---
title: "TV size and viewing distance — free, runs in your browser"
description: "How far to sit from a television, or what size fits the distance you have. Free, no sign-up, and nothing you enter leaves your browser."
url: https://atoneplace.net/tools/tv-viewing-distance/
site: "At One Place"
---

# TV size and viewing distance

How far to sit from a television, or what size fits the distance you have.

## How it works

Works in both directions: the recommended distance for a screen size, or the largest sensible screen for a room.

Two standards are in use and they disagree, so both are given. SMPTE recommends a 30-degree horizontal field of view, which is the conservative figure most manufacturers quote. THX recommends 40 degrees, which puts you considerably closer and is what cinema seating aims for.

Resolution changes the answer, because the limit on sitting close is seeing the pixel structure. At 4K you can sit roughly half as far as at 1080p before individual pixels become visible, which is the entire practical benefit of the extra resolution — a 4K set viewed from a 1080p distance looks identical to a 1080p one.

In practice most people sit further away than either standard suggests, and most people who upgrade to a larger screen report the room felt right afterwards rather than overwhelming.

> This tool runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent to a server, logged or stored, and the page keeps working with the network disconnected.

## Common questions

### How far should I sit from a 65-inch TV?

About 2.4 m by the SMPTE 30-degree standard, or 1.8 m by the THX 40-degree one. At 4K you can sit closer without seeing pixel structure.

### Does 4K let you sit closer?

Yes — roughly half the distance of 1080p before pixels become visible. That is the main practical benefit of the resolution.

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## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)