that stuff and you're more of just a phone call, texts, the occasional web lookup, is there really any advantage over a flat screen?
The thing I liked most about the 8 and 8 + was how they felt to hold. Even without looking at them, ergonomically they were much more natural. But if you mostly stick to email and a little web surfing then any flag ship over $300 is probably overkill. In that sense there are many fantastic phones made within the last few years that would suit that purpose.
"There's an ambient light sensor on the back of the GS8, to give a more accurate reading of environmental light levels."
...Didn't know that one!...Very cool/smart tech! (though i hope it's used in combination with the front-facing light sensor, as that's what determines how the screen looks to my eyes (i.e. visible light reflecting on the screen from the user's viewpoint).
"The core functionality of the Always-On Display mode is reportedly now handled by hardware, as opposed to the app itself. This won't affect the user experience, but should save power."
Any improvement that can save power sounds awesome to me!
I don't understand the appeal of the curved display. I've seen a friend's S7 edge and to me it didn't look any better than if the screen was flat. Plus I have to have my phones in cases so I don't know if a case will cover that up or what.
Cases are built specifically not to cover any part of the screen.
Which makes the cases weird on these curved screens.
But how does it protect the middle of the screen that is raised above the edges along with the edges? The S7 Edge I saw was not in a case.
Wrong, otterbox makes a defender series that covers the entire display on the galaxy s7 edge I'm using it right now! It doesn't hinder the usage of the edge display at all and is thicker and much more protection than just having a screen protector. Otterbox.com if you would like to look for yourself.
Surprise?
Samsung phones have had the best displays for a few years.
according to one site, that doesn't test anything else and is paid by samsung. Sure.
i dont know anything about that site, but as a person who reads about phones all of the time, on this site and others, Samsung is almost always referred to as the best
Any proof that Samsung pay for the site? Can't see any mention of that on the site itself.
I know it's hard to accept that one of the largest tech companies on the planet makes a decent display but they actually do.
Samsung's known industry-wide for their mobile displays now. Even Apple has 92 million of their OLEDs on order for the next phones, after using their display panels in previous generations of their devices and even going so far as to have Samsung/LG engineers working for them.
It's not some conspiracy. Hell, you can use the two eyeballs I assume you have and look for yourself. You don't need numbers on a spreadsheet to tell you.
I know a lot of people like it, but having a curved screen immediately disqualifies it from having the best display as far as I'm concerned. Not to mention the 18.5:9 aspect ratio.
Could not agree more ^
I laugh at these comment. You're the same kind of person that probablywanted to hold on to his 4:3 TV and though 16:9 was too big and a waste and stretched out his TV.
Here are some member berries so you can stay in the past.
Sounds smart to me. The curves produce nasty reflection and are not only an accidental touch, and ergonomics issue. But also an actual display hinderance. You, sound like you drank all the koolaid.
I have actually used it and that couldn't be further from the truth. The curve is very subtle compared to the edge, it's much closer to the Note 7.
Sorry I'm using hands on experience facts and not just going "I hate edges, even though I haven't used it and talking out of my ass."
What use does the curved screen have? Can it do something that a flat screen cannot?
Well change for the sake of change is not progress
Substantially more ergonical in the hand and a much better feeling device compared to others. This is exceptionally true when comparing the LG G6 to the S8. The S8 is smaller than the G6 but offers a larger display because of the curves.
It's not change for change it's change for progress. Without curves you continue to get lips from the bezel and larger display without ergonomics.
Well I suppose we can agree to disagree. I personally don't want a bezel-less phone. I like to hold it without my hand obscuring the screen unnecessarily. The less bezel there is, the more that will happen. And I know the curves are subtle, but having a larger display when some of the display is curved away from my direct field of vision is of no use. Again, my opinion for my use only.
The curve causes glare and distortion. It's just physics and that's a real fact.
Now, you may not care about it. That's where your personal opinion comes in.
I owned 3 of the "doomed " Note7's and I have 2 S7 edge devices. Anyone who owns a S7 edge is well aware of the constant "false screen touches" when simply holding the phone. The Note7 completely eliminated this issue somehow. I'm sure the S8 will have the same technology as the Note7 in regard to the screen constantly opening apps accidentally etc.
Its costing me $3.00 less a Month to upgrade my S7edge to a S8 and Best Buy is giving me $100 to do it not to mention a free new upgraded VR. This is simply a no brainer...I will be pre-ordering the Note8 in Sept also. FYI for anyone considering it, the LG V20 is absolute garbage.
It does nothing for functionality, in fact it may hinder it.
Traditional screens>curved screens
Your opinion not wrong as opinions are connected to your own experience in owning and using this device as well as the alternatives. But for me it is quite the opposite. Flat screens feel harsh and unnatural in the hand to me.
Ill skip the S8 and will be sticking to my S7 Edge till the S9 comes out!
There is no good reason to go to the S8 from the S7 edge or S7, it's just burning money.
Good reason for some is going from S7 smaller screen to the new S8+.
Yep. At least a gen should be skipped minimum imo. The upgrades aren't that substantial nowadays.
Well, this just solidifies the fact that these displays aren't cheap.
Getting a S8 or S8+? Be sure to research insurance options through your carrier, 3rd party, Samsung, your credit card company, Best Buy, etc to find out which one works best for you.
The last thing I want to see is a post of someone having to send their device to the Samsung service center for a $400 screen replacement.
Do your homework folks and make sure your investment is protected.
They're cheaper then lcd's.
It looks as though anyone who isn't a fan of the 2:1 aspect ratio is SOL this generation.Seems my only hope is the Mate 10 later this year.
Have fun staying in the past as we move forward
Move forward ? Have fun enjoying your beautifully lit display with the 3 to 4 hr screen time... Really. Samsung won't even ship it at that high resolution... What that tell you.
Pixel 2
What happened to the pixel 2? How did it do? I am not aware of it even existing as yet.
Me too. Mate 10 should b better
It sure looks amazing. When I went to go mess with the phone at best buy, the screen was just freaking beautiful.