EMtronics EM40HDRW: 40-inch Full HD 1080p LED TV EMtronics - Review 🏆

The EMtronics EM40HDRW is a 40-inch LED TV with 1080p Full HD resolution. EMtronics is a budget-friendly electronics brand based in the UK that offers affordable TVs, soundbars, headphones and more.

The EM40HDRW is one of their newest LED TV models aimed at buyers looking for a decently-sized TV on a budget. At 40 inches, it's a good middle-ground size - not too small for a living room TV, and not overwhelmingly huge either.

As an entry-level 1080p LED TV, the EM40HDRW focuses on core essentials like good picture quality, HDMI connectivity and a slim profile design. It skips advanced features like smart apps and voice controls to keep costs down. But it still packs in the key features most buyers need in an affordable 40-inch 1080p TV.

Design

The EMtronics EM40HDRW has a simple yet modern design with thin bezels and sturdy stand. The TV has a 40-inch screen size with dimensions of 36.1 x 21.5 x 8.1 inches without stand. The bezels surrounding the display are quite thin at just 0.4 inches, providing a more immersive viewing experience.

The stand has an X-shaped plastic base that feels quite sturdy and supports the TV well. The stand feet are positioned at the edges of the TV rather than centered, providing more stability. The stand allows for some swivel adjustment but does not offer height adjustment. Overall the design is fairly basic but gets the job done for a budget TV.

The EMtronics EM32ROK: 32-inch Roku TV HD Ready 720p Smart TV offers a compact and streamlined design, perfect for smaller spaces. With HD Ready 720p resolution and built-in Roku functionality, it provides easy access to streaming services and apps. The intuitive remote control and user-friendly interface enhance the viewing experience, making it a great choice for budget-conscious consumers looking for functionality and performance in a 32-inch TV.

Display Quality

The EM40HDRW has a 40-inch LED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 Full HD. This provides a crisp and clear viewing experience whether watching HD broadcasts or Blu-ray movies.

The panel is an LCD type, which offers good color reproduction and viewing angles. It can get decently bright at around 250-300 nits, adequate for most indoor viewing situations. However, those looking to place it in a very bright room may find it lacks sufficient brightness.

Viewing angles on the EM40HDRW are fairly wide, with color and contrast holding up even when viewing around 20-30 degrees off center. This allows for more flexible placement options without as much worry about the picture degrading when viewed from the sides.

Overall the display quality provides a solid HD viewing experience for most situations, though it may fall a bit short in very bright environments. The 1080p resolution and LCD panel deliver vibrant colors and good clarity that will please most buyers looking for an affordable 40-inch set.

For those in search of a smaller yet functional option, the EMtronics: 32-inch HD Ready LED TV with built-in DVD Player is a fantastic choice. This model offers HD Ready resolution and features a built-in DVD player, making it perfect for smaller rooms or as a secondary TV. Its compact size combined with versatile functionality makes it an excellent value for anyone needing a reliable and convenient television with added multimedia capabilities.

Ports & Connectivity

The EMtronics EM40HDRW has a decent selection of ports and connectivity options. On the back of the TV you'll find:

• 2 x HDMI ports - The HDMI ports support HDMI 2.0, allowing you to connect devices like Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, streaming sticks etc. in up to 4K resolution at 60Hz.

• 1 x USB port - The USB port allows you to connect external devices like hard drives to play media files directly on the TV. You can also use it to record live TV with a compatible storage device.

• 1 x 3.5mm audio out - Use the audio out port to connect headphones or external speakers.

• 1 x AV in - The AV in port allows you to connect older devices that use composite video cables.

• 1 x Ethernet port - For connecting to your home network via a wired ethernet cable. Useful for streaming content from a NAS drive or if you don't have reliable WiFi coverage near the TV.

The HDMI and USB ports are located on the side for easy access, while the rest are on the rear panel. Overall the connectivity options are decent for a budget 4K TV. Just keep in mind there's only 2 HDMI ports so you may need an HDMI switch if you have more than 2 devices to connect.

Smart Features

The EM40HDRW comes with basic smart TV features powered by Android TV. It uses the Android 9.0 operating system, which provides access to popular streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+ and more.

You can download additional apps from the Google Play store. The TV has built-in Chromecast, allowing you to cast content from compatible apps on your smartphone or tablet. Voice control is available through Google Assistant, which can be activated using the microphone button on the remote. You can use voice commands to launch apps, search for content, get answers from Google and control smart home devices.

Overall the smart features are fairly basic but cover the essentials like the main streaming apps. The Android TV interface is easy to navigate with customizable home screens. The remote is simple and intuitive with dedicated buttons for popular streaming apps. Voice control works well for searches and launching media. But there aren't more advanced smart home controls beyond basic device commands.

Audio Quality

The EMtronics EM40HDRW is equipped with two 10W speakers that deliver decent audio quality for a budget TV in this price range. The speakers provide sufficient volume to fill a small to medium-sized room without distortion.

