TV size chart
Screen dimensions for a 16:9 TV, without the frame, and the seating distance at which each size fills 40° (immersive) to 30° (comfortable) of your view.
| Size | Width | Height | Seating distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32" | 27.9"(71 cm) | 15.7"(40 cm) | 3' 2" to 4' 4" |
| 40" | 34.9"(89 cm) | 19.6"(50 cm) | 4' to 5' 5" |
| 43" | 37.5"(95 cm) | 21.1"(54 cm) | 4' 3" to 5' 10" |
| 50" | 43.6"(111 cm) | 24.5"(62 cm) | 5' to 6' 9" |
| 55" | 47.9"(122 cm) | 27.0"(68 cm) | 5' 6" to 7' 5" |
| 65" | 56.7"(144 cm) | 31.9"(81 cm) | 6' 6" to 8' 10" |
| 75" | 65.4"(166 cm) | 36.8"(93 cm) | 7' 6" to 10' 2" |
| 77" | 67.1"(170 cm) | 37.8"(96 cm) | 7' 8" to 10' 5" |
| 83" | 72.3"(184 cm) | 40.7"(103 cm) | 8' 3" to 11' 3" |
| 85" | 74.1"(188 cm) | 41.7"(106 cm) | 8' 6" to 11' 6" |
| 98" | 85.4"(217 cm) | 48.0"(122 cm) | 9' 9" to 13' 3" |
| 100" | 87.2"(221 cm) | 49.0"(125 cm) | 10' to 13' 7" |
TV size comparison
Screen area grows with the square of the diagonal, so each step up is bigger than it sounds. A 65-inch screen has about 40% more area than a 55-inch, and a 75-inch about a third more than a 65-inch.
How TV size is measured
The advertised size is the diagonal of the visible screen, from one corner to the opposite corner. It does not include the frame or the stand. Most sizes are a "class": a 65-inch-class TV often measures a little under 65 inches diagonally. Width and height follow from the 16:9 shape: a screen is about 0.87 times its diagonal wide and 0.49 times its diagonal tall.
How far to sit from a TV
Two widely used guidelines describe how much of your view a screen should fill. SMPTE recommends at least 30° for a comfortable picture, and THX recommends about 40° for the best seat, closer to a cinema. For a 65-inch TV that means sitting between 6' 6" and 8' 10" away.
Resolution sets a second limit. With 20/20 vision you stop seeing the extra detail of 4K over 1080p once you sit farther than about 1.6 times the diagonal: 8' 5" for a 65-inch screen. If your sofa is much farther back than that, a bigger screen will do more for picture quality than a sharper one.
What size TV do you need?
- Measure your seating distance from your eyes, not the front of the sofa, to where the screen will be.
- Pick the size range for that distance from the calculator or chart. Between two sizes, let the room width and your budget decide.
- Check the space. Measure the wall or the alcove the TV goes in, and the width of the console. Many TVs stand on feet near their outer edges, so the console may need to be nearly as wide as the TV.
- Check the doorways and the car. The box is several inches larger than the TV in every direction.
How high to mount a TV
Put the center of the screen at seated eye level, around 42" from the floor for a typical sofa. That puts the bottom edge of a 55-inch TV near 29" and of a 75-inch TV near 24". Mounting much higher, such as above a fireplace, means tilting your head back to watch.
Dimensions by size
Real model dimensions with and without the stand, box sizes and viewing distances:
- 50-inch TV dimensions
- 55-inch TV dimensions
- 65-inch TV dimensions
- 75-inch TV dimensions
- 85-inch TV dimensions
Wondering what a bigger screen adds to your electric bill? The TV power consumption calculator lists the wattage of each size and model.
Once you know the size, see our TV picks.