Vivid Mode on Galaxy S 24 Ultra Vs S 23 ultra. How different is it

Naveen Thakur

25 Feb, 2024

Samsung has always been praised for its industry-leading smartphone displays, especially in its flagship Galaxy S Ultra series. From vibrant AMOLED panels to high refresh rates and peak brightness that dominates the competition, Samsung continues to set benchmarks.

Among the most loved features on Galaxy phones is the Vivid Mode, a display setting that boosts saturation, contrast, and sharpness to deliver punchy, eye-catching visuals. While many purists prefer the “Natural” mode for color accuracy, most users enjoy the extra vibrance Samsung is famous for.

With the launch of the Galaxy S24 Ultra in 2024, users expected the same, if not better, vividness compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra. However, to the surprise of many, the S24 Ultra’s Vivid Mode looked noticeably different—muted, less saturated, and closer to Natural mode. This sparked debates across forums, YouTube, and tech review platforms.

So, how exactly does the Vivid Mode on the Galaxy S24 Ultra differ from the S23 Ultra? Let’s dive deep into this comparison.

What Is Vivid Mode on Samsung Galaxy Phones?

Samsung offers two main display color settings on its flagship smartphones:

Natural Mode – Optimized for color accuracy, sticking close to sRGB standards. Ideal for professional use, photo editing, or users who want realism.
Vivid Mode – Boosts colors, saturation, and contrast, giving movies, games, and photos extra punch. It’s designed for users who love that AMOLED “pop” effect Samsung is known for.

On the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Vivid Mode was extremely popular as it gave visuals a lively, almost hyperreal look. But with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the experience is noticeably different.

Galaxy S23 Ultra – Vivid Mode Experience

The Galaxy S23 Ultra, launched in 2023, set a new standard for vibrant displays. Key highlights of Vivid Mode on the S23 Ultra included:

Punchy Colors: Reds, greens, and blues were heavily saturated, making visuals pop.
High Contrast: Shadows were deeper, highlights more striking.
Dynamic AMOLED 2X Panel: With peak brightness up to 1750 nits, the colors stayed strong even outdoors.
Wide Appeal: Casual users and gamers loved the extra vibrance, especially in HDR content.

The only criticism of the S23 Ultra’s Vivid Mode was that it wasn’t the most color-accurate. But for most users, the extra punch outweighed accuracy concerns.

Galaxy S24 Ultra – A New Direction for Vivid Mode

When the Galaxy S24 Ultra was released in 2024, users immediately noticed a difference in Vivid Mode:

Less Saturation: Colors were more muted compared to the S23 Ultra.
Closer to Natural Mode: Many users reported that switching between Vivid and Natural barely made a difference.
Reduced Contrast: Blacks looked less deep, and overall visuals appeared washed out.
Software-Driven Change: It wasn’t the hardware—Samsung equipped the S24 Ultra with an even brighter 2600-nit AMOLED display. The change seemed to be in software calibration.

This sparked controversy, as many believed Samsung had “nerfed” Vivid Mode to make it more realistic but in the process made it underwhelming.

User Reactions & Community Feedback

The change didn’t go unnoticed. Here’s what the community had to say:

Samsung Community Forum: Users complained,
“It looks like the Vivid Mode is not working at all on my S24 Ultra compared to my S23 Ultra.”
Reddit (r/GalaxyS23Ultra): One post read,
“The S23 Ultra display is better—more punch, more life. The S24 Ultra looks dull in comparison.”
XDA Developers: Tech enthusiasts noted,
“The difference between Natural and Vivid is barely noticeable on the S24 Ultra.”
Overclockers Forum: A user pointed out,
“Vivid is clearly not Natural, so making it look this close doesn’t make sense.”

The criticism was loud enough that Samsung had to respond through software updates.

Samsung’s Response – The Fix

In early 2024, Samsung rolled out the AXB5 software update for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which reportedly fixed the Vivid Mode issue.

After the update, users noticed:
- Richer saturation in Vivid Mode.
- Better contrast restoration.
- More noticeable difference between Natural and Vivid.
YouTubers and reviewers tested the update and confirmed that the S24 Ultra regained some of the lost punch, making it comparable again to the S23 Ultra.

This proved the issue was indeed software calibration and not hardware-related.

Technical Comparison – S24 Ultra vs S23 Ultra Vivid Mode

Feature	Galaxy S23 Ultra (Vivid Mode)	Galaxy S24 Ultra (Vivid Mode – Pre-Update)	Galaxy S24 Ultra (Post-Update)
Panel Type	Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1750 nits	Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2600 nits	Same as pre-update
Saturation	Very high, punchy colors	Muted, closer to Natural mode	Improved, more vibrant
Contrast	Deep blacks, high contrast	Lower contrast, washed-out look	Restored deeper blacks
HDR Playback	Excellent HDR with vividness	HDR looked flat in Vivid mode	HDR richness improved
User Perception	Loved by casual users	Widely criticized for dullness	Positive reception post-fix
Accuracy vs Pop	Less accurate but visually exciting	More accurate but less exciting	Balanced between both

Why Did Samsung Change Vivid Mode?

There are two main theories:

Push for Color Accuracy: Samsung may have deliberately calibrated Vivid Mode to appear more natural, appealing to professional reviewers who often criticize oversaturation.
Software Bug/Miscalibration: The similarity between Vivid and Natural at launch suggests a miscalibration in software that was later fixed with updates.

Either way, it shows Samsung is experimenting with striking a balance between accuracy and visual punch.

Real-World Use Cases

Watching Movies & Streaming

S23 Ultra: Movies appeared highly cinematic with oversaturated tones.
S24 Ultra (pre-update): Movies looked more realistic but lacked drama.
S24 Ultra (post-update): Movies now strike a better balance, with natural yet lively visuals.

Gaming

S23 Ultra: Games like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile looked vibrant and intense.
S24 Ultra (pre-update): Gaming felt slightly flat in Vivid Mode.
S24 Ultra (post-update): Gaming visuals regained punch while benefiting from brighter 2600-nit performance.

Photography & Social Media

S23 Ultra: Great for Instagram and TikTok, as everything looked eye-catching.
S24 Ultra (pre-update): Images looked closer to reality, which some users didn’t like.
S24 Ultra (post-update): Best of both worlds—social content still pops, but photos look truer to life.

Which One Should You Choose?

If You Love Vibrant Colors: The S23 Ultra (or the updated S24 Ultra) is perfect. The older model still holds up remarkably well.
If You Want Brighter, More Accurate Visuals: The S24 Ultra with its 2600-nit brightness and post-update calibration is the better option.
If You’re a Purist: Stick to Natural mode on either device for color accuracy.

Conclusion

The Vivid Mode comparison between the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S23 Ultra highlights how small software tweaks can completely change user experience.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra delivered classic Samsung vibrance—punchy, colorful, and oversaturated, loved by most users.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra (at launch) disappointed users with muted colors, but Samsung’s later software updates restored the vibrance, balancing realism with AMOLED excitement.

Ultimately, both phones have industry-leading displays, but the S24 Ultra offers the brighter panel and a more balanced Vivid Mode after fixes. If you’re upgrading from the S23 Ultra, you’ll notice a difference—but thanks to Samsung’s updates, it’s now for the better.

✅ Pro Tip: Always keep your Samsung device updated to the latest software version, as display calibration and color accuracy improvements often arrive via OTA updates.