Monitor Sizes: Dimensions Chart, Resolutions and Desk Space

Monitor dimensions by screen size

Monitor size chart (16:9 screens)

A monitor's size is the diagonal of its visible screen. Width and height follow from the diagonal and the aspect ratio: for 16:9, width is 0.872 × the diagonal and height is 0.490 × the diagonal. The table gives the screen itself, not the frame around it.

Each step up adds more area than the diagonal suggests, because area grows with the square of the diagonal. A 27-inch screen has 27% more area than a 24-inch, and a 32-inch has 40% more than a 27-inch.

Size-by-size details, including frame and stand dimensions, are on the pages for the 21.5-inch, 24-inch, 27-inch and 32-inch monitor.

32-inch 27.9 × 15.7 in27-inch 23.5 × 13.2 in24-inch 20.9 × 11.8 in21.5-inch 18.7 × 10.5 in

Ultrawide monitor sizes (21:9 and 32:9)

Ultrawides stretch the screen sideways and keep the height of a normal monitor. Because the shape is so much wider, a big diagonal number does not mean a tall screen: a 49-inch super-ultrawide is barely taller than a 27-inch monitor.

Widths are measured along the screen surface. Nearly all ultrawides are curved, so the straight-line distance between the screen edges is a little shorter. Frames are thin, so overall widths end up within about an inch of the screen width, and a tightly curved model can be narrower overall than its screen. The 34-inch, 38-inch and 49-inch pages show what that means on a real desk.

Why a "24-inch" monitor measures 23.8 inches

Manufacturers sell monitors by size class and print the exact viewable diagonal in the specifications. The panel factories cut a small number of standard sizes, so several classes are a fraction smaller than their name:

• 22-inch class: 21.45 or 21.5 in viewable.
• 24-inch class: usually 23.8 in, sometimes 23.6 in on older or cheaper models.
• 25-inch class: 24.5 in.
• 32-inch class: usually 31.5 in.
• 38-inch class: 37.5 in.

The difference is small (a 23.8-inch screen is 0.2 in narrower than a true 24-inch), but it matters when you buy a privacy filter or screen protector, which are cut to the real viewable size. Check the "viewable size" or "diagonal (viewable)" line on the spec sheet.

Which resolution suits which monitor size

Pixel density (pixels per inch, PPI) decides how sharp text looks. Desktop monitors look crisp at a normal working distance from about 100 PPI up, and very sharp above 140 PPI. The last column is the distance beyond which a person with 20/20 vision can no longer pick out single pixels (each pixel covers one minute of arc); sit closer than that and the pixel grid becomes visible.

The pattern is clear: 27-inch 1440p, 34-inch and 38-inch ultrawides and the 49-inch 5120 × 1440 all sit at about 110 PPI, so text looks the same size on all of them at 100% scaling. Moving from one of these to another changes how much fits on screen, not how big things look. A 4K panel at 27 or 32 inches is sharper but normally runs at 125 to 150% scaling, so it shows less extra workspace than its pixel count suggests.

How much desk space each monitor size needs

The screen numbers above are only part of the footprint. On current thin-bezel models the frame adds only about half an inch to the width; the stand sets the depth. These figures come from one manufacturer's current line-up, so the sizes compare like for like:

Panel weight is without the stand, which is the figure to check against a monitor arm's rating. Gaming models with tighter curves are deeper: a 49-inch 1000R screen needs about 16.5 in (42 cm) of depth on its stand.

Desk depth and viewing distance

OSHA's workstation guidance puts the eyes 20 to 40 in (50 to 100 cm) from the screen, with the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level. In practice the desk must hold the stand, the gap to the keyboard and your forearms:

• 24 in (61 cm) deep: fine for 21.5 to 27 inches.
• 27.5 to 30 in (70 to 76 cm) deep: comfortable for 32-inch screens and 34-inch ultrawides.
• 30 in (76 cm) or deeper: best for 38 and 49-inch models, or use an arm to push the screen back.

Standard desk widths and depths are listed in the desk dimensions guide, and sit-stand frames in the standing desk guide.

Choosing a monitor size by use

• Office work and a small desk: 24-inch at 1920 × 1080 is the baseline. Two of them side by side are a common office setup.
• General home use and photo editing: 27-inch at 2560 × 1440 shows two documents side by side at a readable size. Choose 4K or 5K for sharper text.
• Spreadsheets, timelines and code: a 34-inch ultrawide replaces two monitors without a bezel in the middle. A 32-inch 4K gives more height instead.
• Competitive gaming: 24.5-inch 1080p or 27-inch 1440p, where the whole screen stays in view without moving the head and high refresh rates are easier to drive.
• Simulation and immersive games: 34 to 49-inch curved ultrawides. Check that the game supports the wider ratio.
• Living-room or console use from a sofa: at 6 ft or more, a TV is the better tool. See the TV size guide.

Two monitors or one ultrawide

A frequent decision is whether to buy a pair of matching screens or a single wide one. Using the overall widths from the table above:

The 49-inch is effectively two 27-inch 1440p monitors with the bezels removed. The 34-inch ultrawide is narrower than two 24-inch screens but taller, with 2.4 times the pixels of a single 24-inch 1080p screen.

How to measure a monitor

1. Measure the screen diagonal. Run a tape from the top-left corner of the lit picture area to the bottom-right corner. Leave out the black frame. This is the size the monitor is sold by.
2. Measure the visible width and height of the picture area if you need them for a screen filter or for comparing two monitors.
3. Measure the overall width and height across the outer edges of the frame for shelf, alcove or bag fit.
4. Measure the stand footprint (base width and depth) and the depth from the front of the screen to the back of the stand.
5. Check the mounting holes on the back. Measure the distance between hole centers horizontally and vertically: 100 × 100 mm is the usual pattern.

On a curved screen, keep the tape against the surface when you measure the diagonal. A straight line across the curve reads short: by under 1% on a gently curved 34-inch, and by about 5% on a 1000R 49-inch.

Monitor mounting: VESA sizes

Almost every monitor from 21.5 to 34 inches uses the VESA 100 × 100 mm hole pattern with M4 screws; a few small or budget models use 75 × 75 mm. Some large ultrawides use 100 × 100 mm as well, while others add 200 × 100 mm. Models with a slim or integrated stand, including some Apple and Samsung designs, need an adapter or have no VESA mount at all, so check before you buy an arm.

Arm capacity matters more than screen size. A typical single arm such as the Ergotron LX is rated for 7 to 25 lb (3.2 to 11.3 kg), which covers every 16:9 monitor in the chart and most 34-inch ultrawides. A 49-inch model weighs 20 to 27 lb (9 to 12 kg) without its stand, near or beyond the top of that range, and its width and curve call for a heavy-duty arm rated for ultrawides.

Frequently asked questions