How Digital Storage Units Work
In the world of computing, data is stored in binary format (0s and 1s). The smallest unit of data is a Bit (b). However, we rarely deal with individual bits. Instead, computers group them into Bytes (B), which consist of 8 bits.
As files get larger, we use prefixes like Kilo-, Mega-, and Giga- to describe them. But unlike the metric system where "Kilo" always means 1,000, in computing, it traditionally refers to 210, or 1,024.
The Conversion Hierarchy
This calculator uses the standard binary (IEC/JEDEC) system used by Windows and RAM manufacturers:
- 1 Byte (B) = 8 Bits
- 1 Kilobyte (KB) = 1,024 Bytes
- 1 Megabyte (MB) = 1,024 KB (approx. 1 million bytes)
- 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1,024 MB (approx. 1 billion bytes)
- 1 Terabyte (TB) = 1,024 GB (approx. 1 trillion bytes)
Real-World Examples
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my 1TB drive show as 931GB? ▼
This is due to the difference between decimal and binary math. Hard drive manufacturers define 1TB as 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. However, Windows calculates 1TB as 1,099,511,627,776 bytes (240). When you do the division, you get roughly 931 GB. You didn't lose space; the units are just being counted differently.
What is the difference between a Bit and a Byte? ▼
A Bit (b) is a single unit of information (0 or 1), often used to measure internet speed (e.g., 100 Mbps). A Byte (B) is 8 bits and is used to measure file storage (e.g., 100 MB). If you are downloading a file at 100 Mbps, you are actually downloading at 12.5 MB/s.