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Best 40-Inch TVs

Updated September 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Samsung 43" Class The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV
Samsung
43" Class The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV
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Most Stylish
Bottom Line

This TV is sleek with a well-designed Art Mode, and it streamlines smart functionality.

Pros

Immersive and colorful 4K OLED display. Stylish swappable bezels. Versatile Art Mode displays favorite pieces. Large collection of apps. Wide viewing angles. Art gallery frame mounts flush to the wall.

Cons

Only includes 20 pieces of art. Over 1,400 other artworks are available with a subscription.

Best Bang for the Buck
Amazon Fire TV 43" Omni Series 4K UHD Smart TV
Amazon
Fire TV 43" Omni Series 4K UHD Smart TV
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Great Value
Bottom Line

Amazon’s Fire Omni TVs provide a great mix of functionality and features, including this 43-inch model.

Pros

Supports 4K video with HDR10 and Dolby Digital Plus. Built-in Alexa for hands-free voice control. Features Amazon Prime Video as well as popular services. Offers 3 HDMI inputs with eARC for system connection.

Cons

Profile is thicker near the base. Does not support Dolby Vision.

Samsung 43-Inch Class 7 Series TU7000 LED 4K UHD Smart TV
Samsung
43-Inch Class 7 Series TU7000 LED 4K UHD Smart TV
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Feature-Packed
Bottom Line

Samsung’s TU7000 Smart TV has a deeper contrast, more vivid colors, and useful features such as 4K upscaling at an affordable price point.

Pros

Vibrant 4K Crystal UHD picture. Tiny bezels. Deep contrast levels. Bright and bold color range. Blur-free gaming mode. Detail-rich HDR. Smart TV features a large app library.

Cons

A wider viewing angle would have been nice.

TCL 40-Inch Class 3-Series FHD Smart Android TV
TCL
40-Inch Class 3-Series FHD Smart Android TV
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Bargain Pick
Bottom Line

This inexpensive 40-inch TV is a solid option if you simply need a reliable 1080p TV for streaming video and watching local channels.

Pros

Affordable. Detailed Full HD display. Android TV. Dolby Digital Plus Audio. Blazing-fast WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth. Over 5,000 apps to download. Digital antenna.

Cons

Not the brightest TV available.

LG 43-inch Class UQ9000 Series 4K Smart TV
LG
43-inch Class UQ9000 Series 4K Smart TV
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Comprehensive Features
Bottom Line

LG’s 43-inch Q9 TV is a winner for anyone who wants impressive features at a great price point.

Pros

Displays 4K video with active HDR. Capably upscales video to 4K. Boasts filmmaker mode to accurately display movies. Offers an optimized game mode. Includes most popular streaming services.

Cons

Lacks VRR when gaming. Feet may not fit narrow furniture.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

30
Models
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60
Consumers
Consulted
26
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Researched
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Buying guide for best 40 inch TVs

A 40-inch television is a great centerpiece for a living room or home theater and does not take up too much space.

With a medium screen size, the display is large enough to be seen from across the room without losing resolution or image quality. All 40-inch televisions may be the same size, but it is the inside that counts.

To find the right 40-inch television, you need to think about specifications like screen resolution, refresh rate, panel type, and other features. These specs are the best way to compare and contrast the different televisions available.

Exciting features like voice control, a user-friendly interface, and Chromecast can make the difference between an adequate TV and an amazing one.

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The 40 inches on a 40-inch screen is the distance between the diagonal screens. Televisions can still be different sizes depending on the bulk of the exterior.

Key considerations

LED vs. OLED

Television screen technology has come a long way since the days of vacuum tubes. Today, most 40-inch televisions fall into one of two screen categories: LED and OLED.

Both terms refer to the pixels a TV uses to create the colors that form screen images. Much like plasma and LCD screens, these technologies use thousands of little colored lights to create images.

LED TVs: Light shines through a crystal panel, meaning the TV has a backlight to produce the illumination required to see the picture. Compared to OLED TVs, LED technology is less expensive. However, it has some limitations in terms of color and contrast.

OLED TVs: These cost more, but they have some distinct advantages over LEDs. Each pixel on an OLED display emits its own light. This eliminates the need for a backlight, decreasing the thickness of the TV. Since individual pixels can turn on and off to create deeper black and brighter white tones, OLEDs are a must-have for distinct image contrast.

Resolution

A screen's resolution is a simple measurement of the number of pixels it has to create the details of an image. More pixels equal finer details, especially when you view a TV up close. In the 40-inch range, most TVs have at least a true HD resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 pixels.

