Monitor Comparison Table

Lines of text · Head movement · Curvature · Ground truth: 120 lines at 55cm on 45" LG · v3

How to read this table. Each number shows lines if font is sized to hit exactly that arcmin at that distance.

Cell shading: green background = passes line threshold AND angle ≤ 46°. Number colour is independent — amber stays amber in the 13' column even on a green cell.

Number colours: amber = 13' column always · green = 16'/20' passes line threshold · dim = fails · red⌈ = render ceiling.

Curvature: green ✓ within 10cm of designed distance · amber within 30cm · dim = further.

PPD: pixels per degree at your eye. <36 coarse · 36–56 sharp · ≥57 retina (text) · ≥94 true retina.

DREAM = 120 lines at ISO 16' comfort at 55cm. LG C4 42" at 104.9 PPI essentially exact in 16:9.

40cm — Apple's design point for 14" MacBook

High eye effort · Short sessions only

Screen	PPI	Width	13'	16'	20'	Ceil	±°		Curve
MBP 14" (Retina)	127	31cm	75	61	49	122	±21°	~	flat
27" 1080p	82	60cm	98⌈	98⌈	83	98	±37°	⚠	flat
27" 1440p	109	60cm	129	105	84	130	±37°	⚠	flat
Apple Studio Display 27" 5KNEW	218	60cm	129	105	84	180	±37°	⚠	flat
34" 21:9 1440pUW	109	80cm	129	105	84	130	±45°	⚠	flat
Apple Pro Display XDR 32" 6K (native)DISC	218	70cm	152	124	99	211	±41°	⚠	flat
Apple Pro Display XDR 32" 6K "looks like"DISC	109 eff	70cm	152	124	99	211	±41°	⚠	flat
39" LG 5K2KNEWUW	142	91cm	148	121	96	196	±49°	✗	1500R
LG C4 42" 4K OLEDTVDREAM	105	93cm	196⌈	163	130	196	±49°	✗	flat
45" LG 5K2KNEWUW	123	105cm	172	139	111	196	±53°	✗	800R
LG C4 48" 4K OLEDTVDREAM	92	106cm	196⌈	186	149	196	±53°	✗	flat
Samsung G9 49" 32:9SUW	109	119cm	129	105	84	130	±56°	✗	1800R
Dell 52" 6K (6144×2560)NEWUW	128	122cm	195	159	127	232	±57°	✗	4200R
LG UltraGear evo 52G930BNEWUW	107	121cm	196⌈	161	129	196	±57°	✗	1000R
55" Ark 4KNEW	80	122cm	196⌈	196⌈	171	196	±57°	✗	1000R
Samsung G9 57" 32:9NEWSUW	140	140cm	151	122	98	196	±60°	✗	1000R
130" 4K 16:9	34	288cm	196⌈	196⌈	196⌈	196	±74°	✗	flat
🔮 58" UW 5K2K (16'/60cm)DREAMUW	96	136cm	196⌈	179	143	196	±60°	✗	800R
🔮 78" UW 5K2K (16'/80cm)DREAMUW	72	182cm	196⌈	196⌈	191	196	±66°	✗	1000R

⌈ render ceiling — capped at height÷11px · green cell = lines threshold met AND angle ≤ 46° · 13' always amber · 16'/20' green if lines pass · threshold scales by pixel width vs 5120px reference

