How Big Is a 30 Inch Monitor?
A 30-inch 16:9 monitor measures about 26.1 inches wide and 14.7 inches tall. This is an uncommon size in today's market — monitors tend to jump from 27 or 28 inches straight to 32 inches. Historically, 30-inch monitors were premium professional displays with 16:10 aspect ratios and 2560x1600 resolution. Today, if you find a 30-inch display, it's likely a 21:9 ultrawide (which is a different beast entirely).
30-Inch Monitor Dimensions by Aspect Ratio
Exact width and height calculated from the 30-inch diagonal at each common aspect ratio.
| Aspect Ratio | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 16:9 | 26.15" (66.41 cm) | 14.71" (37.36 cm) |
| 16:10 | 25.44" (64.62 cm) | 15.9" (40.39 cm) |
| 21:9 | 27.57" (70.04 cm) | 11.82" (30.02 cm) |
| 4:3 | 24" (60.96 cm) | 18" (45.72 cm) |
Resolution and Pixel Density at 30 Inches
| Resolution | Pixel Density |
|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | 73.4 PPI |
| 1440p (QHD) | 97.9 PPI |
| 4K (UHD) | 146.9 PPI |
Ideal resolution: 1440p (QHD) or 4K (UHD)
At 30 inches, 1440p delivers 98 PPI — acceptable but starting to show softness in fine text. 4K (147 PPI) looks excellent at this size. 1080p (74 PPI) is too soft for comfortable text work.
Who Should Buy a 30-Inch Monitor?
Creative professionals: The extra screen real estate over 27 inches is helpful for tools with lots of panels — Photoshop, Premiere, DaVinci Resolve. The 16:10 variants (if you can find them) offer even more vertical space.
Productivity power users: More room for side-by-side documents and windows than 27 inches, without the head-turning required by 32+ inch displays.
Viewing Distance
Recommended: 26-36 inches (66-90 cm)
You'll want to sit a bit farther back than with a 27-inch — at least 26-28 inches. A deeper desk or monitor arm helps maintain the right distance.
Desk Space Requirements
Requires about 27 inches of desk width and at least 30 inches of depth for comfortable viewing distance.
How 30 Inches Compares to Other Sizes
vs. smaller monitors: About 23% more area than a 27-inch. A noticeable but not dramatic increase. The bigger question is whether the specific model's panel quality and features justify the price.
vs. larger monitors: A 32-inch monitor is only 14% more area but much more commonly available with better panel options and competitive pricing. Unless you have a specific reason to want exactly 30 inches, 32 is the more practical choice.
Buying Advice
This size is niche enough that you'll have limited options. Don't hunt specifically for a 30-inch monitor — if you want more than 27 inches, look at 32-inch panels first.
Compare 30-Inch Monitors
See how a 30-inch monitor looks next to other sizes on a virtual desk.