What range do I actually need?

For interior home use, 100–165 ft is more than enough and covers room dimensions, ceilings, and most flooring jobs. Contractors measuring building exteriors, parking lots, or large commercial spaces benefit from 200 ft or more, often paired with a viewfinder camera to locate the dot outdoors. Surveying and long outdoor shots are where 400–650 ft units like the Leica DISTO D5 or Bosch GLM400C earn their price.