Tomasz Wadowski
What size TV should you buy?
Our latest film on YouTube was hugely popular, so we decided to prepare an article for you in written form, which will explain how to choose the right size TV. This way, you'll be able to calmly follow our tips and clear up any doubts.
Most important question: How big a TV to buy?
How big a TV to buy? This is one of the most common questions we hear from people planning to upgrade or purchase a new set. On the internet, you will find many extreme opinions. Some say, “the bigger, the better”, while others say the opposite – “it’s better not to go overboard.” However, we want to explain in practice how it really is and what mistakes to avoid.
Why another piece on this topic? Well, in our work with display calibration, we have visited thousands of households and noticed that very few were completely satisfied with the size they had chosen. Many new buyers were stressed about purchasing a much larger TV than the one they were used to. And measuring with a tape or setting up a cardboard mock-up did not make it any easier.
In this article (and also in the video), we want to dispel the most common doubts and show how to approach choosing the size of a TV, so that you don't regret it later.
The bigger, the better – why do we say that?
The first question we usually ask ourselves is: “How big a TV should we choose if we love movies, series, and sport?” If we want the effect as close as possible to what we know from the cinema, it quickly turns out that:
Movies and series are made with the intention of being displayed on large screens.
Sport (especially football or basketball) is also better viewed on a larger surface – we feel the atmosphere of the stadium.
Gaming on a console gains additional “magic” when the image is suitably large.
How does it look mathematically? In cinemas, we often sit three-quarters of the way from the screen and it feels very comfortable. To achieve a similar effect at home, we should aim for screens even 100 inches from just under 3 metres away. Such sizes create a cinema-like atmosphere. Sure, it's not always achievable, but it's worth being aware that the standard 55” or 65” isn't really that “gigantic” compared to cinema standards.
In our work, we've visited heaps of homes and never encountered anyone who complained they bought too big of a screen. Rather, the words were: “Gee, I could've bought a bigger one...”. It's all because a bigger screen provides better experiences for movie nights, sports, and even just watching TV.
What about the popular method of sticking tape to the wall or making a mock-up? Such experiments often fail because a big screen encourages a more relaxed seating arrangement and positioning the couch a bit differently. Only then do we feel how it can fill our field of vision. On the other hand, a cardboard mock-up won’t capture that at all. It will only help us envision the new decor of the room.
Is 55 inches the BEST TV SIZE?
Of course, we don’t always need a screen that takes up half a wall. Many people turn on the TV mainly in the background: for news, to avoid the house being too quiet, or just to glance at some entertainment shows. In such a situation, a 55-inch model often works best because:
55” generally offers the best price-to-size ratio (when we look at the market within that range).
Smaller sizes (42”, 48”, 50”) can be technologically stripped down or are only marginally cheaper. (That's why we’ve prepared buying guides to help you choose smaller TVs).
You’ll find a greater selection of specific models and technologies starting from 55”.
55” is also a completely uncontroversial size that fits well in both small rooms and large living areas.
If we want to ensure that the TV doesn’t detract from the interior, we can look at models like Samsung The Frame or TCL NXTFrame. In standby mode, they can blend beautifully into their surroundings and act as an electronic picture frame.
Can you go too big?
And what if someone wants to go in the other direction and buy something really huge: 85 or even 100 inches? Can you go too far here? We had the chance to test the 100-inch Hisense U7KQ TV and watch movies from a distance of even less than 2.5 metres. Contrary to some concerns, it didn't feel like the front row at the cinema, where you have to swivel your head left and right. Instead, we had a fantastic immersive experience.
Indeed, there have been situations where in typically "television" programs (e.g. news channels) the presenter looked… gigantic. But if we mainly watch movies, series, and sports, then a large TV really creates a fantastic effect. As for the threshold where it could actually be "too much," it mainly arises from the screen resolution. For 4K, the threshold value will be approximately 2 cm distance per inch (so with 100 inches, we sit about 2 meters from the screen). At that point, you can start to distinguish individual pixels and the quality drops dramatically. So, such an extreme approach may no longer be comfortable, but these are quite rare cases, as not everyone has micro-rooms where we place 100 inches directly in front of the couch.
Better smaller and better model, or larger at the cost of quality?
Let’s move on to a more practical dilemma: Is it worth choosing a larger TV, but with worse specifications? Or perhaps a smaller one, but in a higher technological class?. Unfortunately, there is no one universal answer, as it depends on:
The budget we have available
The size of the room and the distance from the screen
The type of content we watch
The lighting in the room
If we were to suggest a certain “golden rule”, it would sound something like this:
"First, let’s invest in reasonable quality, and only then in extra inches."
