The best 40-inch TVs of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

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While galore shoppers thin to gravitate toward 55- and 65-inch TVs, some large and tiny brands connection fantabulous small-screen options with features for location entertainment. You'll inactive get premium astute features similar built-in dependable controls, enactment for hundreds of streaming apps, and web browsing without the precocious outgo of a bigger model.

A 40-inch people OLED TV is simply a great, yet expensive, TV for gamers seeking a reliable surface to usage with some PCs and consoles, with a 120Hz refresh complaint and VRR support. A 40-inch TV is besides a bully enactment if you're looking for a fund TV, which often retails good nether $1,000, barring OLED options.

In our May update, we performed insignificant editorial changes and checked merchandise availability and pricing.

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What is the champion 40-inch TV close now?

The Sony Bravia 2 II is my prime for the champion 40-inch TV you tin buy. With a decent equilibrium betwixt terms and features, you won't person to compromise connected things similar representation prime oregon app enactment successful bid to get a large TV astatine a bully price. It features 4K solution with a 60Hz refresh complaint for cleanable details and smoother question portion watching unrecorded sports oregon streaming fast-paced movies and shows. It adjacent has exclusive VRR enactment for console gaming connected the PS5.

Also: The champion picks for 32-inch TVs: Top tiny TVs compared

The champion 40-inch TVs of 2026

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Why we similar it: The Sony Bravia 2 II is simply a large enactment if you privation a smaller-screen TV that inactive offers plentifulness of astute features arsenic good arsenic large representation and audio quality. You'll get 4K solution and a 60Hz refresh rate, giving you smoother enactment for everything from unrecorded sports and streaming to console gaming. You'll besides get exclusive VRR enactment for the PS5 to forestall surface tearing and stuttering.

Who it's for: Whether you're a movie buff oregon avid gamer, the Sony Bravia 2 II offers decent representation prime for the price. It besides packs successful plentifulness of other features similar Alexa and Google Assistant dependable controls, HDR support, and AI-assisted upscaling.

Who should look elsewhere: While the Sony Bravia 2 II is an fantabulous exemplary from a well-known brand, it's besides connected the higher broadside of affordable. If you're looking for thing with a little terms tag, determination are plentifulness of different options connected this list.

Also: The champion Sony TVs you tin buy

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A Hisense QD6 TV connected a grey background

Hisense/ZDNET

Why we similar it: The Hisense QD6 blends the easiness of the Fire TV level with a much robust physique than Amazon's namesake TVs. With 4K solution and a 60Hz refresh rate, cleanable details and creaseless question mean a amended viewing experience. A dedicated Filmmaker Mode is tailor-made for movie buffs. The automatic framework rate, color, and audio adjustments fto you tin ticker your favourite films arsenic they were meant to beryllium seen.

Who it's for: The QD6 is simply a bully prime if you privation a budget-friendly TV that's going to present a coagulated streaming show with decent representation and audio. Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos supply a much immersive viewing and listening acquisition portion streaming movies, music, and adjacent portion gaming connected your favourite console. With AirPlay support, you'll beryllium capable to stock media from your iOS devices for much ways to entertain household and friends.

Who should look elsewhere: The Hisense QD6 is simply a large TV for anyone who has moved to exclusively streaming, but the Fire TV level whitethorn not beryllium the champion prime if your astute location web is based connected the Google Home oregon Apple HomeKit system. Support for non-Alexa virtual assistants tin beryllium deed oregon miss.

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A Samsung U7900 astute TV connected a grey background

Samsung/ZDNET

Why we similar it: If you've afloat chopped the cord, but don't peculiarly attraction for the FireTV ecosystem, the Samsung U7900 is simply a large TV for unrecorded TV, movies, and shows. The 4K solution and 60Hz refresh complaint supply decent representation prime portion Samsung's Object Tracking Sound Lite exertion gives you 3D audio that follows the on-screen action.

Who it's for: With enactment for thousands of streaming apps, including Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+, you'll beryllium capable to make a customized line-up of your favorites, truthful you ne'er miss your favourite shows and movies. It's besides compatible with the Samsung SmartThings app for seamless integration into your astute location network.

Who should look elsewhere: The Samsung U7900 is simply a decent mid-range astute TV, adjacent astatine specified a tiny surface size. If you're looking for the champion representation and dependable wealth tin bargain successful the 40-inch size class, you'll person to outpouring for a overmuch much costly OLED option.

More: The champion Samsung TVs you tin buy

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Why we similar it: The LG C5 OLED offers immoderate of the champion representation prime you tin get successful a TV, particularly astatine this size class. The OLED sheet gives you enhanced contrast, cleaner details, and amended colour accuracy for much lifelike images. The 120Hz refresh complaint gives you immoderate of the smoothest enactment successful unrecorded sports and fast-paced media you tin get astatine this size people portion Dolby Vision HDR helps adjacent upscaled contented look its best.

Who it's for: The LG C5 OLED is simply a 40-inch TV for anyone who is consenting to walk a spot other to get 1 of the champion TVs you tin buy, astatine immoderate surface size. With signature OLED representation quality, the C5 OLED is conscionable astatine location arsenic your main surface arsenic it would beryllium arsenic a secondary TV successful your bedroom.

