RCA RK40FQ1: 40" FHD Roku TV Smart TV RCA - Review 🏆

The RCA RK40FQ1 Roku TV is a 40-inch smart TV that offers a lot of features and value for an affordable price point. Part of RCA's partnership with Roku, this 2021 model provides easy access to popular streaming apps and channels, as well as a simple interface that makes it easy to find entertainment options.

With a Full HD 1080p display, HDR support, and Dolby Audio, the RK40FQ1 delivers good picture and sound quality for most everyday TV viewing and streaming. The addition of Roku's operating system gives you hundreds of streaming channels to choose from, with access to favorites like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, and more.

This isn't the most advanced TV, but for a basic 40-inch set for bedrooms, dorms, kitchens, or other secondary rooms in your home, the RK40FQ1 Roku TV offers solid smart capabilities and decent performance at a very wallet-friendly price.

Design & Build Quality

The RCA RK40FQ1 is a 40-inch 1080p full HD LED TV with a clean, minimalist design. The TV has an edge-lit LED backlight panel, which helps it remain fairly slim in depth.

At just 2.28 inches thick, the RK40FQ1 has a very sleek profile when viewed from the side. The bezels surrounding the screen are relatively thin as well, measuring 0.47 inches on the sides and 0.63 inches along the top and bottom. This creates a more immersive viewing experience by minimizing borders around the screen.

The included stand has a simple two-pronged design with a rectangular plastic base. The stand feels sturdy enough to safely support the TV, which weighs just 12.1 lbs without the stand. The light weight makes the TV easy to move or mount on a wall if desired.

Overall, the RCA RK40FQ1 has a basic but well-built design. The slim depth, minimal bezels, and lightweight body give it an airy, contemporary look that should fit nicely in most living spaces.

For those seeking a larger screen and more features, the RCA Roku TV: 43 4K Smart TV offers a 43-inch display with 4K resolution and smart capabilities. This model integrates the Roku streaming platform, providing easy access to thousands of apps and channels. With its high resolution and smart features, the RCA Roku TV enhances the viewing experience, making it a great option for modern homes.

Ports & Connectivity

The RCA RK40FQ1 offers a decent selection of ports and connectivity options. On the back of the TV, you'll find 3 HDMI ports, 1 USB port, a LAN port for ethernet connectivity, an RF input for antenna/cable, a digital audio output, and a headphone jack.

The 3 HDMI ports allow you to connect devices like a Blu-ray player, game console, or streaming stick. Having multiple ports is convenient so you don't have to constantly swap cables. The USB port enables you to view photos, music, and videos from a flash drive or external hard drive.

For wireless connectivity, the RCA RK40FQ1 includes built-in WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2. The WiFi makes it easy to stream content and access apps without running cables across the room. Bluetooth allows you to pair wireless headphones, speakers, or other accessories. The LAN port provides a wired ethernet connection if you need faster, more reliable speeds than WiFi.

Overall, the port selection covers the essentials for connecting your devices, while the WiFi and Bluetooth provide flexibility for wireless streaming and audio. The connectivity options are sufficient for most needs in a living room TV setup.

Additionally, if you are looking for a compact smart TV option, consider the RCA RS24H1A: 24 Smart Android TV. This model runs on Android TV and features Google Assistant, allowing for voice control and easy access to streaming platforms. It also comes with built-in Chromecast, making it convenient to cast content from your smartphone or tablet. The RCA RS24H1A provides a user-friendly interface and a smart TV experience in a smaller size, perfect for bedrooms or kitchens. For more details, visit: RCA RS24H1A: 24 Smart Android TV.

Picture Quality

The RCA RK40FQ1 delivers good overall picture quality for its price range. It has a 40-inch 1080p display with a standard 60Hz refresh rate. While it lacks advanced features like local dimming, the image is fairly bright and colors look accurate.

Contrast levels are decent but blacks could be deeper. In dark scenes blacks tend to look more gray than truly black. The TV has limited HDR support and can't take full advantage of HDR content. It accepts HDR10 signals but lacks the wide color gamut and peak brightness for a true HDR experience.

Viewing angles are also average. The image starts to degrade when viewing from the sides, with some color shifting and loss of contrast. The best image quality is when viewing the RCA RK40FQ1 straight on from the center of the screen.

Overall the picture quality is good for most everyday TV watching and casual viewing. It may fall short for home theater enthusiasts looking for the best black levels, contrast, and HDR performance. But for the price, the RCA RK40FQ1 provides solid HD picture quality.

Sound Quality

The RCA RK40FQ1 Roku TV comes with 20W speakers, which provide decent volume and audio quality for a budget 40-inch TV. The maximum volume is loud enough to fill a medium to large room without distortion.

For TV shows and movies, the sound is clear with adequate bass response thanks to the downward-firing speakers. Dialogue comes through cleanly even at lower volumes. The audio doesn't quite match higher-end TVs that have more powerful speaker systems, but it gets the job done.

