50 or 55 inches?
50 vs 55 inch TV compared: 11 cm wider, 21% more screen and £40 to £71 more for the same model. Viewing distances, room fit and the Hisense and TCL picks.
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At a glance
A 55-inch TV is the better choice for most UK living rooms, and a 50-inch TV is the better choice only when the sofa sits closer than 2 m or the space is narrower than about 125 cm. The 55-inch screen is 11.1 cm wider and has 21% more area, and the same model costs £40 to £71 more on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026). The Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO at £445 is £50 more than the Hisense 50E78QTUK PRO at £395, with an identical specification.
How much bigger is a 55-inch TV than a 50-inch TV?
A 55-inch TV is 11.1 cm wider, 6.2 cm taller and 21% larger in screen area than a 50-inch TV. TV sizes measure the diagonal, so 5 more inches sounds small, but area grows with the square of the diagonal: the 55-inch panel adds 1,447 cm², a little more than one sheet of A3 paper.
| Measure | 50-inch | 55-inch | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel width | 110.7 cm | 121.8 cm | +11.1 cm |
| Panel height | 62.3 cm | 68.5 cm | +6.2 cm |
| Screen area | 6,893 cm² | 8,340 cm² | +21% |
| Everyday distance (30°) | 2.07 m | 2.27 m | +0.20 m |
| Cinema distance (40°) | 1.52 m | 1.67 m | +0.15 m |
The frame adds 1 cm to 3 cm on each side, so a 55-inch TV needs about 124 cm to 128 cm of clear width and a 50-inch TV about 113 cm to 117 cm. Check the stand-foot spacing too: feet near the edges need a unit almost as wide as the TV.
Which size suits my viewing distance?
At 2 m or more, a 55-inch TV fills the view better; at 1.5 m, a 50-inch TV is already at the cinema-style limit. The guidelines most TV makers and RTINGS use aim for a screen that fills 30 degrees of view for everyday watching and 40 degrees for films. Compare Electronic calculated both sizes at five distances:
| Sofa to screen | 50-inch fills | 55-inch fills | Better fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 m | 40.5° | 44.2° | 50-inch |
| 2.0 m | 30.9° | 33.9° | Either, 55-inch for films |
| 2.5 m | 25.0° | 27.4° | 55-inch (or 65-inch) |
| 2.63 m (BBC UK median) | 23.8° | 26.1° | 55-inch (or 65-inch) |
| 3.0 m | 20.9° | 22.9° | 65-inch or larger |
The BBC measured a median UK viewing distance of 2.63 m in its 2014 survey of viewing habits. At that distance neither size reaches 30 degrees, which is why 65 inches suits many UK lounges, as covered in What size TV do I need?
How much more does a 55-inch TV cost?
The same TV costs £40 to £71 more at 55 inches than at 50 inches on Amazon UK on 3 October 2026. Compare Electronic priced three model families sold at both sizes, so the only change is the screen. Each extra 100 cm² of screen costs £2.76 to £4.90, below what the 50-inch model already charges per 100 cm².
| Model family | 50-inch | 55-inch | Gap | £ per extra 100 cm² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCL V6D (4K LED, 60 Hz) | £259 | £299 | £40.00 | £2.76 |
| Hisense E78Q PRO (QLED, 144 Hz) | £395 | £445 | £50.00 | £3.45 |
| TCL C6K (Mini-LED, 144 Hz) | £499 | £569.98 | £70.98 | £4.90 |
In every family the 55-inch model is cheaper per square centimetre of screen than the 50-inch model: £5.34 against £5.73 per 100 cm² for the Hisense pair. The 50-inch TV saves money, but the 55-inch TV is the better buy per unit of picture.
Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO vs 50E78QTUK PRO
The Hisense E78Q PRO is the best-value TV at both sizes, and the two models differ only in size and price. Both have a 4K QLED panel at 144 Hz with VRR and ALLM for consoles, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, Dolby Atmos and the VIDAA platform with Freely built in.
Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO and 50E78QTUK PRO specifications
- Sizes: 55-inch (£445) and 50-inch (£395)
- Panel: QLED, 3840x2160, 144 Hz
- Gaming: VRR Yes, HDMI 2.1 Yes
- HDR: Dolby Vision Yes, HDR10+ Yes
- Smart platform: VIDAA with Freely
The 55-inch model is the top pick in Best budget 55 inch TV UK 2026, and the 50-inch model is ranked in Best 50 inch TV UK 2026. A QLED panel without local dimming has limited HDR brightness, so buyers who watch films in a dark room should look at the TCL C6K below.