60cm — focused work override

Moderate eye effort · Sustainable for hours

Screen	PPI	Width	13'	16'	20'	Ceil	±°		Curve
MBP 14" (Retina)	127	31cm	50	41	32	122	±14°	✓	flat
27" 1080p	82	60cm	86	69	55	98	±27°	~	flat
27" 1440p	109	60cm	86	70	56	130	±27°	~	flat
Apple Studio Display 27" 5KNEW	218	60cm	86	70	56	180	±27°	~	flat
34" 21:9 1440pUW	109	80cm	86	70	56	130	±34°	⚠	flat
Apple Pro Display XDR 32" 6K (native)DISC	218	70cm	101	82	66	211	±30°	⚠	flat
Apple Pro Display XDR 32" 6K "looks like"DISC	109 eff	70cm	101	82	66	211	±30°	⚠	flat
39" LG 5K2KNEWUW	142	91cm	99	80	64	196	±37°	⚠	1500R
LG C4 42" 4K OLEDTVDREAM	105	93cm	134	109	87	196	±38°	⚠	flat
45" LG 5K2KNEWUW	123	105cm	114	93	74	196	±41°	⚠	800R
LG C4 48" 4K OLEDTVDREAM	92	106cm	153	124	99	196	±41°	⚠	flat
Samsung G9 49" 32:9SUW	109	119cm	86	70	56	130	±45°	⚠	1800R
Dell 52" 6K (6144×2560)NEWUW	128	122cm	130	106	84	232	±45°	⚠	4200R
LG UltraGear evo 52G930BNEWUW	107	121cm	132	107	86	196	±45°	⚠	1000R
55" Ark 4KNEW	80	122cm	176	143	114	196	±45°	⚠	1000R
Samsung G9 57" 32:9NEWSUW	140	140cm	100	81	65	196	±49°	✗	1000R
130" 4K 16:9	34	288cm	196⌈	196⌈	196⌈	196	±67°	✗	flat
🔮 58" UW 5K2K (16'/60cm)DREAMUW	96	136cm	146	119	95	196	±49°	✗	800R
🔮 78" UW 5K2K (16'/80cm)DREAMUW	72	182cm	195	159	127	196	±57°	✗	1000R

80cm — RPA · 800R sweet spot

Eyes fully relaxed · 800R curvature exactly matched

Screen	PPI	Width	13'	16'	20'	Ceil	±°		Curve
MBP 14" (Retina)	127	31cm	37	30	24	122	±11°	✓	flat
27" 1080p	82	60cm	64	52	41	98	±21°	~	flat
27" 1440p	109	60cm	64	52	42	130	±21°	~	flat
Apple Studio Display 27" 5KNEW	218	60cm	65	53	42	180	±21°	~	flat
34" 21:9 1440pUW	109	80cm	64	52	42	130	±27°	~	flat
Apple Pro Display XDR 32" 6K (native)DISC	218	70cm	76	62	49	211	±24°	~	flat
Apple Pro Display XDR 32" 6K "looks like"DISC	109 eff	70cm	76	62	49	211	±24°	~	flat
39" LG 5K2KNEWUW	142	91cm	74	60	48	196	±30°	~	1500R
LG C4 42" 4K OLEDTVDREAM	105	93cm	100	81	65	196	±30°	⚠	flat
45" LG 5K2KNEWUW	123	105cm	86	69	55	196	±33°	⚠	800R ✓
LG C4 48" 4K OLEDTVDREAM	92	106cm	114	93	74	196	±34°	⚠	flat
Samsung G9 49" 32:9SUW	109	119cm	64	52	42	130	±37°	⚠	1800R
Dell 52" 6K (6144×2560)NEWUW	128	122cm	97	79	63	232	±37°	⚠	4200R
LG UltraGear evo 52G930BNEWUW	107	121cm	99	80	64	196	±37°	⚠	1000R
55" Ark 4KNEW	80	122cm	132	107	85	196	±37°	⚠	1000R
Samsung G9 57" 32:9NEWSUW	140	140cm	75	61	49	196	±41°	⚠	1000R
130" 4K 16:9	34	288cm	196⌈	196⌈	196⌈	196	±61°	✗	flat
🔮 58" UW 5K2K (16'/60cm)DREAMUW	96	136cm	110	89	71	196	±40°	⚠	800R
🔮 78" UW 5K2K (16'/80cm)DREAMUW	72	182cm	146	119	95	196	±49°	✗	1000R

