The best 40- to 43-inch TVs are not to be underestimated. They might not have the gargantuan screen heft of larger TVs, but you can get some great-looking sets here that won't take over your room – and they’re exceptionally affordable at this size.
And don’t be fooled by their small form factor. Many of the best 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs don’t compromise on functionality compared to the best 65-inch TVs or the best 75-inch TVs even – they can give you 4K resolution and HDR (high dynamic range) – for ultra-crisp visuals and bright colors. Plus, just like their bigger siblings, you’ll get the same smart TV interfaces with streaming services built in for all your regular Netflix and Disney Plus binges.
Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Entertainment, meaning he's in charge of persuading our team to watch the latest movies on gorgeous TVs as well as listen to fantastic speakers and headphones. It's a tough task, as you can imagine. Matt has over a decade of experience in tech publishing, and has been writing about the latest TVs and soundbars since 2017.
The Quick List
Want to cut to the chase and find out which 40-43-inch TVs are the best? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices. You can also jump to a more detailed review of every pick and our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.
The best 40-43 inch TV overall
The 42-inch LG C5 is the best 40-43-inch TV you can buy, offering up excellent picture quality, extensive gaming features, and a brightness boost over the C4, all at a fair price for the performance.
The best cheap 40-43 inch TV
The 43-inch Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is the best budget TV in its size category, offering very good overall picture and gaming performance for the price.
The best 40-43 inch mini-LED TV
Delivering high brightness and featuring a Glare Free screen, the Samsung QN90F is an excellent choice for bright rooms and is well equipped for gaming.
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The best super-cheap 40-inch TV
If you want a cheap, decent TV in a 40-inch size, look no further. Aside from price, the Amazon Fire TV 40-inch 2-series' main draw is its built-in Fire TV streaming platform.
The best 40-43-inch TVs you can buy
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Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best 40-43-inch TVs in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
The best 40 - 43-inch TV for most people
✅ You want top-tier picture performance: The LG C5’s fantastic contrast, vibrant colors and impressive detail make it feel much more premium than it should at this price.
✅ You’re looking for a gaming TV: You’ll get a full suite of gaming features here, as well as excellent responsiveness and stunning visuals.
❌ You already have the LG C4: If you loved the C4 and wonder if an upgrade is worth it, the answer is no. Yes there are improvements but not enough.
❌ You want top audio: Look, the speakers here are fine but they don’t reach the same heights as the picture or gaming performance.
The LG C5 continues LG’s C-series streak of top performance and strong value. It's only a modest step up from the C4, but a new chipset and some smart refinements make it a solid all-rounder. The 42-inch model is our pick for its balance of size, picture quality and price, which we think will suit most people hunting for a TV that’s good for gamers and smaller rooms.
Picture performance is superb. You get rich color, deep blacks and impressive shadow details with life-like textures, as well as solid motion handling. It’s brighter than the C4, though bigger models do get a more significant brightness boost. The only downside is that reflections can be noticeable in well-lit rooms, so it’ll perform better in dimmer environments.
The Alpha 9 Gen 8 chip adds an updated webOS smart TV platform with AI Picture and Sound Wizard modes to tailor your viewing experience. You’ll also get AI-enabled Search, Concierge and a voice mode, which serves up personalized recommendations. HDR support covers Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG, but no HDR10+. Gamers get an excellent setup: 4K 144Hz, FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming, all across four HDMI ports, plus a low 92ms input lag. Combined with its rich visuals, the 42-inch C5 is a standout small-screen gaming option.
Sound quality is fine, but limited. The 2.0-channel 20W Atmos system is clear and balanced, but bass and height effects are minimal. We recommend you still budget for a soundbar. The design is slim and premium, with two feet on the 42-inch model and LG's refreshed Magic Remote – though whether you get this newer version will depend on your region.
Overall, the LG C5 is an excellent, feature-packed TV with great picture quality and top-tier gaming support. The LG C4 is still worth considering as an alternative, especially as it’s now discounted, but the C5 earns its place as our top pick overall.
Read our full LG C5 review
Find the best deals on LG products with our LG coupon codes.
The best budget 40 - 43-inch TV
✅ You want a colorful picture: The Omni QLED uses a QLED display, which is brighter and more colorful than what you'll see on a standard LED display.
✅ You want a gaming TV on a budget: It may be missing a 120Hz refresh rate, but the Omni QLED supports VRR and Dolby Vision gaming.
