70 Inch tv – too small, too big, or just right?

So you’ve decided that your old 50-inch TV is just too small and it’s time for a bigger one? Will 70 inch TV dimensions allow you to enjoy watching movies and games at home the way you really want?

Let’s find that out in this article.

What are the Dimensions of a 70 Inch TV?

One of the most important decisions you’ll need to make when buying a new TV is where to place it. 

For instance, your new TV might be a little too big for the same place your old one was.

In addition, your TV shouldn’t be too close or too far away from where you usually sit to watch it.

How Big is a 70 Inch TV and How Much Does it Weigh?

In terms of dimensions, a 70 inch TV will be around 34.3 inches (87.1 cm) tall and 61 inches (154.9 cm) wide.

Its dimensions can be a few inches bigger, depending on the size of the bezel (the edge of the TV around the screen).

Why is this important?

Well, two reasons.

For one, your TV might be too big to fit in the cabinet or on the table you intended. For example, if a TV is 61 inch wide and the cabinet “only” 60 inches, how will you fit the screen in it? You need at least 3-5 inches of extra space between the TV and the cabinet walls.

When it comes to the TV table, on the other hand, the “problem” can be that the TV’s stand is wider and or deeper than the table itself, which means that you risk it falling over (ever seen the video where dad drops the TV from the balcony after his son smacks him?)

Secondly, a TV that big won’t be able to fit in every vehicle. Keep in mind that you need to transport it upright to avoid vibrations caused by the bumps on the road, which can damage the screen. Just in case you were wondering, can you lay down a flat screen TV? (yes, this includes strapping the TV to the roof of your car).

Now, what about the weight of the TV?

Of course, keep in mind here that the weight will differ from one manufacturer to another. For example, a Samsung LED TV weighs 54.5 lbs, while a Vizio 70-inch TV weighs 56.9 lbs.

Typically, a 70 inch TV will weigh anywhere between 55 and 70 pounds or 25 and 31 kilograms. This, however, doesn’t include the TV stand, which will add several more pounds to the mix.

What is the Resolution on a 70 Inch TV Like?

The resolution is defined as the number of horizontal and vertical pixels on the display. The higher the resolution, the sharper the image, though if you’re sitting too far away, you probably won’t notice the difference between a 1080p and 8K resolution.

Most modern TVs come with 4K resolution, so you’ll typically see 70 inch TVs in this resolution as well.

How Far Should You Sit From a 70 Inch TV?

First of all, don’t take this as an exact science,  but more of a general guide as your eyesight might differ from the next person, and TV resolution also plays a part in this.

For instance, with a resolution below 4K, you’ll likely see imperfections if you sit too close to the screen, while with a 4K (Ultra HD) that generally won’t be the case.

However, before you plop yourself 5 feet from the TV, consider also what type of program you will watch. If you’re watching movies, then yes, you want the screen to fill your entire FOV (field of view). But if you’re watching a sports game, on the other hand, it might get nauseating if the screen content fills your entire FOV.

So how far should you sit then?

Well, according to the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers), the minimum field of vision that the screen should fill is 30° for most stuff (mixed usage), but if you’re watching movies, this can be 40° (cinema usage).

So, knowing that, let’s see how far you should sit in front of a 70 inch TV.

This depends on the TV’s resolution. Most modern TVs (including 70 inch ones) are 4K (UHD). That’s 3,840 horizontal pixels and 2,160 vertical pixels, or a total of 8.3 million pixels.

If we use a TV viewing distance calculator, for a 70 inch TV screen, with a 4K UHD resolution, also considering that the person has 20/20 eyesight. In that case, SMPTE recommends a maximum viewing distance of 9.49 feet, while THX is 7.83 feet.

TV Viewing Distance Calculator
TV Viewing Distance Calculator

However, you might have an older model that supports only FHD resolution (1,920×1080) or a newer one that has 8K resolution (7,680×4320), or a total of 33 million pixels).

The resolution will affect how far you can sit from a TV screen. For FHD (Full HD), for instance, you want to be 9 to 14.5 feet away from the screen, while with 4K UHD (Ultra HD)  TVs, you can be considerably closer, usually 7 to 11 feet from the TV.

It might even be easier to calculate what TV size you need based on the size of the room if the viewing distance is fixed. 

In that case, according to this TV size calculator, you can put your 70 inches TV 7 to 11 feet away.

TV Screen Size Calculator
TV Screen Size Calculator

You can also see on this graph the optimal viewing distance by the size of the TV and the resolution:

Optimal Viewing Distance based on TV size and resolution
Optimal Viewing Distance based on TV size and resolution

How are TVs Measured?

Before you decide on a place where you will place (or mount) your TV, you will, of course, need to know will it fit.

We already mentioned that a 70 inch TV is about 34.3 inches in height and 61 inches in width, so if you’re going to place it in a cabinet or an alcove, make sure that the furniture is bigger than this.

If you are using a TV stand, you need to ensure that the “footprint” (the width and depth of the stand) is not wider than the furniture you’re placing the TV on. On the other hand, if you are mounting the TV on the wall, you’ll need to consider the TV’s dimensions without the stand.

If you want to take the measurements for yourself, you can grab a measuring tape and measure:

  1. Horizontally side-to-side for the width.
  2. Vertically, from top to bottom, for the height.
  3. And from front to back for the depth. Also, if you’re using the stand, measure its depth instead of the TVs.
  4. For the screen itself, measure diagonally from one corner (bottom left) to the opposite (top right) corner.

How Much Will a 70 Inch TV Cost You?

The observant readers among you will notice that we haven’t yet mentioned one very big factor when buying a TV. 

We talked a lot about the dimensions, weight, resolution and viewing distance, but not the price itself.

Of course, the bigger the TV, the greater its cost.

For instance, a Vizio 70 inch TV will cost you around $800, while a Samsung will cost around $1,200, depending on each television’s features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 70 inch TV too big?

A bigger TV screen isn’t always better. A 70 inch TV could be too big for your needs if your room is too small, so your viewing distance is too close to the screen.

Another reason a 70 inch TV might be too big depends on the furniture you want to place it on (or in). 

For instance, if your cabinet is only 60 inches wide, you won’t be able to put a 70 inch TV in it (it’s usually 61 inches wide), so you’ll need a cabinet that is at least 65 inches wide.

If you’re placing the TV on a table, you will need to make sure that its width and depth are bigger than the TV’s stand.

Can a 70-inch TV fit in a car?

First, when deciding if a TV will fit in your vehicle, you should consider the size of the box it comes in.

For a 70-inch TV, the box will typically be 69.09 inches long and 41.5 inches wide. This means it will fit in most minivans (box included). With SUVs, however, fitting a 70-inch TV might be a problem and you’ll need to fold the back seats to find the necessary space.

When transporting a TV, you should never lay it flat as the bumps might cause it to bounce and damage the screen. Instead, always put it upright and secure it with a seatbelt.

Conclusion

When buying a new TV, one of the biggest factors to make that decision will be the size of the TV screen. 70 inch TV dimensions should be a nice upgrade from your old 40-50 inch screen. 

Hopefully, this article has helped you decide whether you should buy a 70 inch TV or not. If you do, enjoy your new TV.

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About Jon

Hey, I'm Jon. I'm an engineer by trade, so it makes sense that I'm obsessed with anything technology related! On the weekends, you can find me playing around with my computers or fixing something around the house. Feel free to leave a comment if you want to get in touch.

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