How far you should sit from your TV, by screen size
Engadget sets out the viewing-distance rules that tell you how big a TV your room can take, from 55-inch to 85-inch screens.
The facts
- According to Engadget, the 30-degree rule has the screen fill 30 degrees of your view. For a 55-inch TV, that means sitting about 7.5 feet away.
- The 40-degree rule aims for a cinema feel. For a 65-inch TV, it puts you 6.5 feet from the screen.
- Engadget says SMPTE advises sitting about 1.6 times the screen's diagonal away. That gives 8.8 feet for 65-inch, just over 10 feet for 75-inch and just over 11.5 feet for 85-inch.
- Engadget says sitting too close can dry out your eyes but is unlikely to cause long-term problems. It also says 65-inch 4K sets can be found for under $600 on Amazon.
Case notes · Danny's take
Why it matters
Screens keep getting bigger and cheaper, so the buying mistake is now about the room, not the price. A 65-inch set looks like a bargain until you realise your sofa is too close to it. Measure first, then pay. The rules are guides, not laws, and Engadget says your own comfort and eyesight decide in the end.
Not financial advice. Do your own investigation.
This story was summarised with AI from Engadget's reporting and checked against our editorial policy. Danny's take reflects his views. Disclaimer.
Danny Walter
Founder of Moon Republic, Volt Terminal and Moon Republic Academy. Author of The Market Is a Crime Scene and After the Applause.