Reviewing 40-Inch LED TVs


Our review process

Purchasing a TV is no simple job. This guide was created using 23,000 data points from more than 500 TVs to assist you in making a clear choice when purchasing your next one. We've looked at TVs with a wide range of prices and technologies. The advantages and disadvantages of 51 different 40-inch LED TVs have been listed to streamline the decision-making process.

Here's what to look for when buying a 40-inch LED TV. These TVs are best suited for medium-sized rooms, such as master bedrooms and living rooms. They are generally equipped with the latest, state-of-the-art picture enhancement technologies, delivering exceptional performance and clarity. They have an optimum viewing distance of 6.66-12.25 feet, which will prevent any eye strain or discomfort.

Built with Quantum Dot technology, these TVs excel at delivering vivid hues. They feature different kinds of backlighting, which are responsible for illuminating the screen. Featuring local dimming, they can deliver deeper tones of black by dividing the screen into zones and enabling the brighter aspects of a scene to remain illuminated, while the darker parts dim to produce a more true-to-life picture. LED TVs have a lightweight design, ensuring that you can mount them easily. They are able to cut off the power supply to numerous sections of the screen in order to save energy. These TVs come in a range of sizes and are built with thin displays. However, they are edge lit, so the picture might look uneven across the screen. They feature more dimension depth, so they are hard to install on the wall. Additionally, these LED TVs have poor off-angle viewing, affecting the color and picture quality when not viewed from a standard angle.

Our Top Ranking TVs:
Product NameBrandRefresh RateResolution TypePixel Resolution
Best Overall Score
1
An image of Hisense 40H3D 40-Inch FHD LED TV
Hisense 40H3D 40-Inch FHD LED TV
Hisense
60Hz
FHD
1920 x 1080
Runner Up
2
An image of Sceptre X405BV-FSR 40-Inch FHD LED TV
Sceptre X405BV-FSR 40-Inch FHD LED TV
Sceptre
60Hz
FHD
1920 x 1080
Best Affordable Option
3
An image of 40-Inch Flat Screen HD LED Outdoor TV
40-Inch Flat Screen HD LED Outdoor TV
HD
1920 x 1080
Best Refresh Rate
4
An image of Sony 027242896499 40-Inch FHD LED Smart TV
Sony 027242896499 40-Inch FHD LED Smart TV
Sony
240Hz
FHD
1920 x 1080
5
An image of Samsung UN40J5200AFXZA 40-Inch FHD LED Smart TV
Samsung UN40J5200AFXZA 40-Inch FHD LED Smart TV
Samsung
60Hz
FHD
1920 x 1080
Our Top Ranking TVs
Customer Rating
Brand
Hisense
Refresh Rate
60Hz
Resolution Type
FHD
Pixel Resolution
1920 x 1080
Customer Rating
Brand
Sceptre
Refresh Rate
60Hz
Resolution Type
FHD
Pixel Resolution
1920 x 1080
Customer Rating
Brand
Refresh Rate
Resolution Type
HD
Pixel Resolution
1920 x 1080
Customer Rating
Brand
Sony
Refresh Rate
240Hz
Resolution Type
FHD
Pixel Resolution
1920 x 1080
Customer Rating
Brand
Samsung
Refresh Rate
60Hz
Resolution Type
FHD
Pixel Resolution
1920 x 1080
Best Overall Score
An image of Hisense 40H3D 40-Inch FHD LED TV

Create an incredible entertainment experience in your family room with the Hisense 40-Inch FHD LED TV. The screen has FHD resolution to produce high-range color and details in movies and videos. With LED technology, the display delivers clear images and high contrast. This Hisense TV features Motion Rate 120, which lets you enjoy fast-action games with virtually no blur. It features full-array backlighting technology to illuminate the image and create stronger contrast. It has a built-in smart energy saving feature, automatically adjusting and calibrating the screens brightness, color, and contrast in order to minimize the amount of power used and has three HDMI ports.

    Pros
    • Features an LED screen, producing incredible visuals and bright colors
    • Displays 1080p resolution to deliver any content with vibrant color and detail
    • Full-array backlighting technology designed for enhanced image uniformity
    Cons
    • Built with a 40-inch display, making it unsuitable for larger rooms
    • Full-array backlighting technology is generally more expensive
    • 60Hz refresh rate may cause blurry movement
Runner Up
An image of Sceptre X405BV-FSR 40-Inch FHD LED TV

Let's review the Sceptre 40-Inch FHD LED TV, a popular choice among online shoppers. This Sceptre TV is designed with FHD resolution to deliver any content with excellent details and color. Made with an LED screen, it will produce crystal clear details in all lighting conditions. It features backlighting to provide better contrast, higher brightness, and a wider color range. This Sceptre TV has three HDMI inputs, letting you connect more electronic devices to your entertainment system.

