Buying Guide: Which is The Best Size For Televisions?

Asking “what is the best sized TV” can be like asking how long a piece of string is. But, while open-ended, finding the right TV for your home, office, or games-room can be a calculated procedure, as there are a few things to take into account when purchasing that new television.

TVs these days are clearer and have a higher resolution than ever before, which means that you can sit very close to them without seeing any visible pixels. With that said, it’s also not great to sit right in front of a TV as it will strain your eyes. Ideally, you should be close enough but not too close – thankfully, there’s a rule for this:

Viewing distance (in inches)/2 = recommended TV size.

So, if you sit 3 metres from your TV (for example), that’s around 118 inches. 118 inches divided by 2 = 59 inch. Therefore, you should buy a TV around 50-60 inches in size. However, things such as room/wall space and budget come into account.

Also, good to note: TVs are measured from corner to corner, so a 40-inch TV is 40 inches from the top left corner to the bottom right corner.

Wall mounted or TV stand?

There’s also the question of whether you plan to set up the TV using the included stand or use a wall-mount to hang it. Using the included stand to set the TV on a table or entertainment unit will place the set closer to the viewer, shortening the viewing distance. Be sure to account for both the depth of the TV stand and whatever furniture you plan to set it on.

Hanging the TV on the wall, on the other hand, can add half a metre or so to the viewable distance, which can be the difference between a 50-inch TV and a 60-inch model. Depending on what sort of mount you use and the thickness of the TV, your screen will still sit a few inches from the wall, but the specifics will vary from one model to the next.

Resolution is important too

The larger a UHD TV screen, the more important screen resolution becomes. For a UHD TV that is 40 inches or smaller, a 720p resolution is usually good. However, if you have a 50-inch screen or larger, you will probably need a higher resolution, like 1080p.

1080p resolution (Full HD) has 1920 by 1080 pixels, which offers great picture quality. Full HD really shines on video game consoles, Blu-ray discs, and HD cable or satellite channels. But 4K resolution takes it one step up with even higher resolution for a clearer, sharper picture: 3840 x 2160 pixels.

Personal preference

At the end of the day, it also comes down to your budget and preference. If you have the space and budget available, a larger TV will enhance your viewing experience, but if you’re happy to get a smaller sized TV and are happier sitting closer in order to save space, that is perfect too.