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

As fully-featured 40-inch TVs go, we don't think you can get much better than the Amazon Fire TV 2-Series. It earns its place as our best overall 40-inch TV as it delivers a complete smart TV experience, great value for money and plenty of features to enhance your viewing. It runs Amazon's Fire TV operating system, which means you get access to a wealth of popular streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. Into your soaps, reality TV as well as box sets? No problem. This has all of the apps for broadcast TV like BBC and ITV too.

The remote allows for hands-free control using your voice and Alexa, which means you can easily play, pause, change channels and more. We found that, for some users the screen brightness can be an issue in very brightly lit rooms, but that's true for the vast majority of TVs that don't have QLED screens. We love that this comes with a Dolby Audio sound system for immersive audio, too. If you want a feature-packed TV for your family's entertainment, this one has it all.

Although many of the models we've listed are priced around the £200 mark, this JVC LT-40CR330 Roku TV is a budget-friendly smart TV that's less than £170 right now. Thankfully, despite the lower price, you won't miss out on any essential features – so you can relax and enjoy everything from streaming movies to the latest news and more on a huge range of apps and Freeview channels.

But, perhaps our favourite feature here is the Roku operating system. While you can buy standalone Roku set top boxes and streaming sticks that plug into a TV, this has it all built-in. So, you have access to hundreds of streaming apps, from Disney+ to BBC iPlayer. The interface is well-known for it's user-friendly design, too. Last but not least (and amazing, considering the price) is the DTS (Digital Theatre Systems) Studio Sound which delivers brilliant surround sound effects. While we wish that it had Bluetooth for connecting headphones or a soundbar, we found plenty of users who were pleased with its overall performance. If you're after an affordable TV with Freeview and streaming capabilities, we think this JVC is a steal.

Whether it's documentaries, dramas, movies or soaps, you're all set for an immersive experience with this Hisense 40 Inch 40A4NTUK FHD Smart TV. For us, the star feature is its impressive sound quality from the Dolby Audio and DTS Virtual X technology. These make this TV ideal for movie nights as well as your evening's TV viewing, with richer bass, clearer dialogue and a superior listening experience.

Audio aside, the screen is equipped with Hisense's Natural Colour Enhancer to help you enjoy more vibrant and natural colour. Plus, it's also packing an AI Processor that fine-tunes the image for even more clarity. Some users do find the VIDAA Smart operating system a little more complex to use than others, but it does pack in a lot of streaming content, channels and options. It even works with Alexa for voice control – making it extra user-friendly. Lastly, we appreciate the Bluetooth support here, which makes connecting wireless headphones and so on very easy. But, if you do prefer to turn up those speakers, this Hisense delivers the rich sound that your movies and shows deserve.

There are plenty of good reasons why Samsung is the most popular TV brand out there. As with most TVs in this list, this Samsung UE40T5300AEXXU has Full HD resolution enhanced with HDR for vibrant and lifelike colours. But, as it's a Samsung, it also features some cutting-edge extras that push picture quality even higher; Its PurColour technology delivering natural colours and picture enhancements courtesy of the Samsung Hyper Real Engine.

The Smart Hub provides easy access to a variety of free TV channels instantly without the need for sign-ups or subscriptions. Additionally, Game Mode optimises the TV settings for an immersive gaming experience with consoles like PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo Switch. In our research we found that, while the audio performance is adequate, some movie fans would opt to pair it with an external soundbar for more immersion. That said, we appreciate the elegant design here, with its sleek looks and narrow bezel it will complement any room seamlessly.

Even though our pick of the best overall 40-inch TV is also a streaming superstar, it's very much aimed at Amazon members. But, if you're not a Amazon subscriber, this RCA Roku 40-inch TV combines the trusty Roku interface with access to major streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and yes – even Amazon Prime Video if you do need it. Image-wise, we're happy to see that it has HDR (High Dynamic Range) for a wider colour palette that delivers more accurate, natural tones. Its sound is good too, with support for Dolby Audio and DTS Studio Sound that will really bring those games, sports and films to life.

Although there's no Bluetooth for wireless connections to headphones and no Alexa or Google Assistant for voice control, this really is a great value smart TV. It's a thin and lightweight model, too – ideal for mounting on the living room wall. Despite having Dolby Audio support and clear and crisp sound, we found that some movie fans want more and so opt for a soundbar. But, for most fan of streaming entertainment, the RCA Roku TV RK40FQ is a perfect match.

