Not every room needs a 65 inch behemoth with 4K and a thousand nits of peak brightness. Sometimes you want a television that fits a bedroom, a small apartment, or a second screen for the kitchen, and the Roku 40 Inch Class Select Series 1080p Smart TV fills that role without overthinking it. It brings the familiar Roku streaming platform built right in, a voice remote, and a bundle that includes an HDMI cable, all backed by a 12 month CPS warranty. I lived with it for a month to see if it earns its place.
This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through one of them, the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you, and that never changes what I test or what I recommend. With that note aside, here is my full record of a month of viewing on the Roku 40 inch Select Series.
Design and Build
The Roku 40 inch Select Series keeps the design plain and functional. The bezels are modest for a budget panel, the stand is a simple pair of feet that screw on in minutes, and the back panel has clean cable routing so you do not get a nest of wires hanging behind the set. The included HDMI cable is a small but welcome addition, since budget TVs often arrive with nothing but the power lead and a manual.
Setup follows the usual Roku formula: plug in, turn on, and the on screen guide walks you through connecting to WiFi and signing into the Roku account. The whole process takes about ten minutes, and the remote pairs automatically. The voice remote is a highlight for the price, with a built in microphone for searching across apps by saying a title out loud, plus the usual shortcut buttons for the big streaming services.
Key Features
The built in Roku platform is the star. There is no separate streaming stick or box to buy, because the apps run directly on the television. Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney Plus, YouTube, and thousands of smaller channels are all in the app store, and the home screen puts them in a simple grid that is easy to navigate even for people who are not tech savvy.
The panel itself is a 1080p Full HD LED display, which is the honest match for a 40 inch screen. At this size, sitting at a normal viewing distance, 1080p looks sharp, and the picture quality punches well above what you might expect from a budget set. The voice remote searches across channels, and the 12 month CPS warranty covers the television through its first year. If you want to compare the current price against other 40 inch smart TVs, the Amazon listing for the Roku 40 inch Select Series is a useful reference.
Real-World Performance
I used the Roku 40 as my bedroom television for a month, rotating through streaming shows, live sports, and casual daytime viewing. The picture quality is solid for a 1080p panel. Colors are bright and reasonably accurate out of the box, and dark scenes hold together better than I expected, though you can see the limits of the LED backlight in very dim content where blacks wash toward gray. For a bedroom or secondary room, it is more than adequate.
The Roku software is the smoothest part of the experience. Apps load quickly, the menu responds without the lag that plagues cheaper smart TV systems, and the platform stays fast even with several apps installed. The voice remote understood most of my search commands on the first try, and the shortcut buttons got me straight into my main services. The included HDMI cable connected my game console without any fuss.
The compromises surface at the edges. The built in speakers are thin and lack bass, so music and action scenes sound flat, and most owners will want a soundbar. The 1080p panel cannot display 4K content, so the television will scale it down rather than take advantage of it. The viewing angle is also limited, with colors washing out when you sit well off to the side. None of these are surprising for the price, but they are worth knowing before you buy.
The included HDMI cable also removes one of the most annoying surprises in budget TV shopping. Most sets arrive with only a power cord, forcing you to buy a cable before you can connect a console or a cable box. Here the bundle covers that need, and the port layout on the back means the cable routes cleanly without fighting the wall mount bracket. Even the setup screens are refreshingly honest, with no hidden subscription push at first power on. Roku makes its money on streaming, not on tricking you into paying for features you did not ask for, and that attitude shows in the first five minutes of use.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Built in Roku platform needs no external streaming device
- Responsive interface that stays fast with multiple apps
- Voice remote works well and pairs automatically
- Bright, accurate colors for a budget 1080p panel
- HDMI cable and 12 month CPS warranty included
Cons:
- Built in speakers are thin and lack bass
- 1080p panel cannot show native 4K content
- Limited viewing angles with color wash at the sides
How It Compares
Budget televisions in the 40 inch class split between basic sets with clunky software, 1080p models with a streaming stick, and smarter units like this one. I compared the Roku 40 against a basic no name 1080p TV and a more expensive 4K entry model.
| Feature | Roku 40 Select Series | Basic 1080p TV | Entry 4K TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1080p | 1080p | 4K |
| Smart platform | Built in Roku | Clunky or none | Varies |
| Voice remote | Yes | No | Usually |
| HDMI cable included | Yes | No | No |
| Warranty | 12 month CPS | Standard | Standard |
| Price | Budget | Lower | Higher |
Against the basic 1080p TV, the Roku wins decisively because the built in software is usable, the voice remote actually works, and you do not have to buy a streaming stick to get apps. Against the entry 4K TV, it loses the resolution battle but costs less and offers the same Roku experience. For a bedroom or guest room where 4K is wasted, the Roku 40 is the smarter buy, and it is the set I kept watching.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the Roku 40 inch Select Series if you want a simple, reliable smart TV for a bedroom, small apartment, or kitchen, if you already use Roku and want the same interface without a stick, or if you want a complete package that includes an HDMI cable and a year of warranty coverage. It is a great option for kids rooms, guest rooms, and anyone upgrading from an old non smart TV.
Skip it if you want a 4K panel for movies, if you need strong built in sound without a soundbar, or if you will sit far off to the side where the viewing angle weakens. For everyone else, this is an easy, dependable smart TV. You can check the current price for the Roku 40 inch Select Series on Amazon when you are ready to upgrade your secondary screen.
How We Test
I used the Roku 40 as a daily television for a month, streaming shows and movies, watching live sports, and testing the voice remote across dozens of search commands. I checked app load times, picture quality across bright and dark content, and the connection stability over WiFi.
I also verified that the included HDMI cable worked with a game console and confirmed the voice search on both the Roku platform and connected apps. Independent guidance such as the PCMag roundup of the best budget and 1080p televisions is a useful reference for how budget panels compare. The Roku 40 inch Select Series listing on Amazon shows the current price and shipping details.
Roku 40 Inch Select Series: Questions People Ask
Does the Roku Select Series TV need an external streamer?
No. The Roku platform is built into the television, so streaming apps run directly on the set with no separate box required. Netflix, Prime Video, and hundreds of channels are ready to go after setup.
What resolution does the 40 inch Select Series support?
It is a 1080p Full HD panel, which is ideal for smaller rooms, cable TV, and casual streaming rather than 4K content. At this screen size and normal viewing distance, 1080p looks sharp.
Can the voice remote control the TV and streaming?
Yes. The voice remote searches across apps, launches channels, and controls basic TV functions using the built in microphone. I found it accurate on most spoken commands.
What does the 12 month CPS warranty cover?
The CPS warranty extends protection for twelve months from the purchase date, covering qualifying defects and malfunctions on the television. It adds a year of coverage beyond the basic factory terms.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
