The ultimate showdown for the living room is TV size vs room size. Your first step when purchasing a new TV is determining what size TVs will fit into your space comfortably.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Seating distance from your favorite TV is crucial for making sure you reduce eye strain and that you have an appropriate viewing distance.
- Measuring the room is the hardest part and should sometimes be done with a friend so that you can check over your work for math errors.
- You need to understand the viewing angle that is available to you
TV Size Vs Room Size
Determining TV size vs room size isn’t difficult. It just requires a little understanding of the math and technicalities involved. Finding the ideal TV size for your room is the first step in making sure you get the right-sized TV for you.
Insider Tip
Make sure that you aren’t sitting at more than a 40-degree viewing angle from your TV for the best results.
How to Calculate Distance
Big-screen TVs require a little math to understand how far away is an ideal viewing distance. You essentially need to look at a chart comparing the distance to screen size. Whether you are using a UHD, SUHD or any other TV set, the viewing experience is always better when your TV is larger. However, make sure your seating distance is far enough away to prevent eye strain.
How Field of View Affects Viewing Experience
The wider a TV screen is, the better your field of view. An immersive viewing experience requires your entire field of vision to be taken up by the screen. This is why theatres use the largest screen size possible. Apart from the screen size, it is also equally important to consider the input lag.
Insider Tip
The wider a TV screen is, the better your field of view.
How to Determine Correct Screen Size
Larger spaces require a larger size for your TV screen. To determine the correct screen size, measure the space available in your room. Compare this size to the chart that shows you which screen is best suited to which size screen.
Finding the Optimal Viewing Angle
Generally, you want to be front-and-center to your flat screen. Make sure that you aren’t sitting at more than a 40-degree viewing angle from your TV for the best results.
Warning
Larger spaces require a larger size for your TV screen.
F.A.Q.
How to choose the right TV screen size for your room?
You’ll want to first measure the space in the room. The screen size will correlate with how much space you have to work with. The most important thing is to make sure the wall that it’s up against will be large enough to fit the TV comfortably.
How Much Space Do You Need For A Home Theater?
For a truly immersive experience, you’ll want a good amount of space. It’s suggested that you install one in your finished basement or a spare room. However, there are smaller systems that can be installed right in your living room.
Do bigger TVs make for a better viewing experience?
In general, they do. This depends on how large your room is, however, since the TV should always be sized for the room that it’s in. The general rule is that the more distance there is between you and the screen, the better larger screen sizes will suit you.
Does the Brand of My TV Affect Viewing Distance?
While marketing would tell you otherwise, the brand of a TV doesn’t normally matter all that much. What’s more important is the features that it comes with, such as stunning picture quality or having an ideal screen size.
STAT: While your eyes may not be able to tell the difference at a certain point, your next TV will more than likely be a 4k TV anyway. (source)
