1. A method, comprising: receiving multi-sample pixel data read from a memory storing multi-sample pixel data; analyzing the multi-sample pixel data, by an analysis unit that is coupled between the memory and a processing unit, to identify subsets of samples of a multi-sample pixel that have equal data, such that data for one sample in a subset represents multi-sample pixel data for all samples in the subset; generating an encoding state that indicates which samples of the multi-sample pixel are included in each one of the subsets; providing the encoding state and only data for a first sample that is included in a first subset to the processing unit; determining, by the processing unit, that the encoding state indicates that the first sample does not represent all of the samples of the multi-sample pixel; and requesting multi-sample pixel data for one or more additional samples of the multi-sample pixel.