5 feet away
A 40-inch TV is the sweet spot at 5 feet. Anything from 37 to 45 inches sits in the SMPTE-to-THX range for mixed use; go larger for a dedicated movie room.
Best size at 5 feet
40"
32° viewing angle. Sizes that fit: 40, 43 inches.
Dedicated movie room (36–40°)
45–50"
common sizes: 43, 48, 50
Mixed movies and TV (30–36°)
37–45"
common sizes: 40, 43
Casual viewing (24–30°)
29–37"
common sizes: 32
| Size | Viewing angle | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 43" | 35° | Immersive (SMPTE) |
| 48" | 38° | Cinematic (THX) |
| 50" | 40° | Cinematic (THX) |
| 55" | 44° | Too close for most |
| 58" | 46° | Too close for most |
| 65" | 51° | Too close for most |
| 70" | 54° | Too close for most |
| 75" | 57° | Too close for most |
| 77" | 58° | Too close for most |
| 83" | 62° | Too close for most |
| 85" | 63° | Too close for most |
| 86" | 64° | Too close for most |
| 97" | 70° | Too close for most |
| 98" | 71° | Too close for most |
| 100" | 72° | Too close for most |
How we got these numbers
At 5 feet (60 inches) from your eyes to the screen, TV size is a question of viewing angle. SMPTE's cinema guidance calls for the screen to fill at least 30° of your horizontal view; THX recommends 36°, and 40° is the widely used cap for the best seat. Casual TV viewing is comfortable at 24° to 30°.
Each angle converts to a screen width (2 × distance × tan(angle ÷ 2)) and then to a 16:9 diagonal. At 5 feet that gives roughly 29 inches at 24°, 37 inches at 30°, 45 inches at 36°, and 50 inches at 40°.
Sizes are rounded to what stores actually sell. If you are between two sizes and the wall allows it, the larger one is almost always the better long-term choice; the most common regret is buying too small.
Common questions
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