Is 85-Inch TV Too Big? (The Truth!)

In this article, we are going to look into the pros and cons of having an 85-inch TV in your living space. 

If you are like most people, you may be tempted to go for the largest TV you can find (and afford) so you can have an immersive entertainment experience. Often, the larger screens come with better image quality, which makes movies, TV shows, and even playing video games more enjoyable. 

Without a doubt, an 85-inch TV is on the large side. With a general length of 74.1 inches and height of 41.7 inches, most can take up to 3,090 square inches (1.993 square meters) of your wall. Before you invest in a TV this large, you should first consider the available mounting space on your wall, and if there’s enough room in your house to maintain a comfortable viewing distance. 

Let’s dive in and learn more.

How Big Is an 85-Inch TV?

Having an 85-inch TV on your wall is something your visitors will not be able to ignore. While the TV sizes and layouts may vary between brands, most 85-inch TVs will take about 3,090 square inches of your wall space. 

The good thing about a screen this size is that it not only contributes to your viewing experience but can also enhance the room’s aesthetics.

It also goes without saying that your room needs to be large enough to accommodate a TV that size so you can maintain a comfortable viewing distance. 

85-Inch TV Dimensions

The overall dimensions of a standard 85-inch TV are as follows:

• Width: 74.1″ or 188.2 cm
• Height: 41.7″ or 105.9 cm
• Diagonal length: 85” or 215.9 cm

From the measurements, we can see that the TV screens are measured diagonally. So the 85 inches is acquired by measuring the top corner to the bottom corner on the opposite side. Picture a diagonal line cutting through a rectangle. 

Is 85-Inch TV Too Big for Gaming?

It depends on your proximity to the screen. If you sit at least 10 feet away from the screen, then you can enjoy playing on a large 85-inch screen.

However, if you prefer to sit close to the TV when playing games, then you should opt for a smaller option that’s about 60 inches and below to prevent eye strain. 

85-Inch TV in Living Room 

The living room is one of the most convenient locations for having a large screen. It’s where all your family members and friends sit to have a relaxing experience watching TV.

Therefore, having the TV in a comfortable viewing position is vital to keeping everyone happy. 

Here are a few elements that will guide you when choosing an ideal position for your new TV: 

Stand Vs. TV Mount 

Large TVs are best mounted on your wall so everyone in the room can view the TV at a comfortable angle. It also reduces the risk of your TV getting toppled over if it’s not well-balanced on a TV stand. 

Unfortunately, not all living rooms were designed to have large TVs mounted on the wall. Elements in the room such as a fireplace, wall-to-wall windows, and even large family portraits can affect the mounting location.

In such cases, it may be preferable to mount your TV on a separate stand from the wall. You need to ensure that the TV is well-balanced on the stand so it doesn’t topple over. 

Please note that we do not recommend reusing TV mounts to mount 85 inch TVs because these TVs are massive and heavy. 

Lighting

One thing people forget to consider before mounting the TV is the sources of light in the room. The artificial lights and even the sun can force you to move your TV to a different position. So it’s better to get ahead of the problem. 

Do not have the TV directly below a bright source of light since it will distract you from the images and also strain your eyes.

Also, don’t have it directly in front of a window as you will have sunlight glare on the screen that can make it almost impossible to see the screen in the daytime. 

Take some time to analyze all the lighting in your house before you settle on the optimal location for your TV. 

TV Angle 

You want to have the TV at a comfortable angle that doesn’t strain your neck or eyes. If you have the TV on a stand, have a well-raised option that lets you position the TV at the front center. You shouldn’t have to lower your head by more than 15 degrees to see the screen. 

If you decide to mount the TV, your best bet would be to have a movable TV stand. This lets you tilt the TV by up to 60 degrees left or right or by up to 20 degrees upwards or downwards.

Some TV mounting brackets also let you move the TV either forward or backward by up to 10 inches. 

Also, be sure to mount the TV at an optimal height where the shortest person in the room doesn’t have to raise their head by more than 15 degrees to see the screen. 

Viewing Distance for 85-inch TV

How far you sit from the TV depends on the size of the TV and the type of screen you have. Let’s break this down according to the screen type: 

• Viewing distance from a traditional 1080p HDTV: The ideal viewing distance is around 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal length (85-inch size) of the screen. This means that you have to sit between 10.6 to 17.5 feet away from the screen.
• Viewing distance from an advanced 4K Ultra HD TV: This type of screen lets you sit closer to the TV without the pixels straining your eyes. So the ideal viewing distance is just 1 to 1.5 times the diagonal length (85-inch size) of the screen. So you need to sit between 7 to 10.6 feet away from the screen.

If you are buying a new TV, you may have to rearrange the furniture so your nearest seating area is at the lower end of the aforementioned viewing distances. If you want to learn more about the correct viewing distance for different sizes of TVs, please check out this article.

Conclusion 

The main takeaway is that a large 85-inch TV is worth having if you have the space for it in your house. It can help offer an immersive experience when you watch movies, sports, or even play video games. You can use an online TV size and viewing distance calculator to determine the correct position to have your 85-inch TV in any room in your house.