What size TV you buy is a pretty important decision to make when upgrading or replacing your TV. Whether you want a 4K or 8K resolution, smart TV platform, or just a modest little TV, the TV's diagonal size is an important aspect to consider and make sure you're buying the right TV for your needs.
The average TV size is getting larger every year, and in turn our expectations of the diagonal size of a TV are constantly changing.
The 65-inch TV is the fastest growing sector of the market, but such huge TVs are not suitable for many.
55-inch TVs are the flagship size these days, but even if you can fit one in your living room, you may be unhappy with the TV dominating the small space you have or can't be easily moved when not in use.
It's not always obvious what size TV you should buy, so we've put together this guide to the main TV size categories and the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Optimal distance to screen
When choosing a TV, you need to focus on the minimum distance between the device and the viewer. In relation to the screen diagonal it is:
- 17-25 inches - 2 meters
- 32-39 inches - 3 meters
- 40-49 inches - 4 meters
- 50-55 inches – 5 meters
- 65-75 inches – 7 meters
- 80-105 inches – 8-10 meters
The values are not absolute, but recommended. Often they are not observed by users due to the fact that the layout of the home does not always allow this. Usually, in standard apartments with an average room size of 3 x 4 meters, watching a 42-inch TV at a distance of 4 meters, as specified in the rules, is quite difficult. But at a distance of 2-3 meters it is quite normal, and absolutely no one suffers from this.
The best way to check whether the diagonal is right for you is to take a tape measure and measure the distance from the place where the viewer will sit to the TV itself. Then go to the store, and without hesitation, try this distance on models of different sizes, see which one is the most comfortable and take it. It’s quite normal to come to an electronics supermarket with a tape measure, because the purchase is quite infrequent and expensive, so it’s better to carefully choose.
Diagonal calculation using an example
Online calculator for calculating TV diagonal from distance
For example, a TV with Full HD resolution is planned to be installed 2.5 m from the audience. Then we divide the distance in centimeters by the coefficient that corresponds to this type of resolution:
250/1.56 = 160 cm.
Convert the result to inches:
160/2,54 = 63.
For such a distance, it is better to choose a TV with a display diagonal of 60 or 55 inches.
For HD Ready 250/2.3 = 109 cm. Therefore, a receiver with a screen diagonal of 42 inches is suitable. As a result, both types of resolutions will show a clear picture. But it’s better not to buy modern Ultra HD for such a room. This is due to the fact that TVs with a large diagonal of such resolution are not yet on sale, since the technology for manufacturing such devices is expensive. And, if you buy a smaller 4K screen, the viewing clarity will be worse than its predecessors.
TV diagonals in centimeters
For those who are not entirely clear what size in centimeters this or that TV is, we lay out for you the values for all the most common diagonals of 2021 that are available for sale. For reference, 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters.
- 22 inches – 56 centimeters
- 24 inches – 61 centimeters
- 27 inches – 69 centimeters
- 32 inches – 81 centimeters
- 39 inches – 99 centimeters
- 40 inches – 102 centimeters
- 42 inches – 107 centimeters
- 46 inches – 117 centimeters
- 49 inches – 124 centimeters
- 55 inches – 140 centimeters
- 65 inches – 165 centimeters
- 75 inches – 191 centimeters
- 85 inches - 216 centimeters
- 105 inches – 267 centimeters
We hope it has become clearer to you which diagonal is preferable to purchase for a particular room in a house or apartment. Logically, in a small room there is a small TV. But with such an abundance of models, this rule does not matter much. Simply because 2021 TVs, even with large diagonals, take up virtually no space, they are flat and thin in design, so they can be easily placed on any free wall. In addition, modern mounts allow you to hook the panel to the ceiling, and even when rotating, the screen will not take up much space.
How to choose a diagonal when buying a TV in 2018-2019?
It would seem that all the rules for choosing a TV have nothing to do with the current year. But it is not so. The fact is that from 2021 our country is switching to a digital broadcast format. Before this, most channels were broadcast in analogue. But how does this affect the choice of diagonal? Directly!
