Data Size Unit Converter
The Data Size Unit Converter is a simple and efficient tool that allows users to quickly convert between different units of digital storage. It supports common units such as bytes (B), kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB), and more. With just a few clicks, you can accurately switch between units, making it easy to compare file sizes, plan storage, or optimize data usage.
| Name | Symbol | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Byte (8 bits) | B | 0,00 |
| Kilobyte (1000 bytes (SI)) | KB | 0,00 |
| Megabyte (1000 kilobytes (SI)) | MB | 0,00 |
| Gigabyte (1000 megabytes (SI)) | GB | 0,00 |
| Terabyte (1000 gigabytes (SI)) | TB | 0,00 |
| Petabyte (1000 terabytes (SI)) | PB | 0,00 |
| Kibibyte (1024 bytes (IEC)) | KiB | 0,00 |
| Mebibyte (1024 kibibytes (IEC)) | MiB | 0,00 |
| Gibibyte (1024 mebibytes (IEC)) | GiB | 0,00 |
| Tebibyte (1024 gibibytes (IEC)) | TiB | 0,00 |
| Pebibyte (1024 tebibytes (IEC)) | PiB | 0,00 |
Bit, Byte, and Their Multiples – The Real Meaning
In the world of technology, we often encounter various data unit labels such as KB, MB, GB, as well as KiB, MiB, and GiB. Although they may look similar at first glance, they represent different values. The main difference stems from two counting systems: the decimal system (used in marketing) and the binary system (common in computing). Misunderstandings in their use can lead to incorrect expectations regarding available disk space or the amount of RAM.
Decimal System (SI)
In the decimal system, prefixes follow the International System of Units (SI):
- 1 kB (kilobyte) = 1,000 B
- 1 MB (megabyte) = 1,000 kB = 1,000,000 B
- 1 GB (gigabyte) = 1,000 MB = 1,000,000,000 B
This system is often used in marketing materials when specifying the size of hard drives or USB sticks. A stated 500 GB capacity is actually about 465 GiB.
Binary System – Actual Usage in Computing
In computing, it is more natural to use multiples based on powers of 2, which is inconsistent with the International System of Units (SI), where "kilo" means 1000, not 1024. To differentiate between prefixes with a multiplier of 1000 and those with 1024, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) proposed a system of binary prefixes in 1997 by adding the letter "i" to traditional prefixes (e.g., KiB, MiB, GiB). However, this proposed solution to the ambiguity of prefