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What TV size for what viewing distance?

Measure the distance between the wall and your sofa, and we work out the screen size. Two benchmarks coexist and both are right: living-room comfort, and immersion for cinema or football. They simply do not aim at the same thing.

Measure from the wall that will carry the screen to the back of the sofa, not to the middle of the room.

Recommended screen size

55 inches

Everyday comfort: 54″ · immersion (cinema, football): up to 75″. Both benchmarks are valid, they simply do not aim at the same thing.

At 3.0 m, stay between 55 and 75 inches. Beyond that, resolution becomes the limiting factor: you need 4K to sit that close without seeing the structure of the picture.

The full table, from 1.5 m to 7 m

Recommended TV screen size by viewing distance, for comfort and for immersion
Viewing distanceLiving-room comfortImmersion (cinema, football)Recommended range
1.5 m27 inches38 inches32 to 32 inches
2.0 m36 inches50 inches32 to 50 inches
2.5 m45 inches63 inches43 to 65 inches
3.0 m54 inches75 inches55 to 75 inches
3.5 m63 inches88 inches65 to 85 inches
4.0 m72 inches100 inches75 to 85 inches
4.5 m81 inches113 inches85 to 85 inches
5.0 m90 inches125 inches85 to 85 inches
6.0 m108 inches150 inches85 to 85 inches
7.0 m126 inches175 inches85 to 85 inches

The range is given in screen sizes that are actually sold — nobody makes a 58 or a 71-inch set. See all televisions.

Frequently asked questions

How far away should you sit from a 55-inch TV?
Around 3 metres for classic living-room comfort, and as close as 2.2 metres if you are after cinema or football immersion. Both answers are right: they aim at different uses. See the 55-inch TVs.
Do you need a bigger TV to watch football?
Yes, in the sense that sport gains from filling more of your field of view: you follow the play better when the picture goes beyond central vision. At the same distance, go up one size from the comfort benchmark. Also look at motion handling and refresh rate, which matter more than screen size on fast action — see our TV guide.
Does 4K change the viewing distance?
Yes, and that is what made the benchmarks move. At 4K resolution the pixels are fine enough for you to sit closer without seeing the structure of the picture: you can therefore take a larger screen at the same distance. On a Full HD TV, sitting too close makes the pixel grid visible.
How do you measure your viewing distance properly?
From the wall that will carry the screen to the back of the sofa, not to the middle of the room or the edge of the unit. And measure the width you actually have: a 65-inch TV is about 1.45 m wide, and its stand has to follow.
At what height should you wall-mount your TV?
With the centre of the screen at eye level when seated, so roughly 1 m to 1.10 m off the floor for a standard sofa. A TV mounted too high — above a fireplace, for instance — makes you look up all the time and degrades the picture on panels sensitive to viewing angle.

Screen size is only one criterion. For the panel, motion handling, sound and connectivity, read our TV guide. For a big picture without a big TV, see the projector guide.

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