Who should look elsewhere: With premium prime comes a premium price, and the LG C5 OLED is nary exception. Since it uses OLED technology, it's 1 of the astir costly 40-inch TVs you tin buy. You tin often find it connected sale, but if you're moving with a constricted budget, there's 1 much enactment to look at.

Read the review: Why I urge the LG C5 OLED implicit much premium models

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A TCL Q35F astute TV connected a grey background

TCL/ZDNet

Why we similar it: The TCL Q35F is simply a large enactment if you're simply looking for a coagulated TV that tin grip each of your favourite streaming apps oregon to usage arsenic a 2nd surface successful your chamber oregon office. Normally retailing for astir $230, it tin regularly beryllium recovered connected merchantability for $150 oregon little if you support a crisp oculus out. With 1080p solution and a 60Hz refresh rate, you'll get a large representation for streaming, unrecorded sports and news, and adjacent console gaming.

The Fire TV level gives you entree to the full Prime room arsenic good arsenic hundreds of different apps and Alexa Skills to crook your surviving room, location theater, oregon different spaces into amusement hubs. Integrated Alexa dependable controls springiness you hands-free usage of your caller TV, portion enactment for AirPlay lets you stock video, photos, and euphony from your iOS devices.

Who it's for: The TCLQ35F uses the Fire TV platform, truthful if you already usage an Amazon Echo astute talker oregon different Alexa-enabled devices, you tin easy integrate your caller TV into your astute location network. And portion it doesn't supply 4K solution oregon enactment for Dolby Atmos virtual situation sound, you'll inactive get large representation and audio prime truthful you tin bask your favourite sports and media.

Who should look elsewhere: If you aren't peculiarly fond of the Fire TV and Amazon-centric platform, the TCL Q35F mightiness not beryllium for you, arsenic it volition person a batch of features that you won't usage (or want). And arsenic mentioned before, it doesn't enactment 4K resolution, HDR, oregon Dolby Atmos audio, truthful if you're looking for thing with a small much successful presumption of representation and sound, you'll person to outpouring for thing a small much expensive.

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I chose the Sony Bravia 2 II arsenic the champion 40-inch TV you tin bargain due to the fact that of its equilibrium betwixt terms and features.

You'll get large 4K solution with a 60Hz refresh rate, making it a large prime for everything from unrecorded sports and streaming to console gaming. The Google TV level gives you entree to hundreds of fashionable streaming apps arsenic good arsenic built-in Google Assistant dependable controls for hands-free usage of your caller TV.

Best 40-inch TV	Price	HDR	Audio
Sony Bravia 2 II	$400	HDR10	Dolby Atmos/DTS:X
Hisense QD6	$200	Dolby Vision	Dolby Atmos
Samsung U7900	$228	HDR10+	Object Tracking Sound Lite
LG C5 OLED	$999	Dolby Vision	Dolby Atmos
TCL Q35F	$150	N/A	Dolby DTS

While buying for a caller TV, nary substance the size, it's indispensable to support successful caput precisely however you'll beryllium utilizing it. If you're cutting the cord with your cablegram oregon outer provider, you'll privation a exemplary that offers a preloaded suite of fashionable apps similar Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ and the quality to download thousands more. If you're looking for a budget-friendly secondary surface for your chamber oregon kids' playroom, you'll person to determine if you privation 4K oregon 1080p HD resolution. And portion console gamers won't precisely beryllium spoiled for choice, it is imaginable to find 40-inch people TVs that connection immoderate benignant of VRR enactment arsenic good arsenic a 120Hz autochthonal refresh rate.

Buy this 40-inch TV...	If you need...
Sony Bravia 2 II	A well-rounded TV that offers premium-grade representation and audio prime successful a smaller package.
Hisense QD6	A budget-friendly Fire TV that fits into smaller spaces similar bedrooms and location offices.
Samsung U7900	A 40-inch TV that is astir tailor-made for streaming with entree to escaped unrecorded TV with Samsung TV Plus arsenic good arsenic enactment for fashionable apps similar Netflix and HBO Max.
LG C5 OLED	A high-end OLED TV that tin crook adjacent the smallest spaces into a decent location theater.
TCL Q35F	An ultra budget-friendly 40-inch TV that inactive offers plentifulness of astute features truthful you don't person to take betwixt getting a large TV and redeeming money.

While buying for a 40-inch TV, determination are a fewer factors you request to support successful caput successful bid to enactment on-budget and get the champion worth for your money:

Price: While a 40-inch TV is going to beryllium overmuch much affordable than its 65-inch, oregon larger, counterparts, determination is inactive a somewhat wide scope of terms points to take from. Each offers antithetic sets of features, truthful each 40-inch exemplary has been chosen for however overmuch worth it offers compared to its cost.
Resolution: While TVs with autochthonal 4K solution are commonplace, it's inactive imaginable to find 40-inch models with lone 1080p resolution. It's important to double-check that the 40-inch exemplary you've chosen is going to nutrient the solution you want; you don't privation to person to spell done the hassle of a instrumentality due to the fact that of a elemental mistake. The bulk of my choices connected this database are susceptible of 4K, though I did see a fewer alternate picks that were 1080p.
Features: Just due to the fact that you'll get a smaller surface with a super-budget terms tag doesn't mean you'll person to sacrifice features you've travel to expect arsenic modular for location entertainment. Whether you get a 4K oregon 1080p model, each 40-inch TV featured connected this database has been ensured to enactment fashionable streaming apps, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and enactment for virtual assistants similar Alexa.

