Data Storage Converter
Convert between bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, and terabytes. Includes both SI and binary (IEC) units.
Value
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Common Conversions
Storage References
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Understanding Data Storage Units
Data storage is measured in bytes and their multiples. However, there are two different systems that can cause confusion: decimal (SI) and binary (IEC).
Decimal (SI) Units - Based on powers of 1000:
- KB (Kilobyte) = 1,000 bytes
- MB (Megabyte) = 1,000,000 bytes
- GB (Gigabyte) = 1,000,000,000 bytes
Binary (IEC) Units - Based on powers of 1024:
- KiB (Kibibyte) = 1,024 bytes
- MiB (Mebibyte) = 1,048,576 bytes
- GiB (Gibibyte) = 1,073,741,824 bytes
Why Two Systems?
Computers work in binary (base-2), so memory is naturally organized in powers of 2. However, storage manufacturers use decimal units because they result in larger-sounding numbers.
This is why a "1 TB" hard drive shows as ~931 GB in your operating system - the drive uses decimal TB, but the OS displays binary GiB.
A "500 GB" drive is actually 500,000,000,000 bytes, which equals about 465 GiB.
Common File Sizes
| File Type | Typical Size |
|---|---|
| Plain text email | 10-50 KB |
| Word document | 50-500 KB |
| MP3 song (3-4 min) | 3-5 MB |
| JPEG photo | 2-5 MB |
| RAW photo | 20-50 MB |
| HD movie (1080p) | 4-8 GB |
| 4K movie | 20-50 GB |
Common Storage Sizes
| Device | Typical Capacity |
|---|---|
| USB flash drive | 16-256 GB |
| SD card | 32-512 GB |
| Smartphone | 64-512 GB |
| SSD | 256 GB - 4 TB |
| Hard drive | 1-20 TB |
| Cloud storage (free) | 5-15 GB |
Bits vs Bytes
- 8 bits = 1 byte
- Internet speeds are measured in bits (Mbps)
- File sizes are measured in bytes (MB)
To convert internet speed to download speed:
- 100 Mbps = 12.5 MB/s theoretical maximum
To estimate download time: File size (MB) ÷ Speed (MB/s) = Time in seconds