Ever feel lost staring at a wall of televisions, wondering which one is truly “smart”? You want a screen that fits perfectly in your living room or bedroom, not one that dominates the space. Finding that sweet spot in size—the ideal 40-inch model—can still feel like a puzzle. So many features get thrown around: 4K, HDR, smart platforms! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and worry you might pick a TV that quickly feels outdated or just doesn’t deliver the crisp picture you dreamed of.
That’s where we step in. This guide cuts through the confusing tech jargon. We focus exactly on what matters when buying a 40-inch Smart TV today. You will learn the key specifications that truly make a difference in your viewing experience, ensuring you get the best value for your money.
Keep reading to discover the top features to prioritize, understand the subtle differences between popular brands at this size, and confidently walk away knowing you’ve chosen the perfect 40-inch smart companion for your home entertainment setup.
Top 40 Inch Smart Tv Recommendations
- Seamless streaming: With fast Wi-Fi and apps that launch in a snap, Roku Select Series TVs get you to your entertainment quickly. Our intuitive interface makes exploring popular apps—plus free movies, shows, and live TV—as easy as it is fun.
- Explore a world's worth of TV: Dive into all kinds of entertainment and easily find your favorites or soon-to-be favorites.
- A ton of entertainment at the best price—free: Your go-to streaming destination for free entertainment, Roku has 500+ TV channels, with live in-season shows, hit movies, weather, local news, and award-winning Roku Originals.
- Home sweet home screen: Move apps around and make the Roku experience your own with a home screen that easily gets you to what you want to watch fast.
- Just keeps getting better: Get the newest apps, features, and more with automatic software updates.
- 1080p Resolution - Watch movies and TV shows in high-definition picture quality.
- LED-backlit LCD screen - With reliable and long-lasting LED lighting, this LCD screen delivers a wide range of colors and contrast for a memorable viewing experience.
- Watch what you want - Stream over 1.5 million movies and TV episodes. Watch favorites with subscriptions to Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more. Subscription fees may apply.
- All your entertainment in one place - Watch live and free TV, play video games, and stream music.
- Smart and always getting smarter - Fire TV adds new Alexa skills, features, smart home capabilities, and voice functionality all the time.
- 1080p resolution - View your favorite movies, shows and games in full high definition.
- Alexa voice control - The Alexa Voice Remote lets you easily control your entertainment, search across apps, switch inputs, and more using just your voice. Press and hold the voice button and ask Alexa to easily find, launch, and control content, and even switch to cable.
- Access thousands of shows with Fire TV - Watch over 1.5 million streaming movies and TV episodes with access to thousands of channels, apps and Alexa skills, including Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube, Apple TV+, Disney+, ESPN+, Sling TV, Paramount+, and other services right from this TV.*
- DTS Virtual-X Sound - An immersive sound format creates a three-dimensional sound experience with your TV’s speakers.
- Supports HDMI ARC - Sends audio directly from the HDMI jack to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver, removing the need for an extra cable.
- HDR: Enjoy great contrast in all your content. High Dynamic Range (HDR) expands the contrast between the lightest and darkest parts of a scene, so you can enjoy a wide spectrum of colors and visual details.
- OBJECT TRACKING SOUND LITE: Feel like you're part of the scene with audio that follows the action on screen. Featuring a virtual top channel, every sound is precisely placed in space, placing you in the heart of the scene.
- SAMSUNG KNOX SECURITY: Your TV experiences are secured. Samsung Knox Security defends against harmful apps and phishing sites while keeping sensitive data, such as PINs and passwords, secure. It also safeguards your IoT devices connected to your TV.
- ONE UI TIZEN: Stream your favorite movies and shows and access your favorite apps and games on an intuitive smart TV platform, powered by Samsung Tizen OS.
- ENDLESS CONTENT: Access 2,700+ free channels including 400+ Samsung TV Plus premium channels with just your WiFiconnection. Enjoy national and local news, sports, movies, kids’ shows and more -live and on demand. With content frequently added, there’s always something new to discover.
