How is the recommended distance calculated?

The calculator targets a horizontal field-of-view angle for your chosen use case (for example 30-40 degrees for movies, based on SMPTE and THX guidance), then solves for the distance where the screen width fills that angle.

What does the pixel visibility warning mean?

It means the closest distance in your recommended range is nearer than the point where individual pixels become visible to the average eye, given your resolution and screen size. Sitting farther back, or choosing a higher resolution, removes the warning.

Why does use case change the result?

Office work favors a narrower viewing angle so you can see the whole screen without moving your eyes or neck much. Movies and gaming favor a wider angle for immersion, which means sitting closer for the same screen size.

Does this work for TVs as well as monitors?

Yes. Enter the TV diagonal size and its resolution, then pick "Movies / Home Theater" as the use case to get a couch distance range.

What if my resolution is not in the preset list?

Choose "Custom" from the resolution dropdown and enter the exact pixel width and height. The calculation works the same way for any resolution.

Monitor Viewing Distance Calculator

Name: Monitor Viewing Distance Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter your screen diagonal, resolution, and use case to get a recommended viewing distance range plus a pixel-density check.

Screen Details

Screen diagonal (inches) Resolution Use case

Recommended viewing distance

Aspect ratio

Pixel density

Target FOV

No-pixel distance

Copied!

Summary

Enter your screen diagonal, resolution, and use case to get a recommended viewing distance range plus a pixel-density check.

How it works

Enter your screen diagonal size in inches.
Pick a resolution preset, or choose Custom and enter width x height in pixels.
Select a use case: office, gaming, movies, or reading.
The calculator computes a recommended distance range from a target viewing angle for that use case.
It also checks that range against the distance where individual pixels stop being visible, and warns you if you would sit closer than that.

Use cases

Set up a home office monitor at a comfortable, eye-strain-reducing distance.
Decide how close to sit to a gaming monitor without losing peripheral view of the screen.
Pick a couch-to-TV distance for a home theater based on SMPTE and THX viewing angle guidance.
Check whether a 4K or 1080p panel will look sharp at your planned desk depth.
Compare viewing distance across ultrawide, standard 16:9, and 4:3 resolutions.
Estimate seating distance before buying a larger monitor or TV.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-21 · Reviewed by Nham Vu