40 1080 tv

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After the best 40-inch TVs? If you have a tight budget or don’t have the space for an enormous 65-inch TV then you might want to consider a 40-inch screen instead. They might not sound as impressive as larger options, but that doesn’t mean you should underestimate them – especially if you’re looking at the best 40-inch TVs you can buy in 2021.

For one, you’ll still be dazzled by 4K resolution and HDR compatibility to give you impressive picture quality, and smart TV integration will ensure you can access a wide range of content options to enjoy. You’ll also be able to hook up all your game consoles, Blu-ray players, and streaming boxes to get even more out of the 40-inch TV.

All of that will not only come at a more budget-friendly price compared with larger screens, but you also won’t have to worry about the display dominating your living room space. 40-inch TVs are the perfect size for secondary TVs in bedrooms or the kitchen where getting the best home cinema experience might not be your primary concern.

Unfortunately, you might have to miss out on a few stand-out features. Right now you won’t be able to snag a 40-inch TV that uses OLED, and most brands’ flagship models with the latest and greatest tech won’t come in a size this small.

We have heard rumors that might change though, with 42-inch OLED screens potentially on their way soon,  but for now, your options may be a little limited. That said, you can still find some great 40-inch displays out there.

We’ve rounded up the best 40-inch TVs that we’ve reviewed on our site – including 42-inch and 43-inch models. You’ll also find some additional tips about what to look for and how important picking the right TV size really is.

Top picks

What's the best 40-inch TV?

This UK exclusive Samsung AU7100 UHD Smart TV is possibly the best 40-inch TV we’ve reviewed thanks to its perfect pairing of great features and bargain price. For just £449 for the 43-inch variant of the TV, you’ll get a 4K screen that delivers great color differentiation with little to no noise. 

You won’t just get a great picture quality, but a brilliant OS too with Tizen – Samsung’s own Smart TV OS and one of the best around, thanks to an easy-to-navigate design and customization. 

The contrast between lights and darks can suffer thanks to the screen not being quite bright enough to push highlights, and audio performance is a bit of an afterthought (though it offers Q Symphony Lite for improved soundbar support).

You’ll also lose out on some multi-HDR support, so while you will get HLG, HDR10, and HDR10+ dynamic metadata you’ll miss out on Dolby Vision (though this is true of all Samsung TVs). None of the issues are significant enough to be a deal-breaker at this price (and the TV still performs incredibly well) but you might notice a steep picture improvement on larger and more expensive models.

Read our fullSamsung AU7100 review 

Looking for the best 40-inch TV? Look no further than the Q60T.

The Samsung Q60T QLED occupies an important spot in Samsung’s TV lineup, being the cheapest of the brand’s QLED sets – and therefore, effectively, the worst best Samsung TV released last year.

The main draw here is the price, with the Q60T starting at just $529 / £599 for the smallest 43-inch size (or AU$1,495 for a 55-inch model – you’ll find a full breakdown of the screen size/price options below). That’s a fraction of the cost of Samsung’s Q95T 4K QLED or flagship Q950TS 8K, and will no doubt ensure that the Q60T finds its way into more homes than its premium siblings.

You’re getting a drop in processing power compared to the Q60R, with a Quantum Processor Lite chip instead of the Quantum Processor 4K used in most QLED models. Edge lighting, too – a lighting system that illuminates the picture from the sides rather than behind the panel – is a cheap way to light up a set’s images, but means there are issues with consistency of brightness, off-axis viewing, and the strength of HDR objects.

This isn’t a true HDR set, then, and you’re also going to have to swallow some mild motion blur in exchange for the Q60T’s low price. Upscaling HD pictures to 4K is a strength of Samsung’s, though, and for the price you're still getting a capable mid-spec set.

Just keep an eye out for our review of this year's Samsung Q60A, too.

Read the full review:Samsung Q60T QLED

The best 40-inch TV? That accolade should really go to the Panasonic HX800. You won't get it in the US, which means it drops a little in this guide – though for anyone in the UK, Europe, Australia or Canada it should be your first port of call.

As the successor to the GX800 – which topped this list the year before – the HX800 continues everything that made us fall in love with Panasonic's mid-range LCD offering in the first place, with a sweet spot of price, performance, and functionality all in one.

Panasonic gets a lot of goodwill by offering multi-HDR support – throwing in HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG in a single set – and is also unique in how this support is implemented across so much of its TV range. As a mid-range LCD, it's incredible that Panasonic ensures it has the same format support as higher-end OLED TVs like the new HZ1000 and HZ1500.

Add to that Panasonic's HCX processor, with filmic images and smooth action far beyond what we'd hope for at this price point, and you have a clear winner for the best 40-inch TV. Despite a bare-bones operating system, there's really very little to complain about.

You'll find the 40-inch model retailing at £799 at the time of writing, with a larger 58-inch model costing just £999 too.

Read our full Panasonic HX800 TV review