Samsung TVs Get HDR10+ Advanced on Prime Video This Month

This month, Samsung is rolling out its latest picture quality standard, HDR10+ Advanced, on Amazon Prime Video. If you own a Samsung TV from the 2026 lineup, you’re in for a nice boost in how your screen shows color and brightness.

What Is HDR10+ Advanced?

To grasp its importance, let’s dive into some background. HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology allows your TV to show a broader range of brightness levels, from deep shadows to bright highlights, all at the same time. The aim is to create a picture that resembles what we see in real life.

While standard HDR10 has been around for years and performs adequately, it’s somewhat like setting your thermostat once and forgetting it. The picture settings lock in at the start of a film and stay that way. HDR10+ improved on this by adding scene-by-scene adjustments. This means the TV can adjust brightness moment by moment instead of using a single setting for the entire movie.

HDR10+ Advanced takes this a step further. It provides the TV with more precise instructions from the content, enabling smarter decisions on how to render each frame. Samsung previewed this format late last year, often positioning it as their answer to Dolby Vision, a competing HDR standard from Dolby Laboratories that offers similar features but requires licensing fees for manufacturers.

What’s Actually New

The standout features of HDR10+ Advanced include Enhanced Overall Brightness and Intelligent Motion Smoothing.

Enhanced Overall Brightness

This feature uses extra data embedded in the video stream, known as metadata, to guide the TV on how bright different areas of the image should be. Instead of the TV making an educated guess, it follows a detailed map of the director’s vision. The outcome? Highlights that come across as genuinely bright without drowning out surrounding details.

Intelligent Motion Smoothing

Fast-paced content like sports or action scenes can sometimes appear blurry or choppy on certain TVs. Motion smoothing helps by inserting extra frames to create smoother movement. The “Intelligent” aspect means the smoothing adapts to what’s happening on screen instead of applying the same level of processing across all content. This should help minimize the unnatural “soap opera effect” that can result from heavy-handed motion smoothing.

Which TVs Support It

Currently, HDR10+ Advanced is exclusive to Samsung’s 2026 TV lineup. If you have an older Samsung model or a TV from another brand, you won’t have access to this format, even if Prime Video streams it. The content will still play in standard HDR10+, just without the Advanced features.

Samsung and Amazon haven’t released a complete list of which 2026 models support this feature, so if you’re considering a purchase, check the specs before you buy.

The Bigger Picture: Samsung vs. Dolby

It’s helpful to understand why Samsung is championing its own format instead of just adopting Dolby Vision. Dolby charges TV manufacturers and studios a licensing fee to use Dolby Vision, which adds costs throughout the supply chain. HDR10+ and HDR10+ Advanced are royalty-free, so manufacturers can support them without paying Dolby. Samsung has been vocal against Dolby Vision, and by teaming up with Amazon, one of the largest streaming platforms, they’re aiming to position HDR10+ Advanced as a credible alternative.

Amazon’s involvement is crucial. With hundreds of millions of Prime Video subscribers worldwide, debuting the format on this platform gives HDR10+ Advanced a substantial distribution network from the start.

What This Means for Everyday Users

If you’ve recently purchased a Samsung 2026 TV and subscribe to Prime Video, expect to see improved content this month without any extra effort. The upgrade will happen automatically when you stream compatible titles.

If you don’t own a 2026 Samsung TV, this news won’t impact you right now. However, it suggests that more streaming platforms might adopt HDR10+ Advanced in the future, potentially benefiting a wider audience.

For those in the market for a new TV this year, HDR10+ Advanced support is a feature to consider, alongside refresh rate and panel type. Whether you’ll notice a significant difference from standard HDR10+ will depend on the content and the specific TV model. Independent reviews of supported content will clarify this once more titles become available.

Community Reaction

Reactions to the announcement vary. Some viewers are excited about a free alternative to Dolby Vision, while others doubt that most people will notice any real difference.

“Honestly, if it means my Samsung doesn’t need Dolby Vision to look great, I’m all for it. The royalty-free angle is better for consumers long term.”

“Cool in theory, but until I can see a side-by-side comparison, I’ll believe it when I see it. Marketing tends to oversell these things.”

Sources

• The Verge: Samsung’s HDR10 Plus Advanced is launching this month on Prime Video
• Engadget: New Samsung TVs will support HDR10+ Advanced streaming on Prime Video starting this month

What To Watch

• This month: HDR10+ Advanced goes live on Prime Video. Look for compatible titles in the Prime Video app if you own a 2026 Samsung TV.
• Coming months: Watch for announcements from Samsung or Amazon regarding which specific content is available in the new format. A growing catalog will help determine whether this truly stands out.
• Longer term: Other streaming platforms, like Netflix and Apple TV+, haven’t announced HDR10+ Advanced support yet. Their decisions will indicate how much traction this format gains beyond Amazon.
• Competing format: Dolby isn’t likely to sit idle. Keep an eye out for any Dolby Vision announcements addressing HDR10+ Advanced’s launch.