Hisense E78Q PRO at 50 and 55 inches - pros and cons
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Radar · 0-100 scores
- 55E78QTUK PRO 55" QLED
- 50E78QTUK PRO 50" QLED
- 55C6K 55" QD-Mini LED
- 50C6K QD-Mini LED
TCL 55C6K vs 50C6K
The TCL C6K is the step up at both sizes: a Mini-LED backlight rated at 1,000 nits peak brightness with Dolby Vision, HDR10+, a 144 Hz panel and Google TV. The TCL 55C6K costs £569.98 and the TCL 50C6K £499 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), a £70.98 gap, the widest of the three families.
Mini-LED matters more than the 5 inches for film fans. Hundreds of local dimming zones (TCL lists 512 on the 50C6K) dim behind dark parts of the picture, so HDR highlights stay bright while black bars stay dark, which a standard QLED panel cannot match. The 50C6K is the top pick in Best 50 inch TV UK 2026.
TCL C6K at 50 and 55 inches - pros and cons
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Should I get a 50 or 55-inch TV for my room?
Get a 55-inch TV if the sofa is 2 m or more from the screen and the space is at least 125 cm wide; get a 50-inch TV otherwise. Compare Electronic's room guide covers the common cases:
| Room | Typical distance | Buy | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average living room | 2.4 m to 2.7 m | 55-inch | 50 inches fills under 25 degrees from the sofa |
| Small living room or flat | 2.0 m to 2.3 m | 55-inch | Sits inside the 30 to 40-degree range |
| Large bedroom | 1.6 m to 2.0 m | 50-inch | 55 inches nears the 40-degree limit |
| Alcove or TV unit under 125 cm | Any | 50-inch | A 55-inch frame needs 124 cm to 128 cm |
| Gaming desk or close seating | Under 1.5 m | 43 to 50-inch | Both sizes exceed 40 degrees |
Who should buy a 50-inch TV instead?
A 50-inch TV suits three buyers: a bedroom viewer at 1.5 m to 2 m, a household with a TV unit or alcove narrower than 125 cm, and a buyer with a hard budget ceiling. At the budget end, the TCL 50V6D costs £259 and the TCL 55V6D £299, a 4K Fire TV pair with a 60 Hz panel that suits broadcast TV and streaming more than gaming.
Buyers who sit 2.5 m or more away should skip both sizes and look at 65 inches: the Hisense 65E78QTUK PRO costs £595, ranked in Best 65 inch TV UK 2026. Smaller rooms are covered in Best 43 inch TV UK 2026.
Verdict
A 55-inch TV is the right size for most UK living rooms, and the extra £40 to £71 buys 21% more screen at a lower price per square centimetre. The Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO at £445 is the pick, and the TCL 55C6K at £569.98 is the Mini-LED upgrade for films. Choose the Hisense 50E78QTUK PRO at £395 when the sofa is under 2 m away or the space is under 125 cm wide.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 50 or 55 inch TV better?
A 55-inch TV is better for most UK living rooms because viewers sit about 2.5 m from the screen, where 50 inches looks small. A 50-inch TV is better when the sofa is closer than 2 m or the space is narrower than about 125 cm. The Hisense 55E78QTUK PRO costs £445 and the 50-inch version £395 on Amazon UK in October 2026.
How much bigger is a 55-inch TV than a 50-inch TV?
A 55-inch TV is 11.1 cm wider and 6.2 cm taller than a 50-inch TV, with 21% more screen area. The 55-inch panel measures 121.8 cm by 68.5 cm and the 50-inch panel 110.7 cm by 62.3 cm, before the frame adds 1 cm to 3 cm on each side.
Is 55 inches too big for a small living room?
No, unless the sofa sits closer than about 1.7 m. A 55-inch TV suits 1.67 m to 2.27 m using the 40-degree and 30-degree viewing guidelines. At 2 m, a 55-inch TV fills 34 degrees of view, inside the comfortable range. Rooms where the sofa is 1.5 m away or less suit a 50-inch or 43-inch TV.
How much more does a 55-inch TV cost than a 50-inch?
The same TV costs £40 to £71 more at 55 inches than at 50 inches on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026). The TCL V6D gap is £40, the Hisense E78Q PRO gap is £50 and the TCL C6K Mini-LED gap is £70.98. That buys 1,447 cm² of extra screen, at £2.76 to £4.90 per 100 cm².
How far should you sit from a 50-inch TV?
Sit between 1.52 m and 2.07 m from a 50-inch TV. 2.07 m gives a 30-degree view for everyday watching and 1.52 m gives the 40-degree view THX recommends for films. At the 2.5 m distance typical of UK living rooms, a 50-inch TV fills 25 degrees, which is why 55 inches suits most lounges better.
Is a 50 or 55-inch TV better for a PS5?
Either size works for a PS5 if the TV has a 120 Hz or faster panel with VRR, so choose by viewing distance. The Hisense 50E78QTUK PRO at £395 and 55E78QTUK PRO at £445 both run at 144 Hz with VRR and ALLM. Players sitting 2 m or more away get the more immersive picture from the 55-inch model.