Frequently, when I’m giving shopping advice about devices, I encourage people to wait if it seems like a new model or technology is right around the corner. Unless you desperately need a replacement, for instance, shouldn’t buy an iPhone at full price in August, because Apple inevitably announces new flagship models in September. Most people don’t take it well when they discover that the thing they just paid $1,000 for is already considered a last-generation product.
You’d think, then, that I’d be encouraging people to wait for Dolby Vision 2 and HDR10+ Advanced before spending as much or more on a new TV. In practice, though, I don’t think either standard is going to matter much for a long time. You should feel comfortable buying a new TV at any time in 2026, especially at the budget level, and I’ll explain why.
A quick primer on the new HDR standards
Why you should care
You’ll want to check out the guides I linked above for more details, but the gist is that both Vision 2 and HDR10+ Advanced (which I’ll just call Advanced from now on) are simultaneously trying to solve problems with Vision 1 and the base HDR10+ while improving support for the upcoming generation of TVs. For a start, both standards address complaints about overly dark scenes in some videos, while enabling support for the ultra-bright TVs shipping this year. These are TVs that should not only be clearly visible in sunlight, but almost blinding with HDR highlights if you crank up their settings.
Perhaps the most important change is that the standards offer more nuanced control, improving consistency not just within content, but across different tiers of TVs, including cheap models. They vary significantly in their approach, however. Vision 2 focuses on creator-set metadata, with AI assistance in vital areas. Advanced seems to rely more heavily on automatic adjustments, though there’s still plenty of room for creators to leave their thumbprint, for example by creating custom genre-based optimizations.
Perhaps the most important change is that the standards offer more nuanced control, improving consistency not just within content, but across different tiers of TVs. They vary significantly in their approach, however.
I should add that while both standards include enhanced motion smoothing that reduces judder while avoiding the dreaded “soap opera effect,” Vision 2 reserves that for a tier called Vision 2 Max, which will only be supported by the most advanced TVs. Also, only Max incorporates the bi-directional tone mapping meant to accommodate ultra-bright sets.
The hardware hurdle
Everyone’s playing the waiting game
Why shouldn’t you bother waiting to buy a new TV with one of the new standards? For one, it’s going to be a while before a significant number of compatible models hits shelves. TCL, Hisense, and Philips have confirmed plans for Vision 2 on some higher-end TVs, but there aren’t even any official release dates yet apart from sometime before the end of 2026. Meanwhile, the only definite backer of Advanced in 2026 is Samsung, although most if not all other brands should join suit eventually. Unlike Dolby formats, all versions of HDR10 are royalty-free.
While some existing TVs may be able to upgrade via a firmware update, next-generation hardware may be unavoidable in many cases.
All this means that you might not only have to wait until fall to find a compatible TV, but spend extra for the privilege. That won’t bother shoppers who can afford a luxury TV and aren’t in a rush to get a new one, of course. Yet if you’re in the budget or mid-tier markets, there may be few if any models for you until 2027, and you shouldn’t feel pressured into spending more than you can realistically afford. You need to have money leftover for something to watch or play, after all.
The complicating factor seems to be processor power. Although there’s no word on the requirements for Advanced, we do know that Vision 2 demands a TV with a MediaTek Pentonic 800 processor or better, presumably because of enhanced AI — something Advanced also exploits. So while some existing TVs may be able to upgrade via a firmware update, next-generation hardware may be unavoidable in many cases.
Content reigns supreme
What you watch matters more than how
Even if you’ve got thousands of dollars to drop on a new TV, there’s going to be a far greater obstacle to experiencing Vision 2 or Advanced this year, and that’s an absence of supporting movies, shows, and games. A useful analogy here is a Porsche 911. Sure, it’s plenty capable, and owning one may win you bragging rights — but you might as well have bought a Beetle if all you’re doing is driving to work and the grocery store.
While Amazon has already committed to putting Advanced on Prime Video, and Peacock and Canal+ are onboard for Vision 2, there are no movies or shows supporting either format yet. Vision 1 and HDR10+ content isn’t going to be automatically upgraded. It has to be remastered to take advantage of the new metadata, so there’s a strong chance that only the most recent releases will be compatible by the end of 2026.
Either way, it’s going to take years for studios to go through their back catalogs and remaster them. You might have to wait until 2027, 2028, or even later for your favorite movies to be ready. Most likely, some titles will never make the leap. There’s no telling when you’ll be able take Vision 2 or Advanced as de facto when you’re browsing Netflix or Disney+ on a lazy Sunday.
It’s going to take years for studios to go through their back catalogs and remaster them. You might have to wait until 2027, 2028, or even later for your favorite movies to be ready.
If you ask me, some of the hype around the new standards is misguided. Yes, it should fix some dark scenes, and finally turn motion smoothing into a desirable feature, rather than something you should shut off immediately. But having seen some comparison footage of Vision 2, you probably won’t notice much difference in well-lit scenes, at least without having two TVs side-by-side. A lot of the adjustments are subtle — better skin tones here, less judder there, and so forth.
Both Vision 2 and Advanced are necessary advancements, particularly with brighter and more color-accurate technologies like MicroLED and RGB mini-LED poised to become mainstream in the next few years. However, content mastered for Vision 1 and HDR10+ is hardly ugly. Those are both dynamic HDR standards able to adapt on a frame-by-frame basis. They look amazing in most circumstances. Complaining about having to watch something in Vision 1, then, is like griping that your filet mignon doesn’t have enough spice. And really, obsessing over standards is missing the point — it’s the substance of what you’re watching that matters. No one was watching Star Wars or Raiders of the Lost Ark on VHS and nitpicking the color gamuts or edge enhancement. Being a kid of the ’80s and ’90s, I was just happy to be watching classics at home without commercials.
