The 10 best 40-inch TVs for home viewing in 2025, picked by experts

Bring vibrant pictures and brighter sounds into your home with one of the best 40-inch TVs your money can buy. There's nothing better than cosying up in front of the television with a cuppa to kick off the evening. If you find yourself spending more time dusting your 32-inch TV than actually watching it, or just fancy something that bit larger, you might be due an upgrade. Generally a larger screen is better, but if you can't quite fit a 50-inch TV into your living space, a 40-inch model is a great option...

Smart TVs have all sorts of features that give you plenty to choose from. Features that come with smart TVs include internet browsing, streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube; as well as access to games and applications. TVs like this have been around for a while now, and they're here to stay. You'll even find smart apps in small 24-inch TVs.

Whether you've decided to splash out on one of the best QLED TVs or a budget model like one of the best TVs under £500, there are plenty of options to be found. Obviously, the higher your budget the better, as this could buy you extremely useful perks – such as the latest picture processing tech or in-built voice control such as Alexa or Google Assistant. The latter really can make all the difference to your home and living environment, with easy access to various settings and smart home appliances as well as the TV itself.

If you need help with all of this smart TV jargon and what you should be looking for, we have you covered with a buyer's guide, FAQs and more. But for now, read on for our pick of the best 40-inch smart TVs for you.

How we chose the best 40-inch smart TVs

We selected the best 40-inch TVs based on reliable and trusted brands, average user reviews, price, and suitability for each use case. We look carefully at the technical specifications of all products before we recommend them to ensure that they will meet buyers' requirements without the need for costly additions to work as intended. With all of our selections for the best 40-inch TVs, we look for a good balance of price with display quality, picture resolution, audio features, build quality and overall design. We also look for good connectivity options and a wide range of smart TV apps. Our writers also choose products based on hands-on experience where we own or have reviewed them ourselves. You can find out more about how Yours tests its products here. Retailers are selected based on price, availability and reputation as reliable and trusted sellers.

All prices are correct at the time of writing. Prices, stock and deals are subject to change without notice.

Best 40-inch TVs 2025

Expert's choice: Best 40-inch TVs of 2025

Our recommendations for the best 40-inch TVs of the year is packed with products with really impressive features to suit all budgets. But we've chosen the Amazon Fire TV 40-inch 2-Series for its fantastic range of streaming options and responsive operating system. A close second is the Hisense 40-inch Full HD QLED Smart TV, which literally shines brighter than others here thanks to that QLED panel.

Are you wall-mounting your TV?

If you're looking to give your room a modern and clutter-free look with your TV, you can do just that – and free up valuable floor space – with a reliable TV mounting bracket. The three key things to check when buying a TV wall mount are:

Mounting bolt positions
The vast majority of TVs have special threaded holes on the back, usually four, a set distance apart. This is normally to the VESA standard which includes a few variations. For instance 100 x 100 mm or 200 x 200 mm apart. Check which one your TV has and make sure your chosen mount is a match, but thankfully most TV wall mounts will support them all.

Capacity (weight)
All TV wall mounts have a stated maximum capacity, usually in kilograms. As most 40-inch TVs are lightweight these days, this isn't likely to be an issue; but it always pays to double-check.

Adjustability
This is an important decision to make depending on where you're planning on mounting your TV. For instance, if you're tight on space and need to be able to pull your TV away from the wall at an angle, make sure your bracket is the type that extends and tilts. Likewise, if you don't need to do that but want your TV to sit as close to the wall as possible with just the ability to tilt it, choose a bracket that is low-profile.

Here are a couple of our favourite TV mounting brackets for 40-inch TVs:

How to choose the right 40-inch TV for you

As with all new tech purchases, it's important to take some time to list your needs and make sure your chosen 40-inch TV is up to the task. Here's some things to consider before you buy:

Choose where your new TV will go and measure up

Placing your screen for the best viewing experience is key. If you have a brightly-lit room we recommend placing your set so that is doesn't face any harsh sunlight from adjacent windows. A stand is often the most flexible way to place your TV where you need it, but you could also use a wall mounting bracket to save space for a sleek, modern look. Many of these mounts will also tilt and swivel if you need to. Just remember to check your chosen TV's mounting points. They're usually described as VESA compatible and come in a few different sizes, so check your chosen mount is the right size before you buy.

The same goes for the 40-inch TV itself. Although 40-inch screens are a lot easier to fit into most homes, if you're placing it into a tight corner or nook it's best to measure twice and buy once.

Do you have good Wi-Fi?

Every smart TV will need to connect to the internet and there are three ways to do this. First, a wireless (Wi-Fi) connection to your home internet router. Second, an ethernet cable – if your TV has one – which you’ll have to plug into your router directly.

