What Size TV for a Living Room?
Updated
The right living room TV size depends on how far you sit from it. From 10 ft (3 m), a 74 to 100 inch TV fills 30 to 40 degrees of your view. That looks right for films and sport.
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Affiliate linksWhat size TV fits each living room distance?
Find your sofa-to-screen distance in the first column. The last column lists the TV sizes sold in that range.
How do I measure my living room?
You only need a tape measure. Follow these steps:
- Sit where you usually watch.
- Measure from your eyes to the wall or stand where the screen will be.
- Find that distance in the table or set it in the calculator.
- Check the TV’s width against the wall or stand.
How high should a living room TV be?
Put the middle of the screen close to your eye level when seated. For a 65 inch TV, that puts the bottom edge about 26.1 in (66.2 cm)66.2 cm (26.1 in) from the floor.
Over a fireplace is usually too high, so tilt the TV down if it has to go there.
What if several people watch from different seats?
Size the TV for the main seat, then check the farthest one. If the far seat is outside the range, go one size up.
What size TV for 8, 10 or 12 feet away?
These are the sizes on sale that fit each common sofa distance:
- 8 ft (2.4 m): 65, 70, 75 and 77 in.
- 10 ft (3.0 m): 75, 77, 83, 85, 98 and 100 in.
- 12 ft (3.7 m): 98 and 100 in.
Each page shows the full range for that distance, with the width and height of each size. For any other distance, use our TV size calculator.
How wide are 55, 65 and 75 inch TVs?
Check the width against your wall or stand before you choose. The screen widths are:
- 55 inch: 47.9 in (121.8 cm)121.8 cm (47.9 in) wide.
- 65 inch: 56.7 in (143.9 cm)143.9 cm (56.7 in) wide.
- 75 inch: 65.4 in (166.0 cm)166.0 cm (65.4 in) wide.
The body adds a thin frame on each side. Each size page lists real models with their body width, height and stand depth.
Will the TV fit my TV stand?
Check two widths: the TV body and the distance between its feet. Some TVs have feet near the ends, which need a stand almost as wide as the TV.
Others use a center stand or adjustable feet, which fit a narrower unit. The spec sheet lists the stand width and depth, so compare both with your furniture.
Should I wall mount the TV or use a stand?
Both work well. The choice comes down to the room:
- Wall mount: saves floor space and keeps the TV out of reach of children and pets.
- Stand: needs no drilling, and is easy to move when you rearrange the room.
For a mount, check the TV’s VESA pattern and weight. Our VESA mount size guide explains how to read them.
Where should the TV go in relation to windows?
Avoid putting the TV opposite a window, where daylight reflects off the screen. A wall at right angles to the windows usually works best.
If that is not possible, curtains or blinds cut the glare during the day.
Do I need a soundbar for a living room TV?
Not always, but thin TVs have small speakers that can struggle to fill a large room. A soundbar below the screen is the simplest upgrade.
Measure the space under the TV, and leave room so the soundbar sits clear of the bottom edge of the screen.
What size TV suits a small living room?
In a small room you sit closer, so a smaller screen fills the same view. At 7 ft (2.1 m), sizes from 55, 65 and 70 in fit our 30 to 40 degree range.
Measure the wall or stand width too, since small rooms often have less space between doors and windows. Our 7 feet TV size calculator lists every size for that distance.
Should I get a 65 or a 75 inch TV?
A 75 inch TV has 33% more screen than a 65 inch TV. It is 8.7 in (22.1 cm)22.1 cm (8.7 in) wider, so measure your wall or stand first.
The 75 inch size suits a seat from about 7.5 ft2.3 m away. If you sit closer, the 65 inch screen is easier to take in.
Will a new TV fit through my door?
The box is larger than the TV itself. Check the route before delivery day:
- Find the box size on the shop’s listing or the maker’s spec sheet.
- Measure each door, hallway and stair turn on the way to the room.
- Carry the TV upright on its edge, not flat, unless the manual says otherwise.
What resolution should a living room TV be?
For a 55 inch or larger TV, 4K is the safe choice. At normal sofa distances, 1080p pixels can start to show on big screens.
Our guide on resolution vs screen size shows how far away pixels disappear. The 4K resolution page lists the pixel counts.
Should the TV be centered on the wall or on the sofa?
Center it on the main seat, not the wall. Sitting straight on gives the best picture, especially on LCD TVs, which lose contrast from the side.
If the sofa is off center, a full motion mount lets you swing the screen toward it. For a corner sofa, aim the TV at the seat used most.
Is OLED or LED better for a bright living room?
LED TVs, including Mini LED, usually get brighter, which helps against daylight. OLED TVs give deeper blacks and look best with the curtains drawn.
Either way, check the size first using the table above. Our TV dimensions pages list the width and height of every size.
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Affiliate linksQuestions
Is 85 inch too big for a living room?
Not if you sit far enough back. An 85 inch TV suits seats from about 8.5 ft (2.6 m) away.
Can I put a TV above a fireplace?
You can, but it puts the screen well above eye height. A tilting mount angles it down toward the sofa.
What size TV for a 12 foot living room?
From 12 ft (3.7 m), a TV of about 89 to 120 in fills 30 to 40 degrees of your view. Sizes sold in that range are 98 and 100 in.
How wide is a 65 inch TV?
The screen is <span class="u-in">56.7 in (143.9 cm)</span><span class="u-cm">143.9 cm (56.7 in)</span> wide and <span class="u-in">31.9 in (80.9 cm)</span><span class="u-cm">80.9 cm (31.9 in)</span> tall. The body adds a thin frame, so check the spec sheet.
Can a living room TV be too small?
Yes. Below 30 degrees of your view, the picture feels distant and small text is hard to read from the sofa.
Is a 65 inch TV too big for a living room?
Not from 6.5 ft (2.0 m) or more. Closer than that, it fills more than 40 degrees of your view and you may turn your head.
Should I measure from the sofa or the wall?
Measure from your eyes, sitting on the sofa, to the TV screen. If the TV sits on a deep stand, measure to where the screen will be.
Does 4K let me sit closer?
Yes. With 4K the pixels stay invisible closer up, so a bigger TV still looks sharp from the same seat.
How we measure
The best range runs from the size that fills 30 degrees of view to the one that fills 40. That is diagonal = distance × 0.615 to distance × 0.835. Mount height puts the screen center at 42 in, a common seated eye height.