Analogue broadcasting was carried out in 4:3 format. Modern LCD TVs have different aspect ratios: usually 16:9. Accordingly, if you had a TV with a 40-inch diagonal screen, you did not use all of its area: when watching broadcasts, black bars formed along the edges of the screen. Accordingly, most likely, you felt comfortable even being at close range.
Digital broadcasting will be conducted in the now more familiar wide format: 16:9 . This applies to both high definition television (HDTV) and standard definition television (SDTV). Therefore, the picture on the screen will become larger, and it may become inconvenient to watch channels from your traditional place.
Which TV size is best for rooms?
So, we note again that modern TVs do not take up much space due to their narrow design. Therefore, even in a small room you can hang a panel on even the entire wall, the main thing is that you feel comfortable. But let’s still look at which diagonal is optimal for different rooms.
TV for the kitchen
Most kitchens in our country do not exceed 10-15 square meters in area. meters. In such a room, a 40-50 inch TV looks ridiculous. This is ugly and will strain your eyes when viewing. If you really want a large enough screen, then the maximum that will fit into a standard Russian kitchen is a 32-inch TV. But 24-27 inches will be optimal, it all depends on the budget you are willing to spend on such pleasure.
It’s another matter when the cooking room is combined with the living room and is a studio, then you can not deny yourself the diagonal size, because such a layout requires a large amount of free space. A 55-inch TV will fit perfectly here and it will look good.
TV in the living room
There shouldn’t be any special questions here; the largest TV in the central room of the house is always chosen. It's just a matter of the width of your pocket, since the price increases in proportion to the dimensions. The most common among Russians today and the best in price are 42-inch TVs, which will fit perfectly into a room of 20 square meters. meters. If you have a sufficient budget, it is better to purchase a 55 or even 65-inch TV; such sizes are becoming increasingly popular and are not as expensive as they were a year or two ago.
TV in the bedroom
As for the TV in the most intimate part of the house, everything is not so simple. The main point when choosing is the size of the budget. Even with a small bedroom area, it is normal to hang a large panel that is 50 inches or even more. Lying on the bed will be quite comfortable to watch movies and videos on the other side of the room.
But 32-inch or 42-inch TVs are considered optimal; the latter are more preferable, since the price of such models may be practically the same as the first options.
A couple more nuances that are important when choosing a location
Now you know everything about the choice and dependence of the TV diagonal on distance. We just want to remind you of a few rules that will help you determine the optimal place for the TV in your room. We've already figured out the distance, what else?
The most comfortable viewing mode is when your eyes are at or slightly above the center of the screen. If we take into account the traditional sofa on which viewers usually sit, this is approximately 0.9-1.1 m. Accordingly, the TV should be positioned so that its center is at this height. Usually furniture sets are made with this in mind. The exception is the same kitchen, where the TV can be suspended above the refrigerator or table.
If the TV is too high , your eyes will become dry because your eyelids are too high. You will automatically start blinking more, but even so, you will get tired much faster when watching a movie. In addition, if you have to throw your head back, this will lead to increased stress on the spine.
What if it's too low? It’s commonplace that you might hit it with a vacuum cleaner while cleaning or with a chair when setting the table for guests. This has nothing to do with viewing comfort, but, you see, it’s a shame to disable expensive equipment with your own hands.
What other tips can you give when determining where to install the TV?
- Don't place the TV near a window. You should not look at the image in backlight: if you place the TV near a window and look in its direction, the picture will be dim. You will have to turn up the brightness and contrast to maximum, thus loading your eyes.
- Further from the doors. Place the TV so that it is impossible to hit it with a room door or cabinet door.
- Strictly opposite you. Your TV should be directly opposite the viewer. If you have to turn your head to the side, your neck muscles may become stiff.
- Provide lighting. Watching TV in the dark is harmful - it puts too much strain on the eyes. It is advisable to provide artificial background lighting: for example, a floor lamp or table lamp.
What size TV should I buy for my game console?
Fans of console games are advised to choose only large diagonals, which are at least 42 inches. Well, what's the point of taking less, then it's better to play on a personal computer. And you will get a lot of pleasure from the gameplay. If your budget allows, then feel free to buy a 55-inch or 65-inch TV, which is also very good for gaming.
