How to measure a TV (and a printable TV size chart)

Measuring the screen size

1. Find the picture area: the part that lights up, not the black frame around it.
2. Measure diagonally, from the bottom-left corner of the picture to the top-right corner (or the other pair; they’re equal).
3. Read it in inches. That’s the size the TV is sold by, give or take the “class” rounding below.

Samsung’s buying guide puts it simply: the size is the diagonal of the actual screen, and you should check the set’s overall dimensions separately when you’re working out whether it fits.

Width and height from the diagonal

Almost every TV is 16:9, so the width and height follow directly from the diagonal:

• Width = diagonal × 0.872
• Height = diagonal × 0.490

So a 65-inch screen is 56.7 × 31.9 inches, and a 75-inch is 65.4 × 36.8. These are the picture’s dimensions. The set itself is a little larger because of the frame, and how much varies by model: on Sony’s 65-inch BRAVIA 8 II, the cabinet is about 0.6 inches wider and 1.1 inches taller than its picture in total. We haven’t found a reliable “typical bezel” figure, so for anything tight, use the maker’s printed dimensions for the exact model. Each of our size guides lists real models’ measurements.

What “class” means

You’ll see TVs described as a “65-inch class” or “65″ class”. The class is a nominal size; the measured diagonal can be slightly smaller. Sony prints “65 (64.5)” for its 65-inch class BRAVIA 8 II. Samsung lists the measured diagonal as “Real Inch” and TCL as “Viewable Display Size”.

In the US, the FTC once had a rule on how picture sizes were advertised (16 CFR Part 410). It was repealed effective January 7, 2019. That doesn’t mean anything goes, since deceptive claims are still the FTC’s business, but there’s no longer a specific rule defining how far a “class” can round up. The difference is usually half an inch or less, which doesn’t change how big the TV looks, but it’s worth knowing if you’re fitting a TV into a tight cabinet.

Measuring for fit: the four numbers that matter

1. Overall width. The full width of the set, frame included. This is what has to fit between windows, inside a cabinet opening, or on top of a console.

2. Overall height. With the stand if it goes on furniture (check it clears a shelf above or the bottom of a window); without the stand if it goes on the wall.

3. Depth. Without the stand, most current TVs are 1 to 3.5 inches deep. On the stand, depth is set by the feet or pedestal: about 8 to 19 inches on the models we list, which is what decides whether it fits on a shallow shelf.

4. Stand footprint. How far apart the feet are, or the width of a center pedestal. This is the measurement people forget. Many current TVs put the feet near the outer edges: a 98-inch TCL we checked has its feet 73 inches apart, so it needs a console at least that wide. Others use a narrow center pedestal that fits on a small table. Our size guides list the stand width for each real model.

The VESA pattern, for wall mounts

If you’re wall-mounting, measure the mounting holes on the back of the TV: the distance between hole centers horizontally, then vertically, in millimeters. That’s the VESA pattern (for example 300 × 300 or 600 × 400), and your mount must support it and the TV’s weight. Patterns don’t follow screen size neatly, so check your model’s specifications rather than guessing from the size.

Printable TV size chart

The picture size of every common TV size, with the seating distance at which it fills the recommended 30–40° of your view. Print it, or keep it open when you shop.