TVs seem to be getting bigger and bigger every year, but sets that measure 40 inches across the diagonal are a good choice for those looking for a mid-size television that provides a balance between screen size and affordability.
Sadly, it’s a size category that’s being eclipsed by 42-inch TVs from one direction, and the smaller 32-inch TVs from the other, so there are fewer 40-inch sets around than there used to be. There are some bargains to be had, however.
Being on the smaller side of TV manufacture, the 40-inch TV is also getting left behind by technology. You won’t find OLED or QLED in sizes below 42 or 43 inches, but here are the kinds you will find:
All TVs these days, apart from some bargain basement models, are smart TVs, internet-connected sets that connect to your Wi-Fi router and allow you to access online content such as streaming services, social media, and online games as well as Freeview or Freesat channels.
Shop the best 40-inch TVs at a glance below
RCA RK40FQ1
Best for: size for less money
Previous iterations of RCA tellies were cheap and cheerful because they didn’t come with a smart platform. All that has changed with the help of Roku Smart TV, which has built-in apps like BBC, Netflix, Freeview Play, Disney+ and more. The slim, lightweight design features two HDMI ports and one handy USB port.
It’s a 1080p set with an LED backlight and a Freeview tuner, and while the picture quality is very good, it may be worth investing in a basic soundbar to take over audio duties. There are optical and 3.5mm connections on the back to help with this. For the price, this is an excellent buy, but you may find yourself purchasing extras to get the most out of it.
Buy now £179.99, Amazon
Samsung UE40T5300AEXXU
Best for: a great HDR picture
Samsung always makes good TVs, and this 1080p HDR set is no exception. It’s a 2020 model, with a slim bezel and the usual array of smart apps. Samsung’s Tizen operating system also provides free streaming channels via its Samsung TV Plus service, and the TV also comes with the Samsung Gaming Hub app, a collection of game streaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming.
What stands out about this TV is the technology inside. It’s an LED-backlit set with micro dimming - the ability to turn off sections of the backlight behind dark areas to improve the picture - and HDR for a brighter, more colourful picture when receiving a compatible signal.
Buy now £179.00, Argos
Bush 40FT24CA
Best for: HDR smart TV on a budget
You don’t have to pay more than £200 to get an HDR smart TV in the 40-inch size bracket, as this model from Bush shows. It’s a 1080p LED backlit screen that supports the HDR10 standard and has a wide viewing angle and three HDMI ports at the back to hook up consoles and Blu-ray players. There’s also a VGA socket, something seldom seen these days, for attaching games consoles or PCs with the right cable - though gamers may not appreciate the 50Hz refresh rate.
Amazon Alexa comes with built-in voice control, and there’s a Freeview tuner for old-fashioned broadcast TV. For the price, this is a lot of TV, and while it doesn’t dip quite so low as the RCA model above, the fact you don’t need an additional streaming stick may tip the balance in the Bush set’s favour.
Buy now £174.99, Argos
TCL 40RS530K
Best for: HDR gaming
An HDR set that supports more standards - HDR10 and HLG - than the Bush set above, and with a 60Hz refresh rate is more likely to appeal to gamers.
It’s still a 1080p panel, with an LED backlight, and as it uses the Roku smart platform for its streaming apps you get the excellent Roku remote, along with voice control via Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant, and if you attach a USB memory stick to the USB port you can pause live TV too. There’s a Freeview HD tuner, and two HDMI ports to hook up any external sources you may want to use.
Buy now £178.02, Amazon
Hisense 40A4BGTUK
Best for: something a bit different
Another 1080p LED TV set with smart apps, but this time no HDR compatibility, hence the slightly lower price. While this means you’re not going to benefit from the extra-wide colour gamuts and enhanced brightness from HDR streaming shows and Blu-rays, for the vast majority of TV programmes and DVDs this won’t matter at all.
Around the back of the TV set, you’ll find a pair of HDMI ports and two USB ports, plus a Freeview tuner input. The smart platform is an unusual one, Vidaa U5, which despite being rarely sighted has all the apps you’d expect, and the TV responds to voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Buy now £193.12, Amazon
JVC LT-40CR330 Roku TV 40" Smart Full HD HDR LED TV
Best for: Android fans
JVC and Roku's smart 40-inch TV has it all, from the screen size to smart features including access to an incredible 500,000+ movies & TV shows. That should put an end to the 'what to watch tonight?' struggle.
There are three HDMI ports on the back of the TV to allow you to plug in extra streaming devices if you need them, as well as gaming consoles and other devices. You can customise the home screen with your most used platforms, from Prime Video and iPlayer to Disney+. And if you've missed the latest big production TV show you can catch it on Freeview Play.
Buy now £169.00, Currys
Cello Y22ZG0204
Best for: buying British-made
Another 1080p, 60Hz, LED-backlit TV, this time from British manufacturer Cello. It’s an Android TV model much like the JVC model above, but has the extra bit of screen diagonal that allows it to qualify as a true 40-inch TV.
With three HDMI ports and a Freeview tuner, as well as the streaming apps provided by the smart TV platform, this set would make an excellent choice for a second TV in a playroom and would suit the living room in a smaller house too.
Buy now £249.99, Amazon
Hisense A4K 40" Full HD Smart TV - 40A4KTUK
Best for: colour enhancement
Escape into a new world with Hisense. The brand’s 40-inch screen has a crystal clear picture to get the whole family together for a film night. Affordable and sizeable, the TV comes with Natural Colour Enhancer technology which is great when watching sports or charging through a movie marathon.
The quality is as crisp as can be, so you can make the most of the screen’s on-demand entertainment on the VIDAA U smart platform. Time to kick back and relax.
Buy now £198.06, Currys
Verdict
The 40-inch TV, once considered so large and prestigious, has fallen far from its perch as the king of the living room. Technologies such as OLED and QLED, so useful for improving brightness and picture quality, don’t appear in sets this small, so an LED set is the best you’re going to get.
The upshot for this is price, as you can see from the TVs on this list, particularly the RCA RK40FQ1 which has a remarkably low price for the size of screen you’re getting. Most 40-inch sets have the same range of streaming apps as the larger ones, and can be placed in more locations around the home, yet only cost a few hundred pounds instead of a few thousand.
