How Wide is a 40 Inch TV
When choosing a new television, knowing the exact dimensions is crucial – especially the width – to ensure your 40 inch TV will properly fit on your TV stand or media center. While the screen size of a 40 inch display refers to the viewable diagonal length from corner to corner, the specified width is just as important for determining if it can be accommodated within your space and viewing preferences.
What is a 40 Inch TV Size?
The size labeled for televisions, including this 40″ model, corresponds to the display area as measured diagonally from one corner of the screen to the opposite corner. This measurement is referred to as the viewable screen size. For the case of a 40″ TV set, this works out to a viewable screen of about 39.6 inches diagonally between opposite corners, when rounded to the nearest whole number.
Typical Dimensions of a 40 Inch TV
While the viewable diagonal screen size dictates the display’s official size classification, such as with this 40 inch television, the physical width, height and depth dimensions for common 40″ TV models can vary within small ranges, but typically adhere to standard dimensions as follows:
- Width: 35.4 – 37.4 inches
- Height: 21 – 23 inches
- Depth: 3 – 5 inches
As you can observe from the typical width span, a 40″ TV generally falls between 35 – 37 inches for overall width of the screen display area. However, the exact width differs depending on the aspect ratio.
Width & Aspect Ratio of 40″ TVs
The viewing width in inches for a 40 inch television depends on the screen aspect ratio, which refers to the proportional relationship between the TV’s physical width versus the height. The aspect ratio has a major influence on the exact usable width that frames the TV picture.
There are two common aspect ratios to consider with 40 inch TV models:
- 4:3 or Standard Aspect Ratio – More square traditional format equivalent to 1.33:1 width to height. A 40″ TV with 4:3 aspect would have an actual display width of 30 inches.
- 16:9 or Widescreen Aspect Ratio – Rectangular widescreen format equivalent to 1.78:1 width to height. A 40″ TV with 16:9 aspect would come to 35.4 inches wide.
The trend in virtually all modern 40 inch televisions is to utilize a widescreen design at 16:9 aspect, meaning the usable display width works out to a more spacious 35+ inches rather than a square standard 30 inches.
Do TV Sizes Include the Bezel?
When shopping for a new 40″ inch LED, OLED or LCD TV, note that the advertised 40 inch screen size only accounts for the viewable display area and does not factor in the plastic casing or bezel framing the perimeter of the screen.
The plastic edges surrounding the display – commonly referred to as the bezel – will add a small amount of width beyond the screen size stated. However, most modern 40″ TV sets aim for slimmer, compact bezels that add negligible extra width.
Standard Width Range of 40″ TVs
Given the prevalence of widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio across most brands, here is a breakdown of the typical width range for a 40 inch TV set:
- Minimum Width – 35 inches
- Maximum Width– 37.4 inches
- Average Width – 36 inches
So when asking “how wide is a 40 inch TV?” – the most common answer is a width of 36 inches wide. This accounts for the average of different 40″ TV models on the market with thin bezels and 16:9 aspect widescreen design.
Below is a table summarizing examples of common 40″ TVs and their width dimensions:
| Brand | Model | Width (Inches) |
| Samsung | 40″ NU6080 Smart 4K UHD TV | 35.9″ |
| Sony | 40″ X80K LED 4K UHD Smart Google TV | 36.25″ |
| LG | 40″ UP4050 4K UHD Smart TV | 37″ |
Width Comparisons to Other TV Sizes
To understand how a 40 inch television measures up with other popular screen sizes, here is a breakdown of the width dimensions for typical 32, 50, 60 and 70 inch TV models in comparison:
| TV Screen Size | Width Range (Inches) |
| 32 inch TV | 28 – 29 inches |
| 40 inch TV | 35 – 37 inches |
| 50 inch TV | 43 – 45 inches |
| 60 inch TV | 52 – 54 inches |
| 70 inch TV | 62 – 65 inches |
As the data indicates, the average width of a 40″ TV set falls between smaller 32″ and larger 50″ to 70″ inch televisions, coming in at around 36 inches wide. This can assist in visualizing just how wide is a 40 inch screen once set up.
Measuring Your TV Stand/Entertainment Center
Before selecting and purchasing a new 40” inch 4K or smart TV, it is wise to verify that it will properly fit on your existing TV stand or media center furniture. Be sure to have an accurate width measurement of where you intend to place the TV to compare with the width dimensions of various 40” models you may be considering.
Also factor in any protruding shelves or built-in doors in the area planned for the 40” TV that may impact placement. Taking these precautions ahead of time ensures your brand new television will fit when it arrives!
Optimal Viewing Distance for a 40 Inch TV
Beyond just the width, the ideal viewing distance is another key consideration for getting the best picture quality from your 40″ TV based on screen size and supported resolution.
Here is an overview of the recommended viewing distance range for a 40″ inch 1080p or 4K television:
- Minimum Distance – 4.5 feet away
- Maximum Distance – 7.5 feet away
- Optimal Distance – 5.5 to 6 feet away
Sitting between 5 to 7 feet from the front of a 40 inch display allows you to comfortably see all the action while keeping individual pixels indistinguishable for sharper clarity. Compare this to larger screens, like a 70″ or 80” inch TV best viewed 8 to 12+ feet away, to understand why a 40” inch suits smaller rooms and viewing environments.
Also Read Other TV Size and Dimensions:
Influence of Viewing Angle on Perceived Width
One last consideration around perceiving the usable width of your 40″ television is the angle at which it is viewed. When observing a 40 inch TV screen from positions seated directly in front rather than from off to the side angles, the display will appear wider with the full width visible to the viewer.
The edges can start to look compressed at harsh side viewing angles outside 15 to 20 degrees from center. So for accurately judging “how wide is my 40 inch TV screen“, examine it head-on from the central sweet spot!
Evaluating your planned furniture size, viewing distances and seating arrangement in relation to measurements like the typical 36 inch width for most 40” TVs, helps guarantee your new television purchases brings immersive, enjoyable viewing of all your favorite films, sports, games and streaming video content!