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Choosing the right HDMI cable for your smart TV or peripherals connected to your television should be a straightforward experience. Even though there are several kinds of standard HDMI cables, with the latest being the HDMI 2.2 introduced at CES 2025, you shouldn’t worry too much about them.
After all, unless you have a pretty old device at home, all of your devices should have the same HDMI port. Besides that, there usually isn’t a big difference in price between the various versions, which means you can get the latest technologies without overpaying.
That said, even though the golden advice is to get the latest version of the HDMI cable as possible, it all depends on the technologies available on your TV. You can find this by looking at the manual, or searching for your TV model online. Once you have that figured out, you have a better idea of what cable you should get. Still, here are some other tips before jumping into your Amazon cart and ordering your new HDMI cable.
Newer is better, but maybe you don’t need a lot more
Newer HDMI cables are supposed to work with older devices. That means that even if you decide to change your smart TV in the near future, if you get a cable that surpasses the specs of your current TV, you’ll be able to use it with your new one. It’s also important to note that even if your HDMI cable supports 8K120Hz, but your smart TV can only reach 4K240Hz, the cable will respect your TV’s settings — or vice versa.
In addition, not necessarily all the HDMI ports on your TV support the same standard. This means that you might need to choose to plug your PlayStation 5 in the first port, while other peripherals like the Apple TV, Nintendo Switch 2, or even Blu-ray player in slower ports.
Since HDMI 2.2 has just been released, it’s slightly more expensive than the other models, around $20 at Amazon depending on its length. The previous HDMI 2.1 is available for around $14, which will probably make a better investment in the near future, as the new HDMI 2.2 standard depends on both your smart TV but also peripherals, which might take a while.
When are the new smart TVs with HDMI 2.2 support arriving?
With CES 2026 just around the corner, it’s possible that we might start hearing about the first HDMI 2.2 smart TVs soon. This new standard will be able to support 4K at 480Hz, 8K at 240 Hz, and 16K at 60Hz. That said, we might get a preview of improved 4K and 8K TVs arriving later this year with the new standard.
Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise if manufacturers like LG, Samsung, and Sony decide to postpone the announcement of their first HDMI 2.2 support TVs to 2027, as the technology is still fairly recent. It’s also possible that the new standard also comes to business initiatives first, such as AR/VR, big displays at concerts, and so on. One thing is for sure, if you’re currently trying to find an HDMI cable for your smart TV or peripherals, an HDMI 2.1 port will be more than enough for the years to come.