100cm — 1000R sweet spot · 39" enters eye-only range

Low eye effort · 1000R curvature exactly matched

Screen	PPI	Width	13'	16'	20'	Ceil	±°		Curve
MBP 14" (Retina)	127	31cm	30	24	19	122	±9°	✓	flat
27" 1080p	82	60cm	51	41	33	98	±17°	~	flat
27" 1440p	109	60cm	51	42	33	130	±17°	~	flat
Apple Studio Display 27" 5KNEW	218	60cm	52	42	34	180	±17°	~	flat
34" 21:9 1440pUW	109	80cm	51	42	33	130	±22°	~	flat
Apple Pro Display XDR 32" 6K (native)DISC	218	70cm	61	49	40	211	±19°	~	flat
Apple Pro Display XDR 32" 6K "looks like"DISC	109 eff	70cm	61	49	40	211	±19°	~	flat
39" LG 5K2KNEWUW	142	91cm	59	48	38	196	±24°	~	1500R
LG C4 42" 4K OLEDTVDREAM	105	93cm	80	65	52	196	±25°	~	flat
45" LG 5K2KNEWUW	123	105cm	68	55	44	196	±28°	~	800R
LG C4 48" 4K OLEDTVDREAM	92	106cm	91	74	59	196	±28°	~	flat
Samsung G9 49" 32:9SUW	109	119cm	51	42	33	130	±31°	⚠	1800R
Dell 52" 6K (6144×2560)NEWUW	128	122cm	78	63	50	232	±31°	⚠	4200R
LG UltraGear evo 52G930BNEWUW	107	121cm	79	64	51	196	±31°	⚠	1000R ✓
55" Ark 4KNEW	80	122cm	105	85	68	196	±31°	⚠	1000R ✓
Samsung G9 57" 32:9NEWSUW	140	140cm	60	49	39	196	±35°	⚠	1000R ✓
130" 4K 16:9	34	288cm	196⌈	196⌈	161	196	±55°	✗	flat
🔮 58" UW 5K2K (16'/60cm)DREAMUW	96	136cm	88	71	57	196	±34°	⚠	800R
🔮 78" UW 5K2K (16'/80cm)DREAMUW	72	182cm	117	95	76	196	±42°	⚠	1000R

130cm — large monitor lean-back

Very low eye effort · 45" & LG C4 48" near eye-only range

Screen	PPI	Width	13'	16'	20'	Ceil	±°		Curve
MBP 14" (Retina)	127	31cm	23	18	15	122	±7°	✓	flat
27" 1080p	82	60cm	39	32	25	98	±13°	✓	flat
27" 1440p	109	60cm	39	32	25	130	±13°	✓	flat
Apple Studio Display 27" 5KNEW	218	60cm	40	32	26	180	±13°	✓	flat
34" 21:9 1440pUW	109	80cm	39	32	25	130	±17°	~	flat
Apple Pro Display XDR 32" 6K (native)DISC	218	70cm	47	38	30	211	±15°	~	flat
Apple Pro Display XDR 32" 6K "looks like"DISC	109 eff	70cm	47	38	30	211	±15°	~	flat
39" LG 5K2KNEWUW	142	91cm	45	37	29	196	±19°	~	1500R
LG C4 42" 4K OLEDTVDREAM	105	93cm	62	50	40	196	±20°	~	flat
45" LG 5K2KNEWUW	123	105cm	52	43	34	196	±22°	~	800R
LG C4 48" 4K OLEDTVDREAM	92	106cm	70	57	45	196	±22°	~	flat
Samsung G9 49" 32:9SUW	109	119cm	39	32	25	130	±25°	~	1800R
Dell 52" 6K (6144×2560)NEWUW	128	122cm	60	48	39	232	±25°	~	4200R
LG UltraGear evo 52G930BNEWUW	107	121cm	61	49	40	196	±25°	~	1000R
55" Ark 4KNEW	80	122cm	81	66	52	196	±25°	~	1000R
Samsung G9 57" 32:9NEWSUW	140	140cm	46	37	30	196	±28°	~	1000R
130" 4K 16:9	34	288cm	191	155	124	196	±48°	✗	flat
🔮 58" UW 5K2K (16'/60cm)DREAMUW	96	136cm	67	55	44	196	±28°	~	800R
🔮 78" UW 5K2K (16'/80cm)DREAMUW	72	182cm	90	73	58	196	±35°	⚠	1000R

170cm — 130" projector sweet spot

~120 lines at 16' · comparable head movement to 45" at 55cm