Hello

I had a surprise recently on a part with 3 configuration with one material on each something is strange for me :

- when i uncheck "link display state to configuration" each configuration have the same material"

- when i delete ale display states every configuration loose his material

you can see my tests here

http://screencast.com/t/3Mb2Tl4N

But in the solidworks help we can see :

Display States

Use display states to show different hide/show states, appearances, display modes, and transparencies for features and bodies in a part. The physical features of the part are the same from one display state to another. For example, you might use display states to:

• Hide some bodies in a multibody part while you work on others.
• Display several related features or bodies in the same color.
• Set some features to transparent to make it easier to see other features.

Configurations

Use configurations to create different versions of a part. Features are different from one configuration to another. For example, you might create:

• A simplified configuration with some features suppressed.
• Multiple configurations that have different sizes of the same feature.
• Configurations that use different materials.

http://help.solidworks.com/2013/English/solidworks/sldworks/c_display_states_vs_configs_parts.htm