❌ You want the most responsive TV: We experienced some stalls and stutters while navigating the Omni QLED's Fire TV interface in our testing.
❌You want the best built-in sound: The Omni QLED has okay sound, but it will also benefit from a soundbar.
The Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED is the definition of value for money. Great picture quality and gaming performance make this a TV with a lot of bank for its buck. Already at a cheap price on release, the Amazon Omni often finds itself with heavy discounts, particularly during Black Friday (with prices as low as $299/£299 for the 43-inch).
The picture quality of the Omni QLED was a real surprise when we viewed it. Yes, it's not the best picture by any stretch, because its black levels aren't particularly strong (and this 43-inch version lacks the local dimming of the larger models in this range), but the detail in movies, particularly in 4K HDR, is impressive. Colors pop from the screen and there's a certain natural quality to the image that can be lost in budget TVs.
Gaming performance was another plus point for the Omni QLED. It did a great job of handling graphically intense moments, with smooth motion processing and minimal delay thanks to its low 10ms input lag time. The picture quality delivered was crisp as well, thanks to Dolby Vision gaming support. However, it sadly doesn't have 4K 120Hz support, but this is not something you get in TVs at this price range anyway.
There are plenty of TVs that top the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED in every area, especially when it comes to sound and design, but combining what it does have in to one set at this price, the Omni QLED is unbeatable value.
Read our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review
The best 40 - 43-inch mini-LED TV
✅ You want a smaller screen for a bright room: If you're looking for a small screen for your brighter viewing space, you can't do much better than the QN90F.
✅ You want a small screen for gaming: The QN90F is equipped with nearly all the gaming features you could need, and its brightness makes it perfect for daytime gaming.
❌ You're on a budget: The QN90F is a premium-priced mini-LED TV, even at this size. It's much pricier than more basic QLED and LED TVs.
❌You want Dolby Vision: The Samsung QN90F supports HDR10+ but not Dolby Vision – the same as with every other Samsung TV.
The Samsung QN90F is the perfect TV if you're looking for a bright, small screen for sports, gaming and daytime viewing.
There aren't many TVs at a 43-inch size that can match the features and performance of the QN90F, which uses a mini-LED display panel to deliver high brightness levels. It has a Glare Free screen for distraction-free viewing, its colors are bold and vibrant, and it has powerful contrast. The QN90F's effective backlight control also limits the backlight blooming effects that you may find in cheaper mini-LED TVs, and its responsive motion handling makes it great for sports.
Gamers looking for a 43-inch screen won't be let down by the QN90F. Its gaming features include four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 165Hz, VRR, ALLM, HGiG and HDR10+, and its 9.5ms input lag time means ultra-responsive gameplay. Samsung's Gaming Hub, a portal for all things gaming, including cloud-based apps, is another welcome feature.
There's no getting around the fact that the QN90F is a premium TV, with a premium price. There are plenty of cheaper 43-inch sets out there, but not many deliver what the QN90F does. If you're looking for a top-tier 43-inch TV, the QN90F is an excellent option.
Read our full Samsung QN90F review
The best super-cheap 40-inch TV
✅ You want a cheap TV: You can get the Amazon 2-series for very cheap and you're still getting HD resolution and Fire TV smart features.
✅ You want a smaller screen with decent audio: It isn't immersive or expansive by any means, but the 2-series' audio is better than expected.
❌ You want 4K resolution: By paying such a low price, you're not getting 4K resolution.
❌You want a gaming TV: While its gaming performance is fine enough, there are no gaming-specific features here such as VRR or ALLM.
Unlike the other entries on this list, the Amazon Fire TV 40-inch 2-series uses a Full HD panel rather than a 4K panel, which means it won't be compatible with 4K Blu-rays or 4K streaming. But it does provide a strikingly cheap 40-inch TV option, as we've seen it priced as low as $178 / £239.
While we haven't tested the 40-inch 2-series, we have tested the 32-inch 2-series and have formulated our opinions. The 2-series we tested doesn't have the most consistent picture, with sub-par contrast and black levels, but its colors are still vibrant and dynamic enough. Another area where it succeeds is in its built-in audio, which made dialogue sound clear and had a good enough balance. With larger speakers provided in the 40-inch version, this is likely to carry across.
The 2-series also comes with Fire TV as its smart TV platform and it's unlikely you'll get a different 40-inch TV at this price with smart TV features such as Alexa voice control. Navigation can be sluggish and clunky at times, but Fire TV is still one of the more comprehensive smart TV platforms available.