- FULL HD RESOLUTION: When a 1080p High-Definition LCD screen meets a Full Array LED backlight, it creates an even sharper, brighter picture, delivering crisp, clear content.
- DTS VIRTUAL:X: Dial up the impact of your entertainment with the enhanced sound of DTS Virtual:X. It delivers crystal clarity, easy-to-hear dialogue, great detail and realistic surround sound to make what you’re watching even better.
- GAME MODE: Say goodbye to game-ruining lag. Hisense’s Game Mode cuts the delay down to 16ms. Move with precision, react in real time, and clinch those victories. Every millisecond counts.
- NATURAL COLOR ENHANCER: Ever noticed how lifeless nature looks on TV? With Natural Color Enhancer, witness grass at the greenest and wildflowers in the vibrant bloom. Experience nature on screen as in real life.
- PRESS and ASK | ALEXA: Just press and ask Alexa to find, launch, and control your content. Go beyond streaming to check sports scores, set timers, reminders, and more.
- With VIZIO Account, access VIZIO OS with apps built right in, manage your app subscriptions, watch free channels, and much more. A VIZIO Account is required for Smart TV functionality and product updates.
- Full HD delivers a step up in clarity from HD with richer contrast and true-to-life color achieved with Full Array LED Backlight and fine-tuned at a granular level with Active Pixel Tuning.
- See details your opponent won’t with HDR10 support on HDMI. Plus, when a console or PC is detected, FHD models automatically enable Auto Low Latency Mode.
- Built-in VIZIO OS lets you instantly access all your favorite apps and more. Enjoy hundreds of free channels and thousands of free On Demand titles with the built-in WatchFree+ app.
- The modern 3-sided VIZIO ThinFrame design fits beautifully in any room.
- Get more from your TV – With 4K Ultra HD, enhanced brightness, and clear audio, the Fire TV 4-Series upgrades your entertainment.
- Vivid views – 4K Ultra HD and HDR10+ deliver bright, crisp visuals with improved contrast, so details look beautiful even in dark scenes.
- Speed, redefined – Jump right into what you love with Wi-Fi 6 support and a new quad-core processor. Apps open and load fast and the picture stays smooth.
- The new Alexa on Fire TV – Getting to what you love has never been easier. Talk naturally to find what to watch fast, manage your smart home, or dive into virtually any topic.
- Instantly On - Introducing our custom Omnisense technology. Built-in sensors wake the display when you enter to show your favorite artwork or let you start watching in a snap.
- Smart. Sized just right. – The Fire TV 2-Series has everything you need for essential entertainment that fits your space. Access apps fast and watch content come to life in Full HD 1080p.
- Speed, redefined – Jump right into what you love with Wi-Fi 6 support and a new quad-core processor. Apps open and load fast and the picture stays smooth.
- The new Alexa on Fire TV – Getting to what you love has never been easier. Talk naturally to find what to watch fast, manage your smart home, or dive into virtually any topic.
- Instantly On - Introducing our custom Omnisense technology. Built-in sensors wake the display when you enter to show your favorite artwork or let you start watching in a snap.
- Find it fast. Watch it now. – Easily find what to watch from over 1.8 million movies and TV episodes (subscriptions fees may apply), including over 400,000 episodes of free, ad-supported content.
The Ultimate Buying Guide for Your New 40-Inch Smart TV
Choosing a new 40-inch Smart TV can feel tricky. This size is perfect for bedrooms, smaller living rooms, or even a kitchen. This guide helps you pick the best one without getting confused. We focus on what really matters for a great viewing experience.
Key Features to Look For
Smart TVs come packed with features. Focus on these main things:
Display Quality and Resolution
- Resolution: For a 40-inch screen, aim for at least 1080p (Full HD). Some newer models offer 4K (Ultra HD), which looks sharper, but 1080p is usually fine for this size.
- HDR (High Dynamic Range): This feature makes bright parts brighter and dark parts darker. Look for HDR10 support for better colors.