Curved or flat TV?
One of the trends of 2018-2019 is curved TVs, which look very modern and in practice give the effect of maximum immersion of the viewer into what is happening on the screen. These models are ideal for console games. True, the price for them is quite high and starts at $1000, but if possible, then the choice is obvious. You definitely won't regret it.
Of the flat models, there is only one criterion - select at least 42 inches if you are going to connect a game console. The larger the diagonal, the better. Any gamer will confirm this. Otherwise, everything depends on your payment capabilities.
What to consider when choosing a TV diagonal
Selecting a suitable screen for a home theater consists of several factors:
- Dimensions of the room where the TV will be placed. This parameter affects the distance at which the user is from the TV and the viewing angle.
- Technical parameters of the screen, which include the type and its resolution.
Many users think that image clarity depends on the size of the monitor. This is a common mistake.
The quality of the drawing is related to other parameters:
- Monitor format.
- Available permission.
- Contrast settings.
- The quality of the installed matrix.
From a distance it is more convenient to look at the receiver, which has a large monitor. The shorter the distance to the device, the smaller the viewing angle will become, and the eyes will not be able to fully capture what is happening on the monitor.
4K and Full HD TVs
Modern realities are such that buying a television panel with a resolution of less than 1920 x 1080 pixels is completely impractical. The quality of cable channel broadcasting has become much better and if you want to get more pleasure from watching, you should choose Full HD, which gives a more detailed picture. But this is not absolute, if you are short on funds and are looking for an inexpensive TV, then choose HD.
As for 4K TVs, the new format has gained popularity and a lot of corresponding content has appeared for it, so it is better to choose for the future and fork out a little. Moreover, now there are a lot of available models with this resolution within 20,000 rubles.
In general, modern demands are as follows - everything up to 32 inches is better to buy Full HD, and for larger diagonals you should choose 4K. This will unlock the full potential of ultra high resolution.
How to choose TV size by distance
Modern UHD TVs offer more detail, so you can sit closer than before without seeing pixels. However, sitting too close will still cause eye strain. While it all comes down to personal preference, there is a simple formula that provides a good starting point.
First, remember that TVs are measured diagonally. Thus, a 42-inch screen measures 107 cm from one corner to the opposite corner.
Next, you should consider the TV's resolution. This is something to consider because the higher the resolution, the closer you can sit before you notice pixelation in the image.
Read: Which 4K TV is better to choose?
This means you can sit closer to a 4K TV (3840 x 2160) than a 1080p TV. This is an important factor to consider when thinking about screen size. Because you can sit closer to a 4K TV, you don't have to purchase such a large TV to fill your field of view as you would with a 1080p TV.
TV manufacturers
The question of choosing a manufacturer is quite banal. And the answer to it is obvious - if you want good quality and service, then choose brands from the first league: LG, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony, Sharp and others. These companies are trendsetters in the development of televisions and introduce their own technologies and innovations that improve image quality. And if you want to save money, then look at lesser-known brands such as AOC, BBK, Daewoo, Mystery, Shivaki, TCL, Thompson and others. By and large, they are no worse than their more famous counterparts, but everything is learned in comparison.
Just compare the image quality and capabilities of individual models, as well as the price ratio in the store. And if inexpensive options suit you, then the flag is in your hands. A TV is not bought often and is one of the central elements of every home and every Russian family, so it’s better not to save money.
Which TV size is best to choose?
As impressed as we are by the larger screen sizes, it's important to remember that bigger isn't always better.
A larger screen can obviously display a larger image, but if it can't handle higher resolutions—or the scaling techniques needed to enlarge low-resolution content—you're just paying for a big, blurry image.
Read: 8K TVs - everything you need to know
After all, you need more pixels for a larger screen, and those extra pixels must be processed to make HD or UHD content look good on a larger screen.
A large screen is also harder to fit into tight spaces and can dominate the room it's in. It's okay if you want a larger TV, but it's worth considering how it will look in the room before choosing the biggest screen you can find.
