Ever since Apple switched to OLED display with the iPhone X in 2017, it has been involved in the race for the best smartphone display with Samsung. Since the iPhone X, every new iPhone release has led to the device being crowned as having the best smartphone display. This is followed by Samsung’s next flagship besting the iPhone’s display. For 2019, with the Galaxy S10, it looks like Samsung has taken its game to a different level altogether.

The new Dynamic AMOLED panel on the Galaxy S10 is so good that it led DisplayMate to improve its testing methods and come up with a stricter ranking system. And despite that, the Galaxy S10’s display managed to break a plethora of records with its performance.

In its testing, DisplayMate found the Galaxy S10’s AMOLED panel to be “visually indistinguishable from perfect” in terms of color accuracy, with a record high image contrast accuracy and intensity scale accuracy. The display is also up to 17 percent brighter than the Galaxy S9 and can reach a brightness level of 1,215 nits. Other records set by the display include a record high peak luminance, color accuracy, intensity scales, lowest screen reflectance, largest native color gamut, and more. Overall, the Galaxy S10’s display matches or bests over 12 new smartphone display record and rightfully manages to earn an A+ grade from DisplayMate.

Below are all the record that the Galaxy S10 display matches or sets a new record for:

• Highest Absolute Color Accuracy (0.4 JNCD)  – Visually Indistinguishable From Perfect.
• Highest Image Contrast Accuracy and Intensity Scale Accuracy  (2.20 Gamma)  – Visually Indistinguishable From Perfect.
• Smallest Change in Peak Luminance with the Image Content Average Picture Level APL  (2 percent).
• Smallest Shift in Color Accuracy and Intensity Scale with the Image Content APL  (0.4 JNCD).
• Highest Full Screen Brightness for OLED Smartphones  (804 nits at 100% APL).
• Highest Peak Display Brightness  (1,215 nits for Low APL).
• Largest Native Color Gamut  (113% DCI-P3 and 142% sRGB / Rec.709).
• Highest Contrast Ratio  (Infinite).
• Lowest Screen Reflectance  (4.4 percent).
• Highest Contrast Rating in Ambient Light  (183 for 100% APL and 276 for Peak Brightness).
• Smallest Brightness Variation with Viewing Angle  (23 percent at 30 degrees).
• Smallest Color Variation of White with Viewing Angle  (0.7 JNCD at 30 degrees).
• Highest Visible Screen Resolution 3K (3040×1440)

Samsung has switched to precision factory display calibration with the Galaxy S10 and that helps it set new records in the color accuracy department.

The display is also more efficient. It has roughly 10 percent higher relative display power efficiency than the Galaxy S9’s display. Given that the Galaxy S9’s display is still so good, it is impressive to see Samsung managing to improve things further and set so many new records with the Galaxy S10’s display.

Our Take

While hardware innovation in the smartphone world might be slowing down, Samsung is continuously managing to up its game with its AMOLED panels. Every six months, its new Galaxy flagship is able to set new records for a smartphone display. It will be interesting to see if the 2019 iPhones are able to best the Galaxy S10’s impressive display performance.