You’re standing in the middle of a fluorescent-lit aisle, staring at a wall of screens. It’s overwhelming. Most of those TVs are massive, 65-inch monsters that cost more than your first car. But then you see it: the 40-inch section. Specifically, the walmart 40 in tv selection that seems almost too cheap to be real.
Honestly, we’ve all been there. You wonder if a $118 TV is actually a "deal" or just a glorified paperweight.
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Buying a TV this size at Walmart isn't about getting the latest OLED technology or a 144Hz refresh rate for competitive gaming. It’s about utility. It’s for the guest room, the kitchen, or that dorm room where space is at a premium. But there is a massive gap between the "good" cheap TVs and the ones that will have you returning them within 48 hours.
Why the 40-Inch Size is Secretly a Sweet Spot
Most people think 40 inches is "small" because the industry has pushed us toward 55 and 65-inch standards.
Here’s the thing: a 40-inch screen at 1080p resolution actually has a higher pixel density than a 55-inch screen at the same resolution. This means if you're sitting relatively close—say, at a desk or in a small bedroom—the image often looks sharper.
Walmart has basically cornered the market on this specific size. While brands like LG and Sony have largely abandoned the 40-inch form factor to focus on high-end 42-inch OLEDs or 43-inch budget sets, brands like onn., Vizio, and Hisense are still iterating here.
The Resolution Trap
You’ll notice most walmart 40 in tv models are 1080p (Full HD).
Some people get upset they aren't 4K. Kinda understandable, but let’s be real: at 40 inches, your eyes can barely tell the difference between 1080p and 4K unless you’re sitting three feet away. Plus, a 1080p processor has less work to do, which can sometimes make the built-in smart interface feel a bit snappier than a cheap 4K processor struggling to upscale every single frame.
The "Big Three" at Walmart: onn., Vizio, and Hisense
If you’re looking for a 40-inch model right now, you’re basically choosing between three main contenders.
- The onn. 40” Class FHD Roku Smart TV: This is Walmart’s house brand. It usually hovers around $118 to $128. It’s basic. It’s light. It feels a bit plasticky. But it uses the Roku interface, which is arguably the most user-friendly system for anyone who isn't a "tech person."
- Hisense H4 Series: This is a perennial best-seller. It’s often priced almost identically to the onn. brand. The "120 Motion Rate" they brag about? It's marketing fluff. It’s a 60Hz panel. However, Hisense tends to have slightly better color calibration out of the box than the onn. models.
- Vizio D-Series: Vizio is the "premium" option in this budget tier. The D-Series 40-inch usually features a full-array LED backlight. This helps with contrast, meaning blacks look a bit more like black and less like cloudy gray. It uses Vizio’s SmartCast platform, which is okay, but can feel a bit sluggish compared to Roku.
What Nobody Tells You About Budget Audio
The biggest lie in the walmart 40 in tv aisle is the "Dolby Audio" sticker.
Yes, the software can process Dolby. No, the speakers cannot play it back with any dignity. These TVs are thin. Thin TVs have tiny speakers. Tiny speakers sound like a phone inside a tin can.
If you're buying one of these for anything other than background noise while you cook, plan on spending another $50 on a basic soundbar. Even a cheap one will transform the experience.
The Port Problem
Check the back before you toss the box in your cart.
Cheap 40-inch TVs often skimp on HDMI ports. Most have two, maybe three. If you have a cable box, a gaming console, and a Blu-ray player, you’re already out of room. Also, look for an "Optical Out" or "HDMI ARC" port if you plan on connecting that soundbar I just mentioned.
Surviving the "Panel Lottery"
There’s a phenomenon tech enthusiasts call the "panel lottery."
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Essentially, a company like onn. might use three different screen manufacturers for the same model of TV. You might get a great one, or you might get one with "milky" spots in the corners—something customers have reported in recent 2024 and 2025 reviews.
If you buy a walmart 40 in tv, test it immediately.
- Turn off the lights.
- Put on a dark scene in a movie.
- Look for "flashlighting" (bright light leaking from the corners).
- If it looks like a cloudy mess, take it back. Walmart’s return policy is one of the best reasons to buy from them instead of a random third-party seller online.
Gaming on a 40-Inch Budget Screen
Can you game on these? Sorta.
If you're hooking up a Nintendo Switch or a PS4/Xbox One, they’re great. They handle 1080p natively, and the input lag is surprisingly low because there isn't much "image processing" happening.
But if you’re a PS5 or Xbox Series X owner, you’re wasting your console's potential. You won't get 120Hz, you won't get true HDR, and you won't get the 4K crispness. For a kid’s room? Perfect. For your main gaming rig? Skip it and save for a 43-inch gaming monitor or a higher-end QLED.
Maintenance and Longevity: What to Expect
Let’s be honest: a $120 TV isn't a 10-year investment.
The most common failure point is the LED backlight. To make these TVs look "bright" in a store, the "backlight" setting is usually cranked to 100%. This burns out the LEDs faster.
As soon as you get your walmart 40 in tv home, go into the settings. Drop the backlight to 70% or 80%. Your eyes will adjust, and the TV will likely live an extra two years because it isn't running at max heat all the time.
Smart Features: Roku vs. Google TV
In 2026, Walmart has started pushing more "Google TV" versions of their onn. sets alongside the Roku ones.
Roku is better for grandparents. It’s just big squares with app names.
Google TV is better if you’re already in the Android ecosystem. It has better search features and works well with your phone, but it can be "heavy" for the cheap processors inside these 40-inch TVs.
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If the TV feels laggy right out of the box, it’s usually the software. A quick fix? Plug in an external 4K streaming stick. It seems redundant, but a $30 stick often has a faster processor than the $120 TV it’s plugged into.
Actionable Steps for the Smart Shopper
If you are ready to pull the trigger on a walmart 40 in tv, don't just grab the first one you see.
First, check the "Rollback" tags online versus in-store; sometimes the website has a "flash deal" that hasn't been updated on the physical shelf yet. Second, prioritize the Vizio D-Series if you care about picture quality (thanks to that full-array backlight) or the onn. Roku if you just want something that works without a headache.
Finally, check the manufacture date on the box. You want a 2025 or 2026 model to ensure the internal Wi-Fi chip isn't ancient. Once you get it home, calibrate the picture by turning off "Vivid" mode—it makes everyone look like they have a sunburn—and switch to "Movie" or "Standard" for a more natural look.