What size TV for my seating distance?
Multiply your distance by 0.62 for the smallest size and by 0.84 for the largest. At 10 ft (3.0 m) that gives 74 to 100 in (188 to 254 cm).
What is the best viewing distance for a 55, 65 or 75 inch TV?
Turn the rule around and you get a seating range for each size. These are the distances where the screen fills 30° to 40° of your view:
- 55 inch TV: 5.5 ft to 7.5 ft (1.7 m to 2.3 m)
- 65 inch TV: 6.5 ft to 8.8 ft (2.0 m to 2.7 m)
- 75 inch TV: 7.5 ft to 10.2 ft (2.3 m to 3.1 m)
Measure from your eyes to the screen, not from the back of the sofa to the wall.
Where do the 30° and 40° figures come from?
From two film industry guidelines. SMPTE, which sets cinema and TV standards, advises that the screen fill at least 30° of your view, and THX gives 40° as its ideal. This calculator recommends sizes between the two.
If you mostly watch news and sport with the lights on, the SMPTE end is comfortable. For films in a dark room, the THX end feels closer to a cinema.
How do I measure my room for a TV?
Sit where you watch most and measure straight ahead to the wall or stand where the screen will go. Then take off the TV’s depth, and a little more for a stand, to get the true eye to screen distance.
Measure the wall width too. A TV should leave some space on each side. Check the screen width in the TV dimensions chart before you settle on the largest size in your range.
What if I sit closer or further?
Inside the range, the larger end feels more like a cinema and the smaller end feels relaxed. A screen wider than 40° of your view means turning your head for subtitles. Below 30°, the picture starts to look small.
Does 4K let me sit closer?
Yes. On a 65 inch 1080p TV you can see single pixels from closer than 8.5 ft (2.6 m). On a 65 inch 4K TV that distance drops to 4.2 ft (1.3 m), so the picture stays smooth even close up.
That is why 4K suits the larger end of each range. A 1080p TV looks better from further back.
How much of my view does a 65 inch TV fill?
About 33° from 8 ft (2.4 m) and 22° from 12 ft (3.7 m). Its screen is 56.7 in (143.9 cm) wide, so moving your seat 4 ft (1.2 m) changes the view more than going up one size.
More questions about TV size and distance
Do I measure to the wall or to the screen?
To the screen, from where your eyes are when you sit. A TV on a stand can be a foot or more in front of the wall.
Does the rule work for a projector screen?
Yes. The 30° to 40° range is about how much of your view the picture fills, so it works for any 16:9 screen.
What if two people sit at different distances?
Size the TV for the seat you use most. Say the main seat is at 8 ft (2.4 m) and another at 12 ft (3.7 m). A size from the 8 ft range still looks relaxed from the back.
Does the size of the room matter, or only the distance?
For the picture, only the distance from your eyes to the screen matters. The room matters for fitting the TV: wall width, windows that reflect on the screen, and where the seats can go.
How we measure
Recommended size = 0.615 × distance (30° of view) to 0.835 × distance (40° of view), for a 16:9 screen. Distance is measured from your eyes to the screen.