Digital storage units can be confusing, especially with the difference between binary and decimal systems. Understanding these units helps you make informed decisions about storage, bandwidth, and data transfer.
Digital Storage Units
Decimal (SI) System (Base 10)
| Unit | Abbreviation | Bytes |
|---|---|---|
| Kilobyte | KB | 1,000 |
| Megabyte | MB | 1,000,000 |
| Gigabyte | GB | 1,000,000,000 |
| Terabyte | TB | 1,000,000,000,000 |
| Petabyte | PB | 1,000,000,000,000,000 |
Binary (IEC) System (Base 2)
| Unit | Abbreviation | Bytes |
|---|---|---|
| Kibibyte | KiB | 1,024 |
| Mebibyte | MiB | 1,048,576 |
| Gibibyte | GiB | 1,073,741,824 |
| Tebibyte | TiB | 1,099,511,627,776 |
Why the Confusion?
Hard drive manufacturers use the decimal system (1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes), while operating systems often use the binary system (1 GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes). This is why a "500 GB" hard drive shows approximately 465 GB in your operating system.
Common File Size References
| Content | Typical Size |
|---|---|
| Plain text email | 5-20 KB |
| High-res photo (JPEG) | 2-10 MB |
| MP3 song (4 min) | 3-5 MB |
| HD movie (1080p) | 4-8 GB |
| 4K movie | 20-100 GB |
| Operating system | 10-30 GB |
Bandwidth vs Storage
Network speeds are measured in bits per second, while storage uses bytes. Since 1 byte = 8 bits:
Try It Yourself
Convert between any digital storage units with our free Byte Converter. Supports both decimal and binary systems.