best size 4k monitor 1.5-2 meters away

[trikolad]

I work 1.5-2 meters from my current 2k 27". the text size is unreadable at 100% scaling so I scale 225% most of the time.
I am now buying 4k tv to replace it and would like to know what size will give me the best result for this distance?
I was considering a 43" PC monitor but then I understood the text will be very small and now I am considering a 49-55 " TV instead
my main use is video editing. If 43" wouldn't give such small text it would be the ideal size for my room. 49 and 55 seems so huge but do I have any choice?

 

[CP5670]

I actually find 55" to be perfect at this distance, but I use it more for games than reading text or work.

 

[trikolad]

I actually find 55" to be perfect at this distance, but I use it more for games than reading text or work.

Thanks for the advise.
How does text look from 2m when the screen is set to 4k 100% scaling? Are the icons text easy to read? If you open any software, are the text and menus readable?

 

[VirtualLarry]

I'm using a 40" 4K UHD HDR (maybe? Supposedly supports "local dimming") TV, with quite a few HDMI2.0 inputs (for the price). It's a no-name pretty-much, Newegg BF special from a few years back. Serving me well thus far, I have a pair of them.

Anyways, 40" is the perfect size for my computer desk(s), as anything bigger wouldn't fit on them, I don't think.

Hard to find a non-smart 4K UHD TV these days, though, at any size, but most PC monitors aren't "smart", but they're double the price of TVs.

 

[trikolad]

I'm using a 40" 4K UHD HDR (maybe? Supposedly supports "local dimming") TV, with quite a few HDMI2.0 inputs (for the price). It's a no-name pretty-much, Newegg BF special from a few years back. Serving me well thus far, I have a pair of them.

Anyways, 40" is the perfect size for my computer desk(s), as anything bigger wouldn't fit on them, I don't think.

Hard to find a non-smart 4K UHD TV these days, though, at any size, but most PC monitors aren't "smart", but they're double the price of TVs.

40 is too small because I sit 2 meters away. how far do you sit?

 

[VirtualLarry]

40 is too small because I sit 2 meters away. how far do you sit?

I sit around 2-3 ft (1m) away from my screen. I have resolution scale at 100% in Windows 10 (native res).

 

[mnewsham]

Yeah, I use a 43" at about 1 meter. Perfectly readable at 100% GUI scale.

 

[mindless1]

You can use geometry calculations to figure this out.

 

[potato masher]

A lot of this stuff depends on your vision. I think a 4k 55" would do fine for my eyes at 1.5 meters. Maybe even 1 or 1.25 meters..

Another thing I have experienced.. after a certain point in angle coverage you have to start moving your head/eyes side to side to see everything. Which can be more annoying than enjoyable. Takes a while to get used to it.

I use a 4k tv as a pc monitor at 2-3 feet, its a 42" screen. I also kick back to 4 to 5 feet away and watch 1080p movies on it, works great for both.

 

[CP5670]

Thanks for the advise.
How does text look from 2m when the screen is set to 4k 100% scaling? Are the icons text easy to read? If you open any software, are the text and menus readable?

It looks fine to me at 1.5m, except for text near the corners of the TV for which I have to tilt my head to see. I don't use any text scaling. I previously had a 27" 1080p monitor and the text size is comparable to that, except that the TV sits a foot further away. It's like having four of those monitors side by side.

 

[mopardude87]

I sit as close as i did with my 27'' 2k to my 28'' and idk with scaling defaulting to 150% its been great for basic browsing and i got no issues reading these forums. In-game text has been fine too. I sit about 4 feet away max from the monitor. I could sit about 5 feet away from my 40'' 4k t.v without issues but gaming on the 28'' is much better due to the input lag on the 40''. Hard to compete with the 1ms on the 4k. Gaming wise 4k on the 28'' is as good as it gets, i applied 4x msaa in titles like BF4 and really struggled to see any difference with it on vs off.

 

[Atari2600]

I've a flat 40" in work as far back on the desk as I can get it... but thats likely only about 60 cm normal from my eyes - and the viewing angles for the top corners and even the edges are... uncomfortable.

Next one will be curved if I can - although unfortunately not many do them in 16:9 aspect... and I've given up on folks building affordable 16:10 ratio monitors.


And erm, far be it from me to mention the obvious - but if the text is too small can you not pull the monitor forward? [and it sounds like a massively deep desk your working on - unless its wall mounted?]

 

[mopardude87]

I've a flat 40" in work as far back on the desk as I can get it... but thats likely only about 60 cm normal from my eyes - and the viewing angles for the top corners and even the edges are... uncomfortable.

Yeah i had to wall mount the 40'' as it took up my entire desk and putting my tower on the floor for me is not a option. To big and to close too. My set up of the 40'' mounted means no dang t.v stand either and i have since scooted the 40'' over 2 feet from the wall with the stand and its now 5 feet from my bed. Very enjoyable with the smart remote and Hulu. If i pc game the desktop set up sits directly next to the t.v and if i decide to game on the t.v for any reason all i got to do is hook up a hdmi cable and i am ready to go.

 

[potato masher]

Does anybody really enjoy 4k movies any more than 1080p ones? I think you would have to have a 100" screen to really sit back far enough that it was comfortable to watch...

On a 50 or 60 there is really no point in 4k content when you sit back at normal viewing distances.

I say this as somebody who *HAS* a 4k screen..

 

[mopardude87]

I am still kind of waiting for 4k to become even more widely available. Only been able to watch 4k Youtube and well its nice. Maybe i can find a streaming service that streams 4k blockbuster movies. Some good movies out this year but most still in theaters. On the desktop oh yeah the monitor is fantastic for gaming but my video watching is limited outside of what i find in the forums in various threads. The 40'' is still mainly playing 720p/1080p content from Hulu and well luckily the scaling on the t.v makes even non native 4k content look fairly amazing.

I guess 4k as a whole isn't exactly prime time cause of server infrastructure and the cost associated with delivering such bandwidth among the masses. Network ports are topping out at what 10gb atm on servers? I won't pretend to be a expert but it kind of makes sense that it will cost quite a bit more to deliver 4k over 720p/1080p. You need like what 10x the bandwidth required for native 720p Hulu to stream 4k? Maybe 20x? I remember streaming 720p Youtube on a 1.5mb connection years ago.

 

[mnewsham]

Does anybody really enjoy 4k movies any more than 1080p ones? I think you would have to have a 100" screen to really sit back far enough that it was comfortable to watch...

On a 50 or 60 there is really no point in 4k content when you sit back at normal viewing distances.

I say this as somebody who *HAS* a 4k screen..

I watch 4k movies at my desktop, with a 43" 4k panel, and nice reclining chair, I sit around 1 meter back.

Great for nature documentaries and such where you can fairly easily see the difference in the resolution.

Many mainstream movies, even if released on UHD bluray, were mastered at DCI 2k resolution (2048 x 1080), but things mastered at 4096 x 2160 or 3840 x 2160 look fantastic, for the most part.

I agree, at "normal" living room seating distances of 7-10 feet, you would need a massive 80-120" screen for it to really be beneficial.

 

[lupi]

Does anybody really enjoy 4k movies any more than 1080p ones? I think you would have to have a 100" screen to really sit back far enough that it was comfortable to watch...

On a 50 or 60 there is really no point in 4k content when you sit back at normal viewing distances.

I say this as somebody who *HAS* a 4k screen..

It's a no brainer at close distances, but even for my larger TV in the living room, sitting a dozen feet or so awhile I can tell the difference between HD and UHD content.