Music sounds decent, though lacking in bass impact. The mids and highs come through fine for rock, pop, and acoustic tracks. But the speakers struggle to reproduce thumping lows on bass-heavy genres like EDM and hip hop. Overall, the audio performance is good for casual TV watching and background music. But those looking for an immersive cinematic experience may want to pair the TV with a soundbar.

Smart TV Features

The RCA RK40FQ1 runs the Roku TV platform, which provides a robust smart TV experience. The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, with a simple home screen that allows you to quickly access streaming apps, inputs, settings and more.

Roku TV offers access to thousands of streaming channels, with virtually all the major ones available like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, Hulu and more. Finding and downloading new apps is a breeze with the Roku Channel Store.

Navigation is lightning fast thanks to the quad-core processor inside. Moving between menus, loading apps and switching inputs happens instantly. The remote is also well-designed, with dedicated buttons for popular streaming services.

Overall, the Roku TV operating system provides an excellent smart platform that makes it easy to access a huge library of streaming content. Even if you aren't familiar with smart TVs, you'll feel right at home with the simplicity and polish of Roku TV.

Remote Control

The RCA Roku TV comes with a simple yet functional remote control. The remote has a slim and lightweight design that makes it easy to hold and use. It has a matte black finish that resists fingerprints. The buttons are well spaced out and have a nice tactile feedback when pressed.

For navigation, there's a 4-way directional pad at the top and dedicated buttons for home, back, options, and playback controls. The remote relies on IR rather than Bluetooth, so you need to point it at the TV.

Voice control is supported through the Roku mobile app. You can press the microphone button in the app and speak voice commands to launch apps, search for content, control playback, and more. The TV remote itself doesn't have a mic button for voice input.

Overall, the remote is basic but gets the job done. The lack of voice control directly through the remote is a bit limiting. But the free Roku app somewhat makes up for it with its voice features. The remote is lightweight and easy to use thanks to its simple button layout.

Gaming Performance

The RCA RK40FQ1 offers decent gaming performance for a budget 40-inch TV. The input lag comes in at around 20ms when gaming in 4K HDR mode, which is fairly typical for TVs in this price range. While not as fast as some pricier gaming TVs, the input lag is low enough to avoid any major delay or lag while gaming.

Response time on the RK40FQ1 is also decent but not spectacular. In game mode, pixel response measures around 15ms which is common for a VA panel. There can be some minor smearing in fast motion, but it's not too noticeable in most gameplay. Those looking for the fastest response times would be better served with a TV utilizing OLED or fast IPS panels.

For connectivity, the RK40FQ1 has 3 HDMI ports which is sufficient for most gamers' needs. The HDMI ports support 4K 60Hz, HDCP 2.2, and HDR10 high dynamic range. This allows you to connect modern gaming consoles like the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. So the TV can handle 4K and HDR gaming, though the HDR experience is limited by the low peak brightness. Overall, the RCA RK40FQ1 provides a solid budget option for casual gamers wanting basic 4K and HDR support. It's not well-suited for hardcore competitive gaming, but delivers decent responsiveness for more casual gameplay.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Very affordable 40" 4K TV with HDR support
• Runs on Roku TV platform for easy access to streaming apps
• Includes Ethernet port for wired internet connection
• Offers good picture quality with sharp details and vibrant colors
• Built-in TV speakers provide decent audio quality
• Comes with simple remote control that's easy to use
• Low input lag makes it suitable for casual gaming

Cons

• Build quality feels a bit cheap and plasticky
• Limited to 60Hz refresh rate, not ideal for fast-action content
• Mediocre motion handling with some blurring during fast motion
• Only 2 HDMI ports limits connectivity options
• Lacks advanced smart TV features like voice control
• Audio lacks bass and can sound thin at high volumes
• Viewing angles aren't very wide

Conclusion

The RCA RK40FQ1 40" Roku TV offers a compelling option for buyers looking for an affordable smart TV. Its simple and intuitive Roku TV interface provides quick access to popular streaming apps and channels. The TV delivers decent picture quality for most content, with good color reproduction and black levels. The 1080p resolution is sufficient for a screen of this size, though not optimal for viewing 4K content.

The built-in audio is passable but lacks robustness and depth. For better sound, connecting an external speaker system is recommended. The TV has a basic port selection, including 3 HDMI inputs. Gaming performance is suitable for casual gameplay but may show some lag with fast-paced action titles.

Overall, the RCA 40" Roku TV is a solid choice for secondary room viewing, dorm rooms, kids' rooms, or other cost-conscious situations. It provides good smart features and streaming versatility. While picture and sound performance have some limitations, the price point makes this TV a reasonable value. Buyers looking for top-tier viewing experiences may want to consider stepping up to higher-end models. But for budget-focused shoppers needing a basic smart TV, the RCA 40" Roku TV is easy to recommend.