Televisions with 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) have become more popular and affordable. These TVs quadruple the number of pixels the television has available. In most cases, this amount is enough for a great viewing experience.

Refresh rate

The refresh rate is another important specification for the smoothest and most fluid picture available. It measures how quickly the screen can refresh the image and is usually expressed in hertz (Hz).

Lower rates can struggle with faster movements, like action sequences. A rate of 120 Hz or higher should be more than enough to offer a smoother view and is especially useful for playing video games online via Wi-Fi, where every moment may be the difference between victory and a loss.

Sound quality

While external sound systems are a popular preference with many home viewers, you shouldn't ignore the quality of a television's sound. The built-in speakers can supplement a larger sound system or fully drive the audio by themselves. Either way, sound quality is just as important as image quality when it comes to getting the most out of your shows and movies.

If you want to buy a sound upgrade and acoustic accessories, the quality of the built-in speakers is less important. It's easy to find a good soundbar, main speakers, and subwoofers to create a surround-sound setup that rivals many home theaters.

Features

Connectivity

Nearly all 40-inch televisions include smart functionality for streaming videos and surfing the web, smart home controls, and other convenient features. One of the greatest things about owning a Roku TV, Fire TV, or Android TV is instant access to a range of favorite streaming apps like Netflix and Apple TV.

Whether they prefer the Nintendo Switch or Xbox Series X, gamers upgrading from an older HD or Full-HD TV will be pleased to know their video games will look better and play far more smoothly by connecting their console via an HDMI port. If you own and regularly play multiple video game consoles, consider a 40-inch TV with two or more HDMI ports.

Some television manufacturers have integrated voice controls into their remote controls. Voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa make it even easier and faster to search through an ocean of streaming entertainment.

40-inch televisions are fairly affordable when compared to larger models, but prices vary depending on the screen resolution, incorporated technologies, and the manufacturer itself.

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Mounts

Using a TV mount can free up space in your bedroom, living room, or office. Nearly all televisions come with a stand you can set up on any flat service, but a dedicated wall mount is an affordable space-saving solution that doesn't require much installation time outside of a few small holes and additional screws.

You will need to double-check to ensure that the mount you are considering is compatible with your TV before you buy, or else you risk having a bad first experience with your brand-new TV.

Adjustable wall mounts are the best solution for securing your television to the wall regardless of its size. These mounts have sliding support bars that screw directly into the mounting holes in the back of the television. Some mounts also have an adjustable bracket that pivots, changing the angle of view for larger spaces or awkward corners.

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Did you know?
A 40-inch screen offers a sweet spot between being too small and too large. It’s a good size for most rooms and even some apartment spaces.
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40 inch TV prices

Inexpensive

A few 40-inch television options are under $150. Although you will save upfront, these cheap models are rarely more impressive than Full-HD, and some lack smart functionality as well. If you need a basic secondary TV, this may be a good solution, but if you need something for the long haul, it is worth spending more for a nicer viewing experience.

Mid-range

Between $150 and $500, the available televisions at this size increase in number. More manufacturers offer televisions in the range that include 4K resolution capabilities and some smart features. Most use LED screens to keep costs down.

Expensive

Above $500, you can find extra-large OLEDs with lifelike colors and dynamic image contrast. Certain models also include cinema-like features like Dolby Atmos audio, full array local dimming, and an extra-wide viewing angle.

Televisions with HDR, or high dynamic range, offer better colors and image contrast for 4K content.

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Tips

  • Measure the amount of wall or table space you have ahead of time to make sure your new TV will fit your home the way you like.
  • Keep an eye out for random image artifacts and distortions on the TV screen. These can be a sign that something is wrong or broken in the display panel.
  • You can save some additional money by purchasing last year’s TV models without losing out on advanced features/screen capabilities.
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A television with a slot card reader will allow you to upload photos and videos straight from a USB stick.

FAQ

Q. Do I really need a larger television screen?

A. You don’t need the largest screen you can afford, but a larger screen does improve the experience. This is especially true in larger spaces.

Q. Is 4K resolution a must-have?

A. For the best viewing experience, yes. A true 4K television displays greater details that make viewing more immersive than an HD TV. With that said, HD televisions are still perfect for enjoying visual content.

Q. How big is a 40 inch TV? How big is a 43-inch TV?

A. Screen size is determined when measured diagonally from one corner of the display to the other. Therefore, the average 40-inch television is approximately 35.5 inches wide and 22.6 inches high. Similarly, the average 43-inch would be about 37.9 inches wide and 24.7 inches tall.

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