Samsung Display unveiled its new OLED display for smartphones at CES 2023. The display features UDR 2000 certification, and the name suggests that it offers a peak brightness of 2,000 nits. Considering that Samsung typically uses the latest and the greatest screens from Samsung Display in its Galaxy S series phones, we could see the UDR 2000-certified OLED in the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
This isn't the first time we are hearing about the UDR screen from Samsung. The news about it broke in June 2022 when the company applied for the UDR trademark. According to Samsung, its new OLED has been verified by UL (Underwriter Laboratories), which is an independent testing and validation firm, and awarded it the UDR 2000 certification. The company has also revealed the UL verification ID of this screen, which is V301789, and you can check more about it on UL's website.
The display on Samsung’s current-generation flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra, has a peak brightness of around 1,750 nits. However, the display panels that it supplies for the iPhone 14 Pro series have a peak brightness of over 2,000 nits. That means Samsung Display already has the technology to manufacture displays with a brightness of over 2,000 nits. So, what’s different with the new UDR 2000 OLED?
UDR 2000 OLED could have an improved dynamic range
Samsung hasn’t revealed the meaning of ‘UDR,' but it is most likely a short form for Ultra Dynamic Range. HDR increases a screen’s dynamic range, making the content look more vivid. Considering that ‘Ultra' is deemed to be better than ‘High,' Samsung’s UDR display could have a better dynamic range than the screens used in its current crop of phones.
At CES 2023, Samsung Display compared the new UDR 2000 OLED with a ‘conventional’ OLED screen, and looking at the two panels, the UDR screen, along with more brightness, seems to have a better dynamic range. That bolsters our theory that Samsung is trying to convey that the new screen has a better dynamic range compared to current HDR-equipped OLED screens.
That means the Galaxy S23 Ultra could have a display that will not only match the iPhone 14 Pro's screen brightness but will also have a better dynamic range, possibly making it the best smartphone display of all time. We are waiting for Samsung Display to reveal more details about the new screen. In the meantime, you can check out other announcements Samsung made at CES 2023.