Why I got a 43" T.V. for my dorm and you should too
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Most college students said the ideal size television for a dorm room is 32 inches but this depends on the size of your dorm room, where you’ll place your television, what type of television you purchase, and how far away from your T.V. you will sit.
Table of Contents (jump ahead)
It’s an exciting time to be on your own and experience life without your parents. But then comes all the tough decisions. And it’s a big one.
What size television is best for your dorm room?
The size of television that is best for your dorm room will depend on a few factors like the size of your dorm room, how far away you will sit away from the television and the connections that are provided for you. In a survey, most college students said they purchased a 32 inch T.V. for their dorm.
Here are some of the top factors that will dictate was size of a television you will get.
What size is your dorm room?
Where will the T.V. be in your dorm room?
How far away will you watch the T.V.?
Hook-up connections provided in your dorm room
If you’re placing your television across your room, you can get a larger television. But if you are planning on having it sit on your computer desk, next to your bed, it should be smaller.
When you watch television, you want to be comfortable. So don’t just try to get a larger T.V. because it seems like it would be better. It might not be. And I will explain why.
If you get a 4K T.V., you can get a bigger T.V. and sit closer, but a standard definition will be too pixelated the closer you sit, and you’ll need greater distance between you and the T.V. Or it will look more grainy.
I am going to give you options for different circumstances so you can find out which one works best for you. And then I will give you my recommendation.
Why do you need a T.V. in a dorm room?
In college, you are likely going to have time where you need to relax and prepare for a long night of studying.
Or you want to escape your roommate. And binge watch an entire season of your favorite show.
Either way, a television can really help you unwind and forget about the day.
Another reason, and an even better one, to have a T.V. at college, is so you can use the smart features.
Most T.V.s are going to have a way to connect to the internet, and if they can’t, don’t buy it.
When you connect to the internet, you’ll have access to lots of apps, some free, and you may be able to access shows, movies, surf the web, make video calls, play video games, etc.
Of course this depends on which smart T.V. you get, but it’s pretty cool to do all that from a T.V., isn’t it?
Can you have a T.V. in a dorm room?
Most colleges allow students to have televisions in their dorm room, but you need to check with your college to make sure that televisions are allowed before you purchase one. And find out what connections your television needs before you make a purchase.
Even if you’re dorm room doesn’t have cable outlets, you probably don’t need one.
You can typically connect to Wi-Fi, for most features, on a smart T.V. anyway so you can ditch the cable.
Before you pack a T.V. for your dorm, find out how you will need to display your T.V. Ask if you can hang it on the wall, or will it need sit on a desk. You want to be prepared.
And finally, make sure there is an electrical outlet nearby where you want to hookup the television.
Nothing worse than unloading your stuff to realize it won’t work out.
What size of T.V. do most college students have in their dorms?
I went online and asked “what size television did you get for your dorm room” and they mostly responded with a 32 inch T.V. I didn’t get many who responded with a larger television, but maybe your dorm room is larger than the average dorm room or has a different layout and you can manage to have a larger T.V.
While this was the most common size, a lot of factors might influence your decision.
Why does distance from the T.V. matter?
There has been some debate about eye strain from sitting too close to the television, but many experts have debunked this, and it isn’t much cause for concern. Although it is recommended to take breaks from screens for other issues, eye damage isn’t one of them.
To make sure that the T.V. will be ideal for your living space, we need to first consider where you’ll place the T.V. and how far away you will be sitting from the television.
If you get a better resolution T.V., you can sit closer and get a bigger television. If you get a lower resolution T.V., you’ll need to sit further away from the television.
This is recommended because of a human’s horizontal view. If you sit too close, you won’t be able to see some areas of the screen without having to move your eyes or head and this can make you somewhat nauseated over time.
And it really impacts the user experience.
Also, if you’re sitting too close, the picture quality could be worse depending on the T.V.’s resolution.
For example, a 4K television will have better clarity than a standard definition. You can sit closer to a 4K T.V. than a standard definition T.V. without impacting the picture and your experience. Technology has greatly improved.
But even though you can sit closer, there’s still is a recommended distance so you can see the whole picture without having to move your eyes or head too much.
Best size T.V. for your dorm room
So let’s consider how far away you’ll be sitting from your T.V. You don’t want to be too close where you’re moving your head side-to-side like you’re watching a tennis match. That’s not comfortable. And you want the picture to be crisp.
The distance you should be from the television depends on the model you own. For example, if you own a 4k model, you could sit closer.
If you’re cramped for space, and want a larger T.V., you’ll have to splurge on the 4K instead of a high definition or standard definition model.
Based upon Sony’s advice, I have developed answers to each scenario.
Check the table below to find out the best size T.V. for your dorm room based upon how close you should be to the T.V.
What’s the best television for dorm rooms on a budget?
The best television (T.V.) for a dorm room when a college student is on a budget is a high definition 43 inch television. The T.V. should have internet capabilities and should be considered a smart T.V. so that you can stream services.
Let’s talk more about how I came to this decision. I found the average room size, and it is 12X19 feet. Let’s assume you’re sharing the space with a roommate because that is most common.
First, let’s narrow down the type of television most college students are going to purchase.
Because televisions are very affordable now, most people don’t have a standard definition T.V. anymore. You’re likely to buy a high definition (HD) or 4K.
If you’re on a budget, a high definition will work just fine.
If you buy a high definition (usually more affordable) and you have at least 5.5 feet between you and the T.V., you can get a 43 inch television with no problems.
I have my favorite below.
I think a 43 inch television is most appropriate because the technology of the televisions and the affordability allow most college students to make this purchase.
And I think you should go larger because you’re more likely to use it in an apartment or house later. A 32 inch would be quite small in most apartments or homes, so for practical use later, I suggest getting the largest T.V. you can.
This will give you the most bang for your buck.
I have my best recommendation for a dorm room T.V. below. Check it out!
Is a 43 inch T.V. too big for a dorm room?
A 43 inch T.V. is an appropriate size television for a dorm room as long as you have enough distance between you and the television to avoid a grainy picture. But it will also depend on the type of television you purchase. If you get a 4K T.V., you will need at least 3 feet between you and the T.V. and for a HD T.V., you need around 5 feet for it to be a good viewing experience.
And most people aren’t using standard definition televisions anymore so you don’t have to worry too much about having enough distance between you and the T.V. anymore like we used to.
Good luck and enjoy your college life!
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