Updated Aug 6, 2025
Sometimes, your bedroom needs something a bit more grand than just a standard-sized mattress. Sometimes, a twin xl mattress, queen mattress, or even any standard mattress size just doesn’t seem like enough sleeping space. If you want your bed to make a big statement, you might be considering something beyond King sized beds.
That’s where oversized beds and mattresses come in.
There are a variety of different kinds of oversized mattresses, some of which you may have heard of, like the California king mattress, and some you may be less familiar with, like the Texas King.
But what’s the difference between the two? For starters, a Texas King is much larger, measuring 8 inches wider and 14 inches longer than a California King.
In this article, we’ll go over all the differences between Texas King vs California King mattresses to help you decide if you should buy one over the other.
California King vs Texas King: Basic Size Comparison
California King and Texas King beds are both variations of the standard King size bed. Like standard Kings, these beds are meant for bigger spaces and are meant to accommodate more than one person—or one person who enjoys plenty of real estate as they sleep!
California King and Texas King beds differ in dimensions.
- Standard king mattresses are 76 inches wide and 80 inches long, which makes them almost square in shape.
- The California King bed is 72 inches wide and 84 inches long.
- The Texas King bed is 80 inches wide and 98 inches long.
Now, we’ll go over some of the more specific differences between owning a Texas King bed vs California King.
What is a California King?
If you want a longer mattress that offers extra legroom but doesn’t overwhelm your room with width, the California King could be the sweet spot. Designed with taller sleepers in mind, it delivers big comfort without taking up every square inch of your bedroom.
Benefits of a California King Mattress
California King beds have become the new gold standard for oversized mattresses, and there’s a good reason for that. In fact, there are several!
Here are some of the unique benefits of owning a California King.
- Comfy for people over 6 feet tall – California King beds are slightly longer than the King bed at about 7 feet. This makes them an ideal option for people over 6 feet tall who want some room for their pillow without having to worry about their feet dangling off the end of the bed. If you need even more space, you might even want to consider an Alaskan King bed vs a California King.
- Fits narrower rooms – Since the California King is slightly slimmer than either the Texas King or standard King, this bed can fit well in bedrooms with slightly less width.
- Easier to find bedding – A beautiful big bed needs just as cozy bedding. Because the California King size mattress is the most popular of the oversized mattresses, it can be easier to find sheets and accessories that fit the California King bed than it can be for other oversized mattresses.
Casper takes our exceptional sleep technology and supersizes it in our California King mattresses. For a big sleep space with even bigger sleep benefits, check out our California King mattress selection.
Downsides of a California King Mattress
While a California King has its perks, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Not ideal for co-sleeping with children – It’s great for couples or a couple and a pet, but once you start adding multiple kids to the bed, space can run out quickly because of the narrower width.
- Challenging to move – Due to its large size, moving or transporting a California King mattress often requires extra hands (and possibly a truck).
- Doesn’t suit every room – Its narrow profile makes it great for some layouts, but in larger or more square-shaped rooms, it can look out of proportion without the right styling.
What is a Texas King?
If you're after something even grander than the California King, the Texas King might be your match. It’s designed for serious space lovers—or anyone looking to turn their bed into a sleep sanctuary that fits the whole family.
Benefits of a Texas King Mattress
As the saying goes, everything in Texas is bigger—that includes the mattresses. While the standard king bed has more surface area than a California King—6,080 vs. 6,048 square inches—the Texas King has even more surface area than either of the two at an impressive 7,840 square inches.
So what are the benefits of owning a mattress as big as the Lone Star state?
- Ideal for people over 6 ½ feet – Just like the California King mattress can help provide a few more inches of stretch room for people over 6 feet, the Texas King is a nice fit for people who are over 6 ½ feet and need a little more room at night.
- Fill out bigger rooms – If you’ve got a particularly large master bedroom, Kking beds, or even California Kings can sometimes leave the room looking strangely empty. Texas King mattresses are a good way to fill up a larger space and help maintain that cozy bedroom feeling.
- Fun for families – Whether you’ve got kids that like to cuddle up in your bed or a pet (or three) that likes to sleep at your feet, the Texas King has plenty of space to fit the whole family. This is a good choice for a family bed, especially if you don’t want the biggest bed size like the Wyoming king mattress or an Alaskan king mattress.
Downsides Of A Texas King Mattress
As big a statement as a Texas King makes, there are a few drawbacks to investing in this large bed.
- Difficult to install – Since the Texas King mattress is both significantly wider and longer than a Cal King, it can be rather difficult to move them in and out of rooms with doorways not used to accommodating beds that size.
- Hard to shop for – The exceptionally large size of this mattress may offer tons of space, but not so many options in terms of bedding. It may be hard to find a bed frame with an adjustable bed, bed linens, and fitted sheet sets for the mattress. Since Texas Kings are outside of the standard range for bedding and sheets, you’ll have a harder time finding sheets and covers that suit your style than if you chose a California King.
- Plenty of space required – Due to the Texas King’s width, you’ll want to carefully consider your options before opting for this beast of a bed. You’ll want at least two feet on either side of the bed to comfortably fit night tables (or to easily make the bed). That means you’ll need a room that’s 104 inches wide (or just a little under 9 feet).
Since most master bedrooms don’t come Texas-sized, you may struggle to create a sleep environment that has room for your furniture and the bed.
Picking a New Mattress: Casper's Favorite California Kings
Once you’ve decided on the right mattress size, the fun part begins: choosing a model that fits how you sleep. If you decide to go with the California King, Casper has a lineup of mattresses designed with your best rest in mind.
Casper One
The One delivers straightforward comfort with none of the overhype. It’s made from three adaptive foam layers that balance softness and support in all the right places. You’ll get breathable, medium-firm comfort at a price that makes sense—and performance that lasts for years.
Casper Dream Max
Engineered to do more than just feel nice. The Dream Max is built with precision-cut foam zones and plush, breathable layers to deliver comfort that lasts through the night—and years. It adapts to your shape while keeping your spine supported, so you wake up refreshed, not wrecked. This is what happens when sleep science gets serious about comfort.
Casper Snow Max
With our most advanced cooling system and deepest support zones, the Snow Max is designed for people who sleep hot or just want the best of everything. Six HeatDelete™ Bands, Phase Change Material, and Zoned Support Max work together to regulate heat and relieve pressure. If you want to sleep cooler and wake up better, this is the mattress to beat.
At Casper, we’ve crafted our California King mattresses to deliver maximum comfort, cooling, and support—so you can stretch out and sleep easy.
Sources:
- The Sleep Foundation. Oversized Mattress Sizes. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mattress-sizes/oversized-mattresses
