Screen size calculator
How big should your screen be?
Most people buy a TV that's too small for the room. Tell us how far you sit from the screen and we'll show you the size that fills your view the way a good theater does.
Our pick
85inch TV
Good range: 75 to 100 inches
How we figure it
It's about the angle, not the inches.
Movie theaters are designed so the screen fills about 30 to 40 degrees of your view. Closer to 40 feels immersive, like a good cinema seat. Closer to 30 is relaxed, better for a room where the TV is one of several things going on.
- 4K makes bigger work. At these distances you won't see pixels on a 4K screen, so there's no penalty for going large.
- Mount it low. The middle of the screen should sit close to seated eye level, about 40 to 42 inches off the floor. Above a fireplace, plan on a mount that pulls down.
- Past 100 inches, think projector. A projector and a good screen give you 110 to 150 inches for less than the biggest TVs, in a room you can darken.