    Pros
    • LED technology ensures an entertainment experience with deep, rich color and contrast
    • Features FHD screen resolution, allowing you to view shows and movies in high-range color
    • Designed with backlighting to directly light up the television's surface in order to provide better uniform brightness
    Cons
    • Built with a 40-inch screen, making it unsuitable for larger rooms
    • Uses 60Hz refresh rate, establishing a less fluid appearance
    • LED produces increased brightness and high contrast
Best Affordable Option
An image of 40-Inch Flat Screen HD LED Outdoor TV

If you're someone who likes watching TV outside, the 40-Inch LED TV is a good idea to keep at the top of your list. Its screen has HD resolution, so you can watch movies and shows in high-range color. This TV has LED technology, which ensures a viewing experience with deep, rich color and contrast. It has a wall-mountable design, allowing users to save space, improve safety, and increase the room's aesthetic appeal. It features three HDMI inputs, letting you plug in any of your devices and connect them directly to your TV.

    Pros
    • Made with an LED screen to produce clear and bright images
    • HD resolution delivers enhanced detail definition for better clarity
    Cons
    • Built with a 40-inch display, making it unsuitable for larger rooms
    • LED produces increased brightness and heightened contrast
Best Refresh Rate
An image of Sony 027242896499 40-Inch FHD LED Smart TV

With the Sony 40-Inch FHD LED Smart TV, you can transform your living room into your personal home theater where you can stream any movie you choose. The display has FHD resolution to produce excellent color and detail in movies or shows that you're watching. Featuring LED technology, the display delivers increased brightness and a higher level of contrast. This Sony TV has Sony Motionflow XR 240 and features a 240Hz refresh rate, minimizing input lag and improving image quality.

This Sony TV has X-Reality PRO technology, which improves the quality of lower resolution media, making regular high-definition images have near UHD detail. It has 24p True Cinema technology, maintaining the original 24-fps rate shot in movies so that users get the same natural motions in their high-quality televisions. It has built-in Wi-Fi and an Ethernet port, so you can easily stream your favorite shows and movies online. This Sony Smart TV features direct-lit backlighting technology, which delivers increased brightness and heightened contrast. It is complete with Clear Phase Speaker technology to cancel out inaccuracies due to the natural response of the speaker, delivering smooth audio. It can support Dolby Digital Plus, delivering incredible sound quality to bring movies to life and make you feel like you're part of the scene. It features two HDMI inputs, letting you hook up all of your devices and connect them directly to your TV.

    Pros
    • LED technology produces bright images and heightened contrast
    • Features FHD screen resolution, enabling you to watch content in high-range color
    • Direct-lit backlighting technology designed for quality color and brightness in every picture
    Cons
    • Built with a 40-inch screen, making it unsuitable for larger rooms
    • Direct-lit backlighting technology lacks local dimming features
    • LED doesn't have consistent image distribution
Additional Picks
An image of Samsung UN40J5200AFXZA 40-Inch FHD LED Smart TV

If features and functions are what you need consider the Samsung 40-Inch FHD LED TV. With LED technology, its display will deliver bright images and heightened contrast. This Samsung TV is equipped with Wi-Fi, delivering access to online content. Featuring smart TV capabilities, it is excellent for watching all of your favorite news channels and sports apps. The display has FHD resolution, enabling you to enjoy both movies and games with high-range color.

This Samsung TV is designed with an Eco Sensor, measuring the light intensity of the room and automatically adjusting the brightness of the content displayed. It features Wide Color Enhancer, giving it a wider color spectrum. This Samsung TV is enhanced by Samsung Motion Rate 60, designed to deliver smooth motion and extraordinary speed. It supports DTS Premium Sound for improved audio and a captivating entertainment experience. It comes with a smart remote, allowing you to easily control all of the devices attached to your TV. It has two HDMI ports, enabling you to hook up any of your devices and connect them directly to your TV.

    Pros
    • Features an LED screen, producing stunning visuals and bright colors
    • Designed with FHD resolution to deliver enhanced detail for better picture clarity
    • Smart TV capabilities give you access to a range of apps, streaming services, and more
    Cons
    • Built with a 40-inch display, making it unsuitable for larger rooms
    • 60Hz refresh rate may have blurry movement
    • LED doesn't have side-angle visibility
An image of Sceptre X415BV-FSR 40-Inch FHD LED 60Hz TV with MEMC 120

Build an exciting entertainment system in your own home with the Sceptre 40-Inch FHD LED TV. This Sceptre TV displays 1080p resolution to deliver enhanced details for better picture clarity. Designed for heightened contrast and increased brightness, it is made with an LED screen. It is equipped with a wall mount, which allows for superior user convenience. This Sceptre TV features MEMC 120, which will deliver incredible image clarity and smooth motion. It has three HDMI inputs, enabling you to hook up any of your devices and connect them directly to your TV.