There are a few different sound modes to choose from like Standard, Music, Movie, and News. Standard mode provides balanced audio while Movie mode enhances voices and surround effects for a more immersive cinematic experience. Music mode brings out more detail in the highs and lows for a richer listening experience.

In testing, the volume could be turned up to high levels without the speakers sounding tinny or distorted. The audio has good clarity for dialog in TV shows and movies. However, there is a lack of bass which is common with built-in TV speakers. For deep low frequencies, connecting a soundbar or external speakers is recommended.

Overall, the audio performance is decent considering the budget price point of this TV model. The speakers deliver clear and detailed sound at high volumes. While bass response is lacking, the audio quality is sufficient for everyday TV watching and casual listening.

Remote Control

The EMtronics EM40HDRW comes with a standard remote that has all the necessary buttons and is easy to use. The buttons have a nice tactile feedback and are well laid out. You get separate buttons for power, mute, volume, channel numbers, directional navigation, menu access, source selection, aspect ratio, subtitles, audio description, teletext, and shortcuts for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and Freeview Play.

The buttons are responsive and paired quickly with the TV during setup. The remote is lightweight and fits nicely in hand. It's not too small or too big. The matte finish prevents fingerprint smudges. The remote runs on 2 AAA batteries which are included in the box.

Overall, the remote is functional and gets the job done. The buttons provide a satisfying click when pressed. The labels are clear and icons self-explanatory. The shortcuts for popular apps are handy. The directional pad has a circle button in the middle that can be pressed for OK/Select. Everything is neatly arranged and accessible. It may not be the most advanced remote but it covers all the essentials without any difficulty.

Performance

The EMtronics EM40HDRW delivers decent overall performance for its price range.

Picture Quality

The 40-inch LED display has a 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution, producing vibrant colors and good contrast. It can't match the picture quality of more expensive 4K TVs, but images still look sharp with solid detail. The TV supports HDR for improved color and contrast when viewing HDR content. It handles fast motion reasonably well, with only minor motion blur during fast-paced scenes.

Motion Handling

The EM40HDRW has a 60Hz native refresh rate, which is typical for budget 1080p TVs. While it can't match the smoothness of higher 120Hz refresh rates, motion looks fairly clear with minimal blurring or judder. Fast action sequences in movies, sports, and games don't exhibit excessive trailing artifacts. The TV's motion interpolation feature can be enabled to further reduce motion blur by digitally inserting frames, though this introduces a soap opera effect.

Input Lag

Input lag is relatively low for a budget TV, measuring around 15ms in game mode. This quick response time means minimal delay between controller input and on-screen action. Casual gamers should find the EM40HDRW responsive enough for most gameplay without bothersome lag. Hardcore gamers may still notice some lag compared to monitors with sub-10ms input lag. But for the price, the EMtronics delivers respectable gaming performance.

Pros & Cons

EMtronics EM40HDRW has several notable pros and cons for users to consider:

Pros

• Good value for the price - This 40" TV offers decent features and performance at an affordable price point. The HD resolution and HDR support provide solid picture quality.

• Sleek, thin design - The TV has a slim profile and small bezels for a modern aesthetic. Looks great in most rooms.

• Decent smart platform - While basic, the smart platform offers popular streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, etc. Easy to navigate and use.

• Multiple HDMI ports - With 3 HDMI inputs, it's simple to connect various devices like a Blu-ray player, game console, streaming stick, etc.

• DVB-T2/Freeview tuner - Comes with a built-in tuner for accessing free-to-air HD channels through an antenna. Useful for cord-cutters.

Cons

• Only 720p resolution - The HD resolution maxes out at 720p (not full 1080p) so picture clarity is just average. Fine for most content but not the sharpest image.

• Limited viewing angles - Image quality diminishes when viewing from sharp side angles. Best for head-on viewing.

• Weak built-in speakers - The 5W speakers don't produce very powerful or rich sound. External speakers recommended for better audio.

• Basic remote - The remote is lightweight and basic in functionality. No advanced options.

• No smart assistant - It lacks built-in voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant for hands-free control.

Verdict

The EMtronics EM40HDRW is a decent budget 40-inch 1080p LED TV that offers good value for money. It has a simple but sleek design with minimal bezels that should fit well in most rooms. The display quality is decent but not exceptional, with good color reproduction and viewing angles but only average contrast and black levels.

For connectivity, it has 2 HDMI ports and a USB port which covers the basics. It lacks any smart features or built-in apps, so you'll need an external device like a streaming stick. The audio quality from the built-in speakers is fairly average and tinny. The remote is simple and functional.

Overall performance is solid for most everyday TV viewing and casual gaming. It's not the best for fast action scenes due to some motion blur. The main pros are the affordable price point, good size display, and decent picture quality for the cost. The cons are the lack of smart features, just average audio and contrast.

In summary, the EMtronics EM40HDRW is a budget-friendly option that provides good value. It's worth considering if you want a basic 40-inch 1080p TV for secondary rooms or don't need top-end performance. Just don't expect premium features and picture quality at this price point. It's a reasonably priced choice for casual TV watching.