Two main “quality thresholds”.
What’s it all about? The leap from the cheapest technologies, such as standard LCD, to more advanced models with local dimming, e.g., FALD or Mini LED – is noticeable from the very first moments. Deeper blacks, better contrast, and more natural colours make the image gain a new quality.
On the other hand, within the same technology, e.g., comparing different OLED models, the differences are less spectacular. Sure, flagship models can achieve higher brightness, better colour reproduction or more advanced image processing, but even a basic OLED offers such a high quality that for most users a larger diagonal will make a bigger difference than subtle improvements in the specification. To illustrate this better, below you will find specific examples.
Example 1: LCD without local dimming vs. LCD with local dimming (e.g. mini LED).
Let's assume we have 3500 zł. We can buy:
If we look at black quality, on the first television (ordinary LCD) in dark scenes we will notice a lot of imperfections, while the Q80D performs significantly better. In this example, the larger 75” at the expense of poor black could simply disappoint during evening screenings. However, the difference between the Q80D and QN85D is smaller, so it might not be worth dropping to 55” just to get a more "packed" variant. Therefore, in this case, let’s choose option number 2.
Example 2: High-end model in a smaller variant vs. tall model in a larger variant.
Let's assume we have 10,000 zł and we choose something from the OLED family:
Here a larger, 77-inch OLED (even the basic one) will likely provide more enjoyment than a super advanced, but noticeably smaller QD-OLED. Of course, the best QD-OLED TVs clearly outperform the basic models in terms of picture quality. However, even the simplest OLED offers such a high level that a larger diagonal will bring a more noticeable difference than choosing a higher model but in a smaller size. That’s why in this case, we choose option number 3.
There are exceptions to this rule, however. If your distance from the couch to the TV is about 2.5m (or less), then choose the intermediate option. Unless you want to have a cinematic effect, well then not necessarily 😉.
Such dilemmas could be discussed for hours, but the overall conclusion is simple: First technology level, then size. If you’re still hesitating, you can consult a specialist, where you can choose a TV more individually.
Myths and Facts About Choosing a Large Television
Here you'll find three most common questions we've heard when selecting the right television. These issues raise the most concerns among customers who wonder whether they're overdoing it with the screen size. It's time to clear up the doubts!
Does a large TV harm your eyes?
“A large television ruins your sight” – this is one of the most common myths. The screen size itself does not affect vision deterioration. However, it's important to maintain viewing hygiene:
Use backlighting to reduce the contrast between the bright screen and the dark surroundings.
Adjust the brightness of the television for evening viewing (a screen that is too bright will be tiring, regardless of size).
Image calibration will also be helpful in restoring the natural tone of the image and eliminating excessive blue light
Will I be craning my neck with a big TV?
Another myth goes: “If I get a TV that’s too big, I’ll have to sway my head like in the front row at the cinema.” There’s no chance of that in a typical living room. The front row at the cinema means you’re sitting ultra close to a screen that’s almost 10 times larger than the standard 85–100 inches at home. It’s like sitting 3 metres away from 9 100-inch TVs. No one really sets up their couch so that they are 2 metres away from a wall the size of a football field.
Big Heads on the TV
In films, series, and sports, so-called "big heads" don't occur because framing is prepared to look good even on cinema screens. A certain inconvenience may arise in news channels, where the presenter fills the frame significantly – and then, with a huge screen and close proximity, they may appear oversized. But these are rather extreme cases!
How to choose the right size TV? A brief summary
Consider what and how you watch most often. If you mostly watch movies, series, play on a console, or follow sports – a larger TV will be a great choice, as it will provide a more cinematic experience.
If the TV is going to be on in the background, and you just look at it occasionally for news or your favourite show, then you can comfortably go for 55 inches, as that’s the most universal size.
It's not worth buying a large one at the cost of terrible quality. It's always good to get a TV with at least a decent, but solid contrast (something better than the cheapest LCD) – only then do we decide on the additional inches.
Maintain good viewing habits. A large TV won't damage your eyesight, as long as you’re not staring at it in a dark room with the brightness at 100%.
Let us know what size TV you chose and from what distance you watch it. Share your impressions – do you feel like you could go for something bigger, or maybe you've already slightly overdone it with the inches? And if you missed the video where Maciej talks about choosing the right diagonal, feel free to watch it!