Smart Platform
The “Smart” part lets you watch Netflix, YouTube, and other apps. The platform is the operating system of the TV.
- Popular Options: Roku TV, Google TV (Android TV), and sometimes Samsung’s Tizen or LG’s webOS. Pick one you find easy to use.
- Speed: A fast processor makes switching between apps smooth. Slow ones make you wait.
Connectivity
You need ports to plug things in.
- HDMI Ports: At least two HDMI ports let you connect gaming consoles or Blu-ray players.
- Wi-Fi: Make sure it supports modern Wi-Fi standards for stable streaming.
Important Materials and Build
While you won’t often move a TV, the materials affect how long it lasts and how it looks.
Screen Type
Most 40-inch TVs use LED or direct-lit LCD screens. These are energy efficient and offer good brightness. Premium models might use QLED, which gives slightly better color, but standard LED works well for most people.
Bezels (The Frame)
Look for thin bezels. Thin frames mean more screen space and a modern look. Thicker plastic frames can make the TV look older.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
These technical details really change how good your shows look.
Improving Quality
- Refresh Rate (Hz): A 60Hz refresh rate is standard and good for movies and TV. If you plan to play fast-paced video games, look for 120Hz, though this is rare in the 40-inch range.
- Contrast Ratio: A higher contrast ratio means deeper blacks. This makes the picture “pop.”
Reducing Quality
- Viewing Angles: If you watch TV from the side a lot, cheap panels often show colors washing out. Try to sit directly in front of the screen for the best view.
- Motion Blur: Lower quality processing can cause fast movements (like sports) to look blurry.
User Experience and Use Cases
Think about where the TV will live and who will use it.
Bedroom Setup
For a bedroom, ease of use is key. A simple smart platform like Roku is often preferred. Brightness is less important than in a sunny living room.
Kitchen/Secondary TV
If this TV is for background viewing, sound quality matters less than picture clarity. Ensure the TV has good built-in speakers, as adding a soundbar might be inconvenient.
Gaming
If a teen uses this for gaming, check for “Low Input Lag.” This means the TV reacts quickly to controller movements. Many budget TVs have high input lag, which frustrates gamers.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About 40-Inch Smart TVs
Q: Is 40 inches too small for a main TV?
A: It depends on how far you sit away. For seating 6 to 8 feet away, 40 inches is often considered slightly small for movies, but perfect for bedrooms.
Q: Do I need a 4K TV in 40 inches?
A: Not necessarily. At 40 inches, the difference between 1080p and 4K is sometimes hard to notice unless you sit very close. 1080p saves money and is often sharp enough.
Q: What does “Smart TV Refresh Rate” mean?
A: The refresh rate tells you how many times per second the picture updates. 60Hz is normal. Higher rates make motion smoother.
Q: Are the built-in speakers usually good?
A: Generally, no. Most small TVs have weak speakers. You will likely need a cheap soundbar for better movie or music sound.
Q: How much internet speed do I need for streaming?
A: For 1080p streaming, aim for at least 5 Mbps. For 4K (if available), you need 15-25 Mbps for smooth playback.
Q: What is the easiest smart platform to use?
A: Many users find Roku TV very simple because the menu is straightforward. Google TV offers more customization.
Q: Can I mount a 40-inch TV on the wall?
A: Yes. Most 40-inch TVs use the VESA mounting standard. Check the back panel for the screw pattern size before buying a wall mount.
Q: Will older streaming apps work on a new 40-inch Smart TV?
A: Most modern platforms support major apps like Netflix and Hulu for years. However, very old or niche apps might eventually be dropped by the manufacturer.
Q: What is the most important port to check for?
A: HDMI ports are the most important for connecting external devices like game consoles, streaming sticks, or sound systems.
Q: Does the TV need to be updated often?
A: Yes. Manufacturers release software updates to fix bugs and keep apps running safely. You should allow the TV to connect to Wi-Fi for these updates.