Why your TV is probably the wrong choice, and how to fix it

It doesn’t seem that long ago that 4K displays were exclusively the realm of enthusiasts with deep pockets. I remember visiting a friend who had just bought a 4K UHD TV and marveling at its crisp, vibrant details.

However, nowadays you can buy a new 4K UHD TV for less than $200; they’re often the default option when browsing electronics retailers.

8K TVs are now the enthusiast’s choice. Ranging in price anywhere from $2,000 to $35,000, it’s easy to look at these eye-watering prices and think: “Are they worth it?” In short, no.

However, depending on your setup, neither are 4K UHD TVs. We’re not approaching the point where TV technology has bypassed what our eyes are capable of; we’re long past it.

For your living room, 4K probably doesn’t matter

Our eyes limit TV technology

The term “resolution limit” refers to the point at which improvements to a screen’s resolution no longer bring noticeable benefits.

To find this limit, scientists at the University of Cambridge and Meta experimented with measuring the resolution limit of the eye. Essentially, how many pixels can we see?

To accomplish this, they set up a 27-inch 4K monitor on a rail that allowed them to slide it towards and away from participants.

The researchers then presented participants with two types of images repeated in a random order as the display moved away from them.

One image displayed one-pixel-wide vertical lines of varying colors on a gray background, while the other displayed a solid gray background. Participants were asked which image contained the lines at each movement step.

Talking with the Guardian about the results, Dr Maliha Ashraf, first author of the study, stated: “If someone already has a 4K, 44-inch TV and watches it from about 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) away, that’s already more detail than the eye can see… upgrading to an 8K version of the same size wouldn’t look any sharper.”

Recommendations on viewing distance are nothing new. Buy a new 4K TV, and the instruction manual will likely come with advice on how far away you can place your TV so the pixels “disappear.”

However, as the study concluded, this distance is further than you think.

The human eye is better than we thought at distinguishing detail

Your TV probably should be further away

The most intriguing takeaway from this study was that the human eye is better than we thought.

The team behind the study created an online calculator to identify the minimum distance you can place your TV before you notice the difference between your display and a perfect display.

As everyone’s eyes are different, the calculator identifies the percentage of the population that could distinguish individual details.

To test this discrepancy between “official” recommendations and the science, I found the minimum viewing distance recommended by Panasonic and Sony for a 50-inch 4K TV.

Panasonic recommended placing it no closer than 4 feet, while Sony recommended a minimum of 3.3 feet away. However, the team’s calculator found that at 4 feet, 99% of the population could spot the difference between the example TV and a perfect display.

To ensure 90% of the population could likely not spot the difference, you would need to place a 50-inch 4K TV 5.9 feet away. To extend this threshold to 100%, it would need to be at least 6.8 feet away.

So what does this mean for your TV? You should probably place it further away.

How to buy and place a TV for optimal viewing

Time to pull out the tape measure

It just so happens that at the time of writing this article, I am shopping for a new TV. To demonstrate how to buy a new TV with science, I’ll use my living room as an example.

My TV is placed approximately 100 inches away from my sofa. Due to the constraints of my living room setup, the display size cannot be larger than approximately 50 inches.

Using these numbers, these are the results for 1080p, 2K, and 4K displays from the study’s calculator. (Remember, lower percentages are better.)

So, for my setup, a 50-inch 4K TV is more than enough. However, if I decrease the screen size to 41″, the 2K display becomes indistinguishable from it. If I decrease it further to 31″ (which is the size of my current TV), then a 1080p display becomes indistinguishable from a 2K or 4K.

However, the study recommends that designing a display to accommodate 95% of the population is a better method for TV manufacturers. With this in mind, I could buy a 4K UHD TV with a display size up to 68 inches.

Considering an 8K TV? Don’t bother

When it comes to resolution, there’s no reason to consider an 8K TV for an average living room. 4K is more than enough for most situations, and even 2K displays are suitable for smaller setups.

So don’t get fooled by 8K marketing on TVs. Your eyes simply can’t tell the difference. Factor in considerations like software and accessories for your smart TV instead.