The Black Shark 4S Pro was released in mid-October 2021. In this short review, we compare its results in our comprehensive Display protocol tests with that of the Black Shark 4 Pro, released in March 2021.
Key display specifications:
- 6.67-inch Super AMOLED display
 
- Resolution: 1080 x 2400 (395 ppi)
 
- Aspect ratio: 20:9
 
- Refresh rate: 144 Hz
 
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) chipset
 
About DXOMARK Display tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone and other display reviews, DXOMARK engineers perform a variety of objective and perceptual tests under controlled lab and real-life conditions. This article highlights the most important results of our testing. Note that we evaluate display attributes using only the device’s built-in display hardware and its still image (gallery) and video apps at their default settings. (For in-depth information about how we evaluate smartphone and other displays, check out our articles, “How DXOMARK tests display quality” and “A closer look at DXOMARK Display testing.”)
Test summary
    
        
                
                    Scoring
                    Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.
                 
                                            
                    
                    Black Shark 4S Pro
                 
                
                    
    
        
            
                
                95
             
                        
                                    display
                     
     
                     
            
            
               
                    
                        
                                                                                        
                                     
                                                                                                                                                                            
                            77
                            
                            Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
                            Best: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max (160)
                         
                                                                                                             
                            93
                            
                            Sony Xperia 5 IV
                            Best: Sony Xperia 5 IV (163)
                         
                                                                                                             
                            101
                            
                            Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
                            Best: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon) (162)
                         
                                                                                                             
                            137
                            
                            Huawei P40 Pro
                            Best: Huawei P40 Pro (155)
                         
                                                                                                             
                            114
                            
                            OnePlus 9
                            Best: OnePlus 9 (165)
                         
                                                                                                             
                            118
                            
                            LG Wing
                            Best: LG Wing (149)
                         
                                                                                                  
                                 
                                                     
                     
                 
             
            
                     
                    Please be aware that beyond this point, we have not modified the initial test results. While data and products remain fully comparable, you might encounter mentions and references to the previous scores.
        
    
    
        
            
                
                    
            
            
            
                
                    
                        
                            
                            
                                Position in Global Ranking                                
                                    
                                        
 106
th
                                     
                                
                             
                         
                     
                    
                        
                            
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    1. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        149
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    4. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        145
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    12. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        136
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    14. Samsung Galaxy S22+ (Exynos)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        135
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    16. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        134
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    16. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        134
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    16. Vivo X80 Pro (Mediatek)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        134
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    19. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        133
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    19. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        133
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    19. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Exynos)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        133
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    19. Vivo X80 Pro (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        133
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    24. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        131
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    24. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        131
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    28. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        130
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    33. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        129
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    33. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        129
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    39. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        128
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    39. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        128
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    42. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        127
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    48. Vivo X70 Pro (MediaTek)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        125
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    48. Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        125
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    63. Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        123
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    63. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        123
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    67. Apple iPhone SE (2022)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        122
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    80. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        116
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    85. Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        111
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    89. Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        110
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    94. Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        107
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    97. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        104
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    103. Microsoft Surface Duo
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        99
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    105. Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        97
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    106. Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro 5G
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        95
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    114. Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        74
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    115. Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        69
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    117. Lenovo Legion Phone 2 Pro
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        60
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                         
                     
                    
                        
                    
                 
             
                             
             
            
                
                    
            
            
            
                
                    
                        
                            
                            
                                Position in Premium Ranking                                
                                    
                                        
 32
nd
                                     
                                
                             
                         
                     
                    
                        
                            
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    3. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        133
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    3. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Exynos)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        133
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    5. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        130
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    9. Vivo X70 Pro (MediaTek)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        125
                                     
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    9. Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        125
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    15. Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        123
                                     
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                
                                    
                                        
                                            
                                                
                                                    36. Lenovo Legion Phone 2 Pro
                                                
                                            
                                         
                                        60
                                     
                                
                         
                     
                    
                        
                    
                 
             
                             
             
         
    
Pros
- The device feels smooth when playing video games, scrolling through pictures in the gallery, or browsing the web.
 
- The device is very reactive when jumping forward and backward in a video.
 
- Touch is accurate over the entire screen, especially along borders and in corners.
 
 
 
Cons
- Device lacks brightness in most tested conditions.
 
- An orangeish cast is often visible in most conditions and colors can be oversaturated.
 
- HDR10 video generally lacks contrast, especially on dark tones.
 
- Aliasing is visible.
 
 
 
 
The Black Shark 4S Pro’s Display protocol performance is almost identical to that of the older Black Shark 4 Pro. The only noteworthy difference is that the 4S Pro does a slightly better job of managing dark tones in HDR10 videos, thereby gaining a point over the 4 Pro in that category. However, it should be noted that neither the 4S Pro nor the 4 Pro manages video dark tone rendering very well.
Video dark tone management, Black Shark 4S Pro (top) and Black Shark 4 Pro (bottom); the 4S Pro’s better management can be readily seen in the bark of the tree on the left (click on the image and then zoom in).
(Photo credit: DXOMARK; for illustration only)
 
 
 
 
 
As all other scores and associated comments are the same for the 4S Pro as for the 4 Pro, please consult our review of the Black Shark 4 Pro for more details about the two devices’ performance in all other categories.
 
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
         
      
  
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