    Pros
    • LED screen produces improved brightness and a higher level of contrast
    • Designed with FHD resolution for enhanced detail and improved picture clarity
    Cons
    • Built with a 40-inch display, making it unsuitable for larger rooms
    • 60Hz refresh rate may have blurred motion
    • LED lacks enhanced black levels
An image of Hitachi Alpha Series LE40A509 40-Inch HD LED 120Hz TV

Experience movies and series like never before with the Hitachi 40-Inch LED TV. With a 120Hz refresh rate, this Hitachi TV allows the screen to present smoother, more natural-looking motions that are perfect for watching HDTV. Displaying 1080p resolution, it delivers enhanced definition for better picture clarity. It is equipped with an LED display, designed to boost picture quality. It features backlighting, providing better contrast, higher brightness, and a wider color range. This Hitachi TV features three HDMI inputs, letting you connect additional electronic devices to your entertainment system.

    Pros
    • LED technology ensures a viewing experience with stunning color and contrast
    • Features 1080p resolution, ensuring that you see the subtle details on the screen
    • Designed with backlighting to directly light up the television's surface, providing better uniform brightness
    Cons
    • Built with a 40-inch screen, making it unsuitable for larger rooms
    • Uses 120Hz refresh rate, reducing color accuracy
    • LED lacks image uniformity
An image of Sceptre E415BD-FR 40-Inch LED TV

For outstanding performance and an enjoyable viewing experience, the Sceptre 40-Inch LED TV will be the perfect addition to your home. With LED technology, the display delivers clear images and high contrast. This Sceptre TV is wall mountable, allowing for superior user convenience. It features MEMC 120, which will deliver remarkable speed and smooth movement. It has three HDMI ports, allowing you to hook up any of your devices and connect them directly to your TV.

    Pros
    • Made with an LED display for increased contrast and clear images
    Cons
    • Built with a 40-inch screen, making it unsuitable for larger rooms
    • Uses 60Hz refresh rate, establishing an uneven effect
    • LED lacks image uniformity
An image of TCL 40D100 40-Inch FHD LED TV

Build an exciting entertainment system by installing the TCL 40-Inch FHD LED TV. With LED technology, its display delivers increased brightness and high contrast. Its display has FHD resolution to produce improved color and details in any content. Designed to minimize motion blur, this TCL TV features a 120Hz refresh rate, so you can enjoy fast-paced movies with decreased lag. Featuring full-array backlighting technology, it delivers absolute blacks, leading to a very high contrast ratio. It can support Dolby Digital, upgrading the sound quality so that you'll feel like you're part of the experience. This TCL TV has three HDMI ports, letting you connect more devices to your entertainment system.

    Pros
    • LED screen will provide a viewing experience with stunning colors and contrast
    • Designed with FHD resolution for enhanced detail and better clarity
    • Full-array backlighting technology for enhanced image uniformity
    Cons
    • Built with a 40-inch display, making it unsuitable for larger rooms
    • Full-array backlighting technology is generally more expensive
    • Uses 120Hz refresh rate, reducing color accuracy
An image of Samsung UN40M5300AFXZA 40-Inch FHD LED Smart TV

For advanced functions and capabilities, check out the Samsung 40-Inch FHD LED TV. With LED technology, its display delivers clear images and a higher level of contrast. This Samsung TV features backlighting, directly light up the television's surface, providing better, more uniform brightness across the screen. It is equipped with FHD resolution to produce excellent colors and details in movies or shows that you stream.

This Samsung TV has an Eco Sensor, which adjusts the brightness automatically based on the lighting in the room. It has Motion Rate 60, which will deliver incredible speed and smooth movement. This smart TV is ideal for viewing all of your favorite news channels and sports apps. It features Wide Color Enhancer, which delivers lifelike images with its broad color spectrum. Featuring PurColor, it delivers realistic coloring.

This Samsung TV features built-in Wi-Fi, providing access to your favorite shows. It features Smart Hub, providing convenient access to social media, apps, and content from your other devices. It has two HDMI inputs, letting you plug in any of your digital devices and connect them directly to your TV. This Samsung TV has a V-chip, which allows parents to program the television with a desired rating and block all shows above that rating. With the ability to support DTS Premium Sound, it delivers exceptional audio quality and a captivating entertainment experience.