Finally, if your set is too far from your router for an ethernet cable there is a solution. Assuming you can't use Wi-Fi, you can buy plugs (sold in pairs) that fit into a main power socket. They're often called 'powerline' or 'ethernet over mains' adapters. They send your internet connection from the router, through your power cables, to your TV. You might need to do this if your home's Wi-Fi signal is poor.

Good connectivity options

If you have a wide range of other home entertainment gadgetry to connect to your new TV, check that your new set has enough inputs of the right type. Most modern DVD or BluRay players use HDMI cables, but you might also have a games console or a satellite receiver and so on. So, check you have a good number of inputs. The same applies for any Bluetooth equipment you might plan on using, like headphones or wireless soundbars. Check your TV has Bluetooth if you need it. Lastly, if you have external speakers like a soundbar (or even a full home cinema sound system) you may want a TV that has HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) or an optical audio output.

Do you need it to work with your smart home?

Smart TVs are an essential centrepiece of anyone's collection of smart home gadgetry. Most smart TV's are designed to be controlled remotely using your voice, apps or even other smart devices in your home. These days you can buy smart lightbulbs, thermostats, alarm systems and more. But first things first – get your 40-inch smart TV nicely in place. Then you can look into smart homes later if you like the concept of clever home control.

What features to look for in a 40-inch TV

There are a number of things to think about when you're deciding on which 40-inch Smart TVs to buy. At this screen size, you're likely to find the best that modern TV technology can offer, with the exception of 4K resolution and more advanced screen types like OLED. If you're not set on all the techie terminology, here's a breakdown:

Smart apps for live TV and streaming content

A Smart TV may seem like an odd concept, but they're really quite simple to use. Smart TVs usually include a variety of apps, such as Netflix or YouTube, plus plenty of useful extras. You have various channels to choose from – all coming to your set via your Wi-Fi internet connection. And there's the real difference: smart TVs can access all of your favourite programmes without needing an antenna or satellite.

Many smart TVs also have built-in voice control. This pairs with devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, meaning you can control your TV with your voice. Planning to use streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney Plus? You'll need to subscribe to them separately to access that content on your Smart TV. You should be able to access ITV Hub, BBC iPlayer, and All 4 without payment, though.

Resolution

Smart TVs can come in HD resolutions from 720p (HD Ready), 1080p (Full HD ) or 4k Ultra HD. For instance, a width and height of 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD) means a higher amount of detail on the TV screen than a HD Ready (or Half HD) screen which has half the number of pixels.

But note that some brands like Samsung and Sony are no longer making 40-inch TVs in resolutions higher than Full-HD. You're highly unlikely to find a 4K TV at this size either. If 4K is your thing, you'll need to look a 43-inch TV or larger.

Remember, all TV screens no matter their size will have to be kept free from dust and fingerprints, so always look into the best way to clean your TV screen.

Refresh rate

This is important for anyone who's really into their films or games. Refresh rates are the frequency that the TV uses to display a picture per-second. So, a 60Hz TV will display 60 images per second as it shows you the image. Movie fans and gamers like higher rates like 120Hz as more images per second equals smoother and more detailed motion. For 40-inch TVs you're most likely to find 60Hz, which is fine for everyday use.

High-dynamic-range (HDR)

HDR (or High Dynamic Range) is all about the extra colours the set can display. It also gives more vibrancy and realism to the picture too. Another benefit of having a wider range of colours to display is that whites tend to be brighter and blacks deeper. This makes the picture 'pop' even more. This isn't the same thing as simply turning the colour setting up; think 'more colours', not 'more colour'.

Voice control

Lots of smart TVs can connect to Alexa, Google Voice or Siri. So, if you already use these in your home you could invest in a voice-activated TV to make things easier. No more hunting for the remote to do basic things like volume control and on-and-off.

Why should you trust us?

At Yours, our mission is to provide accurate and reliable reviews, ensuring our readers receive honest and transparent information about the best technology products available. Anything less would undermine our commitment to being a trusted source of unbiased product information.

Our dedicated in-house writing team comprises experts with extensive experience and a genuine passion for technology. Collectively, we have spent decades testing and writing about tech, leveraging our expertise in all our articles, advice pieces and reviews. You can find out more about how Yours test products here.

We maintain complete editorial independence and do not accept payment for product reviews. Our writers have full control over their content, ensuring that products are selected based solely on the needs of our readers. While we may earn commissions or other compensation from links on our website, this never affects our product choices. These links enable us to continue offering valuable consumer advice, without compromising the integrity of our reviews.

Chris Duffill is a tech specialist and senior writer for Yours, Heat, Closer, What's The Best and other brands. He has extensive experience in technology and media. He's an expert in TV and display technology having worked in areas such as video production and digital design.