Updated Nov 6, 2026

What TV size for your living room?

Measure the couch, do the math and see what each size costs.

Torn between 50 and 55 inches, or afraid the TV will be too big?

Step 1 of 6

Measure from the couch to the wall

Distance matters more than taste.

With a tape measure, measure the distance between where you sit and the wall where the TV will go. The Radar’s rule of thumb is to sit at 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal of the screen. Closer, the picture fills your view and the movie feels more immersive; farther away, the eye rests. It’s a Radar rule of thumb, not a standard: it’s a starting point, and the viewer’s taste adjusts it.

Couch distance that fits each TV size, by the rule of 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal
TV of	Screen width	Couch at
32″	71 cm	1.2 a 2.0 m
43″	95 cm	1.6 a 2.7 m
50″	111 cm	1.9 a 3.2 m
55″	122 cm	2.1 a 3.5 m
65″	144 cm	2.5 a 4.1 m
75″	166 cm	2.9 a 4.8 m

The width is that of a 16:9 screen, without the bezel. The bezel and stand add a few centimeters.

Step 2 of 6

The TVs with the highest score in each price range

The highest score up to each price, with today's price.

Up to $1,000.00

The highest score among 47 TVs up to $1,000.00.

score 9.2
Hisense
U7SG 55″
55″Mini LED
$998.00
No history yet
Buy at the store
More details

Up to $2,000.00

The highest score among 94 TVs up to $2,000.00.

score 9.3
Samsung
QN42S90HAEXZC 42″
42″OLED
$1,298.00
No history yet
Buy at the store
More details

Step 3 of 6

From the couch to the size

The math in reverse: with your distance, what size fits.

If the couch is 2 meters from the wall, the math points to TVs of about 31″ a 52″. A 2.5 meters, from 39″ to 66″. The 3 meters, from 47″ to 79″.

Go with the lower end of the range if the room is bright or the TV will be used mostly for regular broadcast TV; the upper end, for movies at night and gaming. Resolution matters too: 4K shows detail up close, and a big-screen Full HD TV seen up close looks grainy.

Step 4 of 6

Check the space on the furniture and the wall

TV width and stand change from model to model.

Before settling on a size, compare the screen width with the opening of the TV stand or wall. A 55″ TV is about 122 cm of screen; a 65″ one, about 144 cm. Some TVs have feet at the ends and others have a center stand: if the TV stand is narrow, a center stand fits and end feet don’t. If the TV goes on the wall, what matters is the height: the center of the screen sits at eye level for someone seated.

The TV’s spec sheet gives the diagonal, and the manufacturer’s manual gives the measurements with and without the stand. Check before you buy.

Step 5 of 6

What each size costs

Each size step has its own price range.

Price goes up with the inches, which is why size is not part of the spec sheet score: a bigger size only says how much of the wall the screen takes up. In the numbers from the 06/11/2026 catalog:

How many TVs there are at each size step and the median price
Size	TVs in the catalog	Median price	On the chart
Up to 32″	43	$288.00	See these TVs
40″ to 43″	41	$548.00	See these TVs
50″ to 55″	95	$800.00	See these TVs
58″ to 65″	49	$1,098.00	See these TVs
70″ to 75″	45	$1,400.00	See these TVs
77″ or more	58	$2,249.00	See these TVs

The median is the middle value: half the TVs in the step cost less and half cost more.

The six steps side by side, with the price jump between them and the highest-scoring TV per criterion, are in TV size: the price of each step.

Step 6 of 6

Between 50″ and 55″

The most common question, with the math.

Between a 50″ TV and a 55″ TV there is about 11 cm more screen width. That is not much: the couch distance and the model’s price usually matter more than this difference. In today’s catalog, TVs of up to 50″ in this step have a median of $660.00 and those over 50″ and up to 55″, $978.00. Compare the two sizes of the same model: the spec sheet is usually the same, and the price shows what each inch costs.

See TVs from 50″ to 55″

How we got to the sizes

331TVs in the catalog
06/11price date

Sitting at 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal, a couch at 2 meters fits TVs of 31″ to 52″ and one at 3 meters fits TVs of 47″ to 79″. The median price in the 06/11/2026 catalog ranges from $288.00 a $2,249.00, depending on the size step.

How many TVs there are at each size step and the lowest price
Step	TVs	From
Up to 32″	43 of 331	$93.00
40″ to 43″	41 of 331	$234.00
50″ to 55″	95 of 331	$68.00
58″ to 65″	49 of 331	$550.00
70″ to 75″	45 of 331	$798.00
77″ or more	58 of 331	$1,098.00

The best by price range

Next step

See the TVs that fit your criteria

Each point is a new TV, by price and spec score.

Open the chart

Frequently asked questions

What TV size for a small living room?

Measure the couch distance. At 2 meters, the Radar’s math points to TVs of 31″ to 52″. In a small room, the limit is usually the opening of the TV stand: compare the screen width with the space and remember that the stand takes room too.

What is the ideal TV size for 3 meters of distance?

By the Radar’s rule of thumb, from 47″ to 79″. Within the range, a bright room calls for the lower end and movies at night, the upper end. The rule is a starting point, not a standard.

Does a 4K TV let you sit closer?

Yes. With more dots on the screen, 4K keeps the detail up close, and a big-screen Full HD TV seen up close shows a grainy picture. That is why the Radar’s rule accepts the closer end of the range for 4K.

Is bigger always better?

No. Past the comfortable distance, the picture fills more than the eye can follow, and price goes up with the inches. That is why size is not part of the spec sheet score: it is a filter, and the choice depends on your living room.

How do you measure a TV’s width before buying?

Multiply the diagonal in inches by 2.54 to get centimeters and by 0.87 to get the screen width at 16:9. A 55″ TV has a screen of about 122 cm. Add the bezel and check the stand in the manufacturer’s manual.