If you're not sure what QLED is, it's the latest type of screen that offers better colours, excellent brightness and truer contrast. This Hisense 40A5NQTUK is a QLED TV that does just that. Colours are vivid and lifelike with inky blacks and bright highlights, making movies and shows really pop. And that's partly down to the included HDR (High Dynamic Range) for billions of extra colours over a normal set. It's also because of other features like the AI processor that fine-tunes the image as you watch.

Its built-in VIDAA interface keeps navigation simple too. Plus, the inclusion of Dolby Atmos audio ensures solid sound performance for movies that support it. However, our research showed that serious movie and TV fans preferred the extra power of a external soundbar. All that said, it's the sheer image quality that really counts here, so If premium visuals are your top priority, this TV certainly won't disappoint.

If your choice of entertainment means making full use of that satellite dish or digital aerial on your chimney, this Philips 40PFS6009/12 stands out for its dual receiver capabilities. Not all TVs have both an input for a dish as well as an aerial, but this does – giving you the option of both if you need it. But why would you want to? Well, not only are the channel line-ups slightly different between FreeView and FreeSat, but if you do find you live in an area of poor reception for one, you can then switch to the other with ease. It's also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so no matter which smart home system you've gone with, this TV is going to fit in nicely.

Its Full HD resolution and HDR support ensure vibrant and sharp images too, while the TITAN OS smart platform provides access to all of the apps you need for your live TV and on-demand watching. However, the only real gripe that some users have is the complicated setup process. Overall though, it's a solid option from a well-renowned brand for those who really want great free-to-air viewing options from their 40-inch TV.

The idea of talking to your TV to control it isn't new, but this Sharp 40GD2225K stands out for its seamless voice control capabilities. It's compatible with Google Assistant, Apple Home and Amazon Alexa, so no matter which smart home system you've gone with, this TV is going to fit in nicely.

Voice control aside, there's great sound from Dolby Audio and the frameless design for a sleek look. Its Active Motion technology works to minimise motion blur (ideal for watching that football match or F1) and HDR support ensures a vibrant image. There's Freeview for your everyday news, soaps and drama, and the Roku operating system provides access to all of the apps you need for your on-demand watching. However, as with some of the others here, this TV doesn't have Bluetooth connectivity for adding headphones and so on – but it does have a headphone port. Overall, it's a solid option from a renowned brand for those who really want easy voice control in a 40-inch TV.

When we discovered this Toshiba 40LV2E63DB 40-inch TV, we quickly found lots of users praising it for it's super-easy setup and operation. Our top choice for ease of use, it has a simple and well-designed remote and a very user-friendly interface – thanks to the VIDAA operating system.

Of course you have all of the popular apps like Netflix and YouTube, making streaming straightforward. Additionally, its multiple HDMI and USB ports allow seamless connectivity with game consoles and other devices. We also rate the picture on this TV for its HDR colour, and its brightness levels and deep blacks. That's largely thanks to the new DLED screen (the 'D' standing for 'Direct Lit') and Toshiba's True Micro Dimming feature. However, we do recommend checking that your favourite apps are installed or available for download, as some users say that ITVX isn't available yet. Overall though, this TV is perfect for anyone seeking an easy-to-operate TV with solid performance.

If your bedroom is large enough to comfortably house a 40-inch TV, any of the sets we've listed would be great – but this Bush 40FT24CA really stood out in our research as being perfect for bedroom use. And that's because it offers both a sleep timer and a headphone socket for uninterrupted, personalised viewing. If you're a night-owl and love watching your favourite shows or YouTube videos in bed until you drop-off, setting the timer will let you sleep knowing the TV will shut itself down. And if you're worried about disturbing your partner, plugging in some headphones is a simple sound solution. Once again, it would have been nice to have Bluetooth for wireless headphones, but we think that DTS TruSurround audio and the timer function are the real stars here.

Elsewhere, you get a stunning picture thanks to HDR10 support for vivid colours – another plus for anyone who dislikes harsh visuals, particularly in a bedroom at night. Your late-night live and catchup shows come courtesy of Freeview and the Freeview Play app. Plus you also get all of the the usual streaming apps like Netflix. For those wanting a practical, feature-packed TV tailored for the bedroom, this model hits the mark.