Advice needed: Large format 4k screen size, 40" vs 48"

4k monitor preference:

  • 40 inches, that's the sweet spot

    Votes: 6 35.3%
  • 48 inches, go big or go home

    Votes: 11 64.7%

  • Total voters
    17

Seventyfive

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Messages
1,347
Anyone here have experience with larger format 4k screens? I'm going back and forth between getting a 40" or a 48" curved Samsung. Both are within my price range so that is a non-issue. At home I have a 27" 1440p. At work I have 2x 24" monitors so I am trying to just imagine what it would be like to have 2 more above it which I guess would be equivalent to 48". If anyone has either a 40 or 48, I'd love to hear some pro's and con's.

ps: I'll be driving the monitor with a 980Ti so not worried about compatibility, chroma, etc...

thanks in advance!
 
Why not wait for the 43" Philips monitor, it will be PWM free and in between the size you are looking for but maybe you don't want a flat screen. 48" is a bit too large for the desk, you have to turn your head a lot which is uncomfortable and can give you pain, with the 40" you can have it at eye level if you manage to lower the monitor, I guess 43" could also work if you lower the monitor so it touches the desk. Depends of how close you sit to it.
 
Why not wait for the 43" Philips monitor, it will be PWM free and in between the size you are looking for but maybe you don't want a flat screen. 48" is a bit too large for the desk, you have to turn your head a lot which is uncomfortable and can give you pain, with the 40" you can have it at eye level if you manage to lower the monitor, I guess 43" could also work if you lower the monitor so it touches the desk. Depends of how close you sit to it.

Was really hoping to get a curved monitor if I'm going this big. I feel like it would help the viewing angles of the edges.
 
Get the 48" If you find it too big then send it back and get the 40". You won't know until you test it for yourself since it really comes down to personal preference. Easier to trade down than up I would say. Its as easy as that.
 
~48 inch is the biggest size you can directly use without alternative mounting techniques.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I just realized my mom has a 48" 1080p. I know it's not the same but I think I might drive to her house and hook up my laptop and sit like 3' away and see how it feels.

My gut is telling me for gaming the 48" is what i will want but for getting actual work done the 40" will probably be less strain to see everything that's going on. I don't mind the PPI of my current 27" which is a great point KazeoHin.
 
49" 4k monitor here. It is absolutely amazing, I don't find myself turning my head at all while gaming sitting 3-4 ft back. I realize this may not work for all, but my setup is a bit unconventional. I don't have it on a desk or mounted on a stand/wall. Don't think I could go smaller after having this. The immersion is just ridiculous
 
3 feet away from a 1080p monitor will in NO way give you an idea what sitting that distance from a 4K monitor is like...there is no comparison between the 2...the pixels are huge compared to 4K..I sit between 2 and 3 feet from mine and it is glorious...48" all the way

IMG_3711.jpg
 
I posted this before.

I did some analysis comparing the size of the 40" to the 48".

Given specs for the Samsung 40" and 48" displays:
40" is actually 39.5", 111.54 DPI, 34.4" wide, 19.4" high (without bezel)
48" is actually 47.6", 92.56 DPI, 41.5" wide, 23.3" high
(width and height was calculated assuming square pixels)

I wondered, what is the equivalent viewing distance for the 40" and 48" displays at the same PPD (Pixels Per Degree)?

The formula for PPD is:
PPD = 2 x Tan(1/2) x Inches away x DPI
Or:
PPD = 0.01745 x Inches away x DPI

You don't need PPD to simply convert the viewing distance. The formula to convert viewing distance from 40" to 48":
Inches away from 40" x (DPI of 40" / DPI of 48") = Inches away from 48"
Or:
Inches away from 40" x 1.205 = Inches away from 48"

These will be the same 29.2 PPD:
The 40" Samsung sitting 15" away
The 48" Samsung sitting 18.1" away

These will be the same 38.9 PPD:
The 40" Samsung sitting 20" away
The 48" Samsung sitting 24.1" away

These will be the same 48.7 PPD:
The 40" Samsung sitting 25" away
The 48" Samsung sitting 30.1" away

Now, I see why people are having trouble deciding between the two. Neither is a great size. The 40" (which is only 39.5") is too small, and the 48" (actually 47.6") is too big.

The DPI of the 40" is a little too high and needs to sit a little too close compared to most monitors. Some would say just enlarge the UI and sit it back further and then it's good. I don't have fine grain control over the size of the UI to make it just a little bit bigger, or that might be a good option. Personally, I would want a much higher DPI in order to enlarge the UI.

I like the DPI of the 48", but it's a little too tall. At 23.3" plus the bezel at the bottom, the top of the screen is at least 24" off the desk if it's sitting directly on the desk without a stand. I'm not sure I want to look up that high. The 40" would have the top of the screen at least 20" off the desk, which is good, but 1-2" more might be better.

I've recently been using monitors of 90 DPI, 104 DPI, and 108 DPI. The 108 DPI is already a little too high for my liking. The 40" at 111.54 DPI is even higher.

It's surprising that Samsung decided to make a 48" and a 50" (actually 47.6" and 49.5"). That's only 1.9" different! WTF? Instead of a 48", they should have made a 44", or closer to midway between 39.5" and 49.5".

Specs for a 44" display: 100.13 DPI, 38.3" wide, 21.6" high (without bezel)
The top of the screen would sit at least 22.3" off the desk. That would be closer to perfect.

I've gone back and forth between thinking I want the 40" and the 48". Now I'm leaning toward the 48". I saw the 40" in the store, and honestly, it didn't look as big or impressive as I imagined. Of course, it wasn't sitting on my desk, it was sitting next to 80" tvs, lol. If I raise my seat as high as I can, the height of the 48" might be fine.


The 2016 "K" Samsungs have some that will be 43". But, I don't know exactly which models will come in 43", and if they will make good monitors. Hopefully.
 
Last edited:
HA5, great analysis. I did some more research and I am going to hold out for the 2016 Samsung 43" models. They look like they'll be priced pretty cheap compared to the 2015 models but who knows what the response time will be.

Here's a pretty good post outlining their entire 2016 line up: Samsung launch KS9500, KS9000, KS8000 and KS7500 HDR TVs

The ones I'm going to check out are the UN43KU6300 and UN43KU6500. This place (Samsung - UN43KU6300) is showing a price of $747 for the 6300 so we'll see how close it is to that when it actually arrives.
 
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3 feet away from a 1080p monitor will in NO way give you an idea what sitting that distance from a 4K monitor is like...there is no comparison between the 2...the pixels are huge compared to 4K..I sit between 2 and 3 feet from mine and it is glorious...48" all the way

Yea I know the DPI isn't the same, I just wanted to get a feel for if I will be turning my head left and right just to see both sides of the screen.
 
HA5, that is very useful. It confirms my own research (sample size of one!) that 40", while nice, isn't as wow as 48", which is the upper maximum, and 44" (well, I looked at 43") is the perfect size. I actually considered a Sony 43" but just wasn't all round as great a monitor as the Samsungs, so I went with the 48JS9000.
 
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