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Screen Size Comparison

See exact width, height, and area for any monitor, TV, or laptop, then overlay two screens at real scale for a true screen size comparison before you buy.

Screen A

Aspect Ratio (W:H)

Note: 21:9 screens are often not exactly 21:9, but very close.

Screen A: 53.1 cm (20.9 in)20.9 in (53.1 cm) × 29.9 cm (11.8 in)11.8 in (29.9 cm), 1587.9 cm² (246.1 sq in)246.1 sq in (1587.9 cm²)

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How to use this tool

  1. Enter the diagonal size of the first screen

    Type the diagonal in inches. This is the viewable diagonal, the same number that TVs and monitors are sold by, so a 27-inch monitor gets 27 entered here.

  2. Set the aspect ratio

    Pick a common ratio such as 16:9, 21:9, 32:9, 4:3, 3:2, or 16:10, or choose Custom and enter any width:height pair. The aspect ratio determines the screen's shape and is what makes two displays with the same diagonal occupy different footprints.

  3. Add a second screen to compare

    Fill in the diagonal and aspect ratio of the second display. The calculator overlays both rectangles to scale so you can see exactly how much more or less physical space the upgrade would occupy.

  4. Read width, height, and area

    The tool returns width, height, and total screen area for both displays in inches and centimeters, plus the percentage difference in area. Area shows physical display surface. Pair it with resolution and scaling to estimate usable desktop workspace, since physical area alone doesn't determine how many pixels or UI elements fit.

About this tool

The Screen Size Comparison tool turns diagonal inches into width, height, and screen area, so you can see how much space a display takes up on your desk, wall, or in your hand. A diagonal alone hides the shape: a 34-inch 21:9 ultrawide and a 34-inch 16:9 monitor share a headline spec but have different footprints.

Use it when you're upgrading a monitor, TV, phone, or tablet. Enter each diagonal in inches plus an aspect ratio (16:9, 21:9, 32:9, 4:3, 3:2, or custom) to get width and height in centimeters and inches, plus total area for a direct comparison. Pair the result with resolution and scaling to judge usable workspace.

Formula

Given a diagonal D and aspect ratio width:height = w:h, the screen width is D × w / sqrt(w² + h²) and the height is D × h / sqrt(w² + h²). Area is width × height.

Percentage differences between two displays are computed from their areas, not their diagonals, which is why a 10% larger diagonal usually means roughly 21% more screen area.

When to use it

Reach for this when you're deciding between two monitor sizes, picking a TV for a specific room, or comparing phone generations where diagonal marketing masks a narrower or taller new aspect ratio.

Pair it with the PPI Calculator to check whether the bigger screen is actually sharper, and the Curved Monitor Visualizer if you're weighing a flat 32-inch against a curved 34-inch ultrawide.

Popular screen size scenarios

Pre-computed width, height, and area for common monitor, laptop, and TV sizes.

Screen size chart
Width, height and area of common TV, monitor, laptop, tablet and phone sizes
View details
24" 16:9 monitor
20.9 × 11.8 in (53.1 × 29.9 cm), the classic desktop size
View details
27" 16:9 monitor
23.5 × 13.2 in (59.8 × 33.6 cm), a common desktop size
View details

Screen size comparisons

Side-by-side width, height, and area numbers for common screen size decisions.

24-inch monitor vs 27-inch monitor
The 27-inch screen is 2.6 in (6.6 cm) wider and has 27% more area than the 24-inch one.
Read comparison
27-inch monitor vs 32-inch monitor
The 32-inch screen is 4.4 in (11.1 cm) wider and has 40% more area than the 27-inch one.
Read comparison
34-inch ultrawide (21:9) vs 27-inch 16:9
The 34-inch ultrawide is 31.4 in (79.7 cm) wide and 13.1 in (33.3 cm) tall, and the 27-inch 16:9 screen is 23.5 in (59.8 cm) wide and 13.2 in (33.6 cm) tall.
Read comparison

Frequently asked questions

How do I compare a 27-inch monitor to a 32-inch monitor?
Enter both diagonal sizes along with their aspect ratios (both 16:9 for typical monitors). A 32-inch 16:9 display has roughly 40% more screen area than a 27-inch 16:9 display. It's noticeably larger, but often has the same 1440p pixel count, so pixel density is lower on the bigger screen.
Why does the same diagonal look bigger in 16:9 than 21:9?
A 16:9 screen is taller, so at the same diagonal it has about 18% more area than a 21:9 screen. Diagonal size only describes one line across the screen, not its shape. A 34-inch 21:9 ultrawide is about 79 cm wide but only 34 cm tall, while a 34-inch 16:9 display would be around 75 cm wide and 42 cm tall. Same diagonal, different shape and area.
Is screen area more important than diagonal size?
For productivity, yes. Physical screen area tells you how much viewing surface you gain, while how much desktop content fits depends on resolution and OS or application scaling. A 32-inch 16:9 monitor gives you roughly 2823 cm² (438 in²) of physical area versus about 4019 cm² (623 in²) for two 27-inch monitors, so a pair of smaller monitors gives you more surface than one large one. Once size is settled, calculate pixel density and consider scaling to judge usable workspace.
How big is a 55-inch TV compared to a 65-inch TV?
A 65-inch 16:9 TV is about 18% wider, 18% taller, and 40% larger in area than a 55-inch. Viewing distance matters: the step up from 55 to 65 inches is usually worth it if you sit 2.0 meters (6.5 feet)6.5 feet (2.0 meters) or farther from the screen. That's the seat where a 65-inch fills a 40 degree view, the usual home theater target, while a 55-inch fills it from 1.7 meters (5.5 feet)5.5 feet (1.7 meters).
What's the difference between screen size and display size?
Marketing uses "screen size" to mean the diagonal of the visible panel, measured corner to corner. "Display size" can also include the bezel in some older specs, so a display advertised as 27-inch class might have a 26.9-inch viewable area. Our calculator assumes you're entering the viewable diagonal.
Can I compare a phone and a tablet side by side?
Yes, enter each device's diagonal and aspect ratio (phones are typically 19.5:9 or 20:9, tablets 4:3 or 16:10). You'll see exact width and height in centimeters and inches, which is an easy way to check whether a new tablet actually has more usable area than your current phone.

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