While testing and researching each 40-inch TV featured connected this list, I and different ZDNET experts kept these criteria successful mind:

Brand integrity: Each TV we chose for this database is from a reputable marque with verified lawsuit work options for returns, exchanges, and troubleshooting.
Smart features: As consumers travel to expect definite astute features arsenic standard, we included TV models connected this champion database that connection Wi-Fi connectivity, pre-installed streaming apps, and virtual adjunct support.
Reasons to upgrade: Each TV connected this database offers immoderate benignant of crushed to upgrade implicit its predecessor. Whether that beryllium a brighter screen, amended HDR and audio support, oregon enhanced online privateness with dedicated information chips.

Latest quality connected TVs

In January 2026, Sony entered a tentative statement to merchantability a bulk involvement successful the Bravia TV marque to TCL. Models made by the co-owned marque are expected to deed stores successful 2027.
At CES, we saw dozens of caller and high-tech TVs we can't hold to scope the market. A large taxable for the amusement was RGB backlighting, which we deliberation volition wholly regenerate LED displays successful the adjacent future. The LG W6 Wallpaper was undoubtedly the belle of the shot astatine CES 2026, showcasing an astir mind-bogglingly bladed plan measuring conscionable 9mm. It achieves this by removing galore of the bulky interior components that marque up a high-end OLED TV and placing them successful a wireless Zero Connect Box.
The Samsung S95H was named a Best of CES grant for location theater, acknowledgment to its 35% higher brightness, an all-metal design, and the quality to safely show static artwork from the Art Store without burn-in.

A 40-inch TV tin beryllium utilized arsenic a show without galore issues. Though I would lone urge doing this if you usage your machine for casual web surfing, streaming, oregon emblematic bureau work. Since a TV usually doesn't person the aforesaid refresh complaint and latency arsenic a monitor, it mightiness not beryllium the champion prime for video editors oregon PC gamers.

Yes. With caveats.

If you're capable to spot your dorm country earlier you determination in, either connected a wide field circuit oregon during pupil orientation, I highly urge taking a portion measurement with you to scout retired imaginable spots for a TV. Nothing is much frustrating than hauling your TV and everything other you request for assemblage each the mode to field lone to person to nonstop it backmost location with your parents due to the fact that it won't acceptable wherever you planned.

A 40-inch exemplary should acceptable astir spaces, particularly if you're capable to acceptable it connected apical of a dresser oregon armoire. Make definite you corroborate campus/dorm argumentation astir partition mounting truthful you don't incur repair charges oregon the wrath of your RAs. It whitethorn besides beryllium beneficial to permission your 40-inch TV astatine location (or the store if you haven't purchased it yet) until you tin rearrange your dorm furnishings to optimize the space; you tin ever bring it backmost with you aft a play location visit.

If you're disquieted astir good details getting mislaid connected a smaller screen, you shouldn't be. Screen sheet exertion for televisions has precocious a batch since the archetypal flat-panel and 4K models deed the market, and plentifulness of smaller screens are susceptible of producing clean, wide 4K solution for streaming, gaming, and supported broadcast media.

However, if you're looking to prevention a spot of cash, a 1080p exemplary volition beryllium a spot cheaper than 1 with 4K. And a 40-inch, 1080p TV is inactive a large enactment arsenic a 2nd surface successful your bedroom, kitchen, oregon kids' playroom.

Latest updates

May 2026: We performed insignificant editorial changes and checked merchandise availability and pricing.
February 2026: We replaced the Toshiba V35 with the TCL Q35F arsenic our prime for the champion fund 40-inch TV. We besides included quality connected TVs from CES.

More 40-inch TVs to consider

Roku

Roku's precise ain mid-range astute TV offers 4K solution and a 60Hz refresh complaint for a smoother streaming experience. The Roku level gives you entree to thousands of apps similar Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max truthful you tin crook immoderate country into the eventual amusement hub.

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An Insignia F40 astute TV connected a grey background

Insignia/ZDNET

The Insignia F40 is different large prime if you're looking to prime up a 2nd surface on-the-cheap oregon a decent astute TV that isn't going to interruption the bank. You'll get 1080p solution with a 60Hz refresh rate, built-in Alexa dependable controls, DTS Virtual:X audio, and enactment for hundreds of fashionable apps.

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Looking for much ways to optimize your location theatre experience? Check retired how to disable question interpolation connected your TV, and how to reflector your Android telephone to your TV successful 3 casual ways.

TV Models Reviewed and Compared

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