Where the 2-series is unmatched is its value. It may only have a Full HD panel, but the price is hard to argue against for a 40-inch TV. No, it doesn't have the same quality level as the sets above and the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED remains the best overall budget option. But if you're looking for a super-cheap TV and are happy to compromise, the Amazon 2-series fulfills that purpose.
Also consider
Here are some other TVs we've tested that didn't make the list, but are still good 40-43-inch options.
Bush 43UT24SB: For UK readers looking for a cheap TV, the Bush 43UT24SB is a surprisingly strong option. It has a bright display and accurate, deep black levels. Plus, it has decent gaming features for a very cheap TV. While it doesn't best the Amazon Omni QLED, it's a very good cheap TV option for those on a tight budget. Read our full Bush 43UT24SB review.
LG C4: The LG C5 has replaced the C4 in our guide above as the best 40-43-inch TV overall, but we're still including it here as it's well worth considering. Especially if you don't mind an older model and you're looking for discounts – now the C5 is here you'll see some tempting reductions on the C4. It's a bright OLED with excellent picture quality and great gaming features, including 144Hz support. Read our full LG C4 review for more.
Philips OLED809: Another one for our UK readers, the Philips OLED809 delivers detailed, colorful pictures and immersive sound from its built-in speakers, and it has a near-full suite of gaming features. It also comes with Ambilight for an added layer of immersion. It's a superb alternative to the LG C4, but does come at a higher price. Read our full Philips OLED809 review.
Best 40-, 42- and 43-inch TV FAQ
Is a 40-inch TV big enough?
It's worth remembering that 40-inch screens, while once the pinnacle of high-end TV tech, are now considered a small size compared to many other TV displays.
Manufacturers can make bigger screens than ever before and, these days, 55-inch 4K TVs are standard, with 65-inch 4K TVs quickly growing in popularity.
A 40-inch TV should come with 4K resolution, but you'll be able to see the benefits more clearly on a larger size. We find that a 40-inch TV is a pretty decent size for a single viewer not sitting too far away, but for a family or group of flatmates it's not ideal.
To make sure if a 40-inch TV is right for you, measure the space you'd like to put it in and consider how much your budget can stretch.
In this guide, we've also included several 42-inch and 43-inch TVs, which might give you a bit of extra screen space if the best 40-inch TVs seem a touch too small.
What about 42-inch TVs and 43-inch TVs?
For ease, we've included 40-inch TVs as well as the best 42-inch TVs and 43-inch TVs in this guide.
Of course, many things affect the size and scale of a TV screen beyond simply the diagonal length of the panel, including the width of the bezel (the black strip around the screen's edges), built-in speakers, HDMI inputs and connections, as well as the depth of the casing (which often varies in different places). What this means is you may not notice the difference between a 40-inch TV and a 43-inch TV due to all of these factors.
We've also seen increased production of 42-inch TVs in recent years, with TV brand LG bringing out 42-inch OLED TVs, like the LG OLED42C4 at the top of this guide.
Many people find 42-inch and 43-inch TVs are perfect for smaller rooms, like studies, kitchens and any other space in your home where you don't need a huge, cinematic display. Even for smaller living rooms, 43-inch TVs are the perfect sweet spot.
How to choose
How do I pick out a 40-inch, 42-inch or 43-inch TV?
Not sure how to choose what 40-inch, 42-inch or 43-inch TV is for you? While the options might feel overwhelming, it's worth considering what we think about when recommending TVs here on TechRadar.
Ultra HD vs Full HD: It's a common misconception that you can't see the difference between full HD and Ultra HD/4K on a screen smaller than 55 inches. You can. We recommend picking a TV with 4K Ultra-HD and HDR if you can find one. It makes a big difference.
Operating system: 40-inch, 42-inch and 43-inch TVs didn't always come with a smart TV operating system in the past but they often do now. What you're looking for, ideally, is a well-maintained operating system like Roku TV, LG's webOS or Samsung's Tizen operating system. If you go with a TV that uses a proprietary operating system (basically an operating system exclusive to that one TV) you might have some serious issues down the road.
Inputs and outputs: Multiple HDMI ports are important if you have many devices to hook up to your TV but you may find less on a TV that's smaller than 43-inches. We recommend choosing a TV with more one HDMI port. You'll find yourself swapping cables far too often if you do.
Other 40- to 43-inch TVs we've tested
Here are some other TVs we've tested that didn't make the list, but are still good 40-43-inch options.
Bush 43UT24SB: For UK readers looking for a cheap TV, the Bush 43UT24SB is a surprisingly strong option. It has a bright display and accurate, deep black levels. Plus, it has decent gaming features for a very cheap TV. While it doesn't best the Amazon Omni QLED, it's a very good cheap TV option for those on a tight budget. Read our full Bush 43UT24SB review.
LG C4: The LG C5 has replaced the C4 in our guide above as the best 40-43-inch TV overall, but we're still including it here as it's well worth considering. Especially if you don't mind an older model and you're looking for discounts – now the C5 is here you'll see some tempting reductions on the C4. It's a bright OLED with excellent picture quality and great gaming features, including 144Hz support. Read our full LG C4 review for more.
Philips OLED809: Another one for our UK readers, the Philips OLED809 delivers detailed, colorful pictures and immersive sound from its built-in speakers, and it has a near-full suite of gaming features. It also comes with Ambilight for an added layer of immersion. It's a superb alternative to the LG C4, but does come at a higher price. Read our full Philips OLED809 review.
How we test the best 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs
We test the best 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs using a combination of subjective and objective testing. For subjective tests, we focus on picture and audio quality, gaming performance and features. For our objective tests, we measure brightness, color gamut coverage, color and grayscale accuracy and input lag for gaming. For a complete guide, read how we test TVs at TechRadar or a summary version below.
Starting with subjective testing, we will evaluate picture quality using broadcast TV, 4K Blu-ray and streaming sources. We also use this time to check the picture presets such as Movie, Filmmaker, and Standard to determine the most accurate picture mode.
When testing the best 40, 42 and 43-inch TVs, we're looking at how the TV handles HD and 4K images, but also lower-resolution sources such as broadcast TV, even though upscaling isn't as important on smaller screens as on larger screens such as 65 and 75-inch. We also look at the TV's contrast, black levels, color accuracy, motion handling, and detail.
Gaming is another important area, and we look at features that will benefit gaming with a PS5 and Xbox Series X such as number of HDMI 2.1 ports, 120Hz refresh rate, VRR, ALLM and more. 40-43 inch TVs may not provide all these features, but some sets will support them.
Once subjective testing is completed, we'll use specialized equipment including a colorimeter and test pattern generator to conduct a series of objective tests, with the results recorded by Portrait Displays' Calman calibration software. We'll also use a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester to record input latency with the TV in Game mode.
To test brightness, we'll set the TV to its most accurate picture mode (typically Movie or Filmmaker) and use various standard dynamic range (SDR) white window test patterns to measure brightness in nits. The two most important patterns are 10%, which tells us the peak brightness we can realistically expect, and 100% which indicates how well a TV will handle reflections and sustain a bright image over the full screen - useful for watching sports. We will then repeat those measurements with the TV in Standard mode, and do the same in both modes using high dynamic range (HDR) test patterns.
We also test color and grayscale accuracy by measuring color, black, white, and gray test patterns. Overall accuracy in these tests is cited as an average Delta-E value, which tells us the margin of error between the test pattern and what the TV displays. The TV's color gamut coverage with HDR sources is also measured, and the closer the number to 100%, the better.
Finally, we use a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester to measure input latency, which is important for gaming. The lower the input lag time the better, but realistically, under 20ms is fine for most people. (Today's best gaming TVs all score under 15ms on this test.)
Latest updates to this guide
18 November 2025
Replaced the LG C4 as our top pick for most people with the newer C5 model, based on our recent testing. We moved the older C4 model into our 'also consider' section, as it's still worth your time if you're looking for a good discount and don't mind an older model.
14 July 2025
Replaced the Samsung QN90D with the Samsung QN90F as best mini-LED TV for the latter's higher brightness and anti-reflection screen.
27 March 2025
Added a section called 'Other TVs we've tested' with summaries and links to other 40-43-inch sets we've reviewed that didn't quite make the list.
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30 January 2025
Added in an Also consider section with other TVs we've reviewed that didn't quite make the list. Added in a section exploring the TVs due in 2025 that could join the list later in the year.
3 December 2024
Added in Buy it if boxes for each entry with pros and cons for each TV.
10 October 2024
Replaced the Samsung QN90C with the Samsung QN90D for 'best mini-LED'.
9 August 2024
Added quick links at top of guide for improved navigation.
2 April 2024
Added the Amazon 2-series as the 'best super-cheap 40-inch TV'. Added this latest updates section. Added a 'How we test' section to explain our testing methods and practices.