    Pros
    • Features an LED screen to deliver clear and illuminated images
    • Designed with FHD resolution to produce any content with improved color and detail
    • Smart TV capabilities give you access to a variety of exciting features and functions
    Cons
    • Built with a 40-inch screen, making it unsuitable for larger rooms
    • LED lacks multiple-angle viewing
Here's Some Additional Information to Think About When Buying 40-Inch LED TVs:
Screen Types for 40-Inch LED TVs Can Be a Big Game Changer
Flat Screen TVs

TVs that save space are a great last touch to any room so check out these 15 flat TVs we have available. With a lightweight design, these flat TVs make installation quick and easy. Flat screen TVs have off-axis viewing, which makes it easier to see more of the image when sitting off to the side. Flat screen TVs feature slim displays, adding aesthetic appeal to your room and helping you save valuable space. Flat screen TVs are designed in a number of sizes. Flat screen TVs are wall mountable, allowing you to optimally position your TV as desired in order to reduce reflections from bright light and windows. However, these flat TVs have a narrow viewing angle, which creates a less immersive viewing experience compared to TVs with a curved screen.

Slim Bezel TVs

40-inch LED TVs with the right screen type make for the best viewing experience. Check out one of these great options. Built to enter more into your peripheral vision, these slim bezel TVs make for a more immersive viewing experience. With a slim body, they are good if you don't want your TV to be a distinct object of a room.

Let's Break Down Some Smart Features of Your 40-Inch LED TV
Roku Smart TVs

Ideal for streaming your favorite content and connecting to the internet, we recommend getting a 40-inch LED TV which allows you to do a lot more than just watch shows. TVs with Roku have voice recognition technology, enabling viewers to verbally activate functions. However, they require a learning curve to control all aspects of the TV. A plus is that they have limited screen mirroring functionality, so you can't project certain web browsers on your TV. Something to consider is that they have limited program storage, so there's no library of your favorite shows to easily look through. Also, they require an additional device, so you'll have one more component near your TV and one more remote control on your coffee table. They are designed with a number of built-in games and are equipped with an app store. They feature a universal search function, which helps you select content across various apps or platforms, without having to individually locate and open them. They feature a smart remote, which allows easily management all of the devices attached to your television. Equipped with split-screen capabilities, TVs with Roku are capable of displaying multiple channels at the same time.

Android Smart TVs

If you are looking for a great smart TV platform, we suggest Android TV options for your 40-inch LED TV right here. However, these Android TVs require an additional device, so you'll have one more component near your TV and another remote control on your coffee table. An advantage is that they have gesture recognition, allowing the recognition of gestures to be interpreted as commands. They incorporate Google Assistant, enabling you to control the TV verbally, and employ the power of Google Search by simply pressing the microphone button on the TV remote. They feature web browsers, allowing you to connect to the internet. They include a variety of built-in games and have an app store and web browsers. Featuring Chromecast, they enable users to display and share content from their smartphone directly to their bigger TV screen. They have a smart remote, which enables easily control all of the devices attached to your television's ports. With a universal search function, they let you search for your desired movies and shows on multiple apps and platforms. They are equipped with picture-in-picture and are designed with split-screen capabilities, so you can simultaneously surf the Internet while watching a film on a single screen.

Wondering About HDR for Your 40-Inch LED TV?
HDR TVs

If you're searching for a TV with HDR, check out one of our three 40-inch LED TVs. These TVs have advanced pixel quality, offering greater color volume. Designed with a high contrast ratio, they can provide a starker difference between the lightest whites and darkest blacks in order to create a more dynamic appearance. They are equipped with a color depth beginning at 10-bit, delivering a variety of colors, which reduces obvious gradations in shade. However, these HDR TVs produce very bright highlights, so they might be too bright for your eyes, especially when you're watching TV in a dark room.

HDR10 TVs

If you're trying to find a TV with HDR10, check out one of our two 40-inch LED TVs. HDR10 TVs have advanced pixel quality, offering an increased range of brightness for greater realism in the content. They feature static metadata, which establishes parameters on how color and tone will be displayed at the start of a movie or show and sticks with them throughout your viewing experience. With a high contrast ratio, they can offer a starker difference between the lightest whites and darkest blacks in order to create a more dynamic appearance. They feature 10-bit color depth, generating a range of colors, which reduces overly apparent gradations in shade. However, they require special hardware, including a newer HDMI, in order to work properly. Additionally, these HDR10 TVs rely solely on static metadata, so there is one HDR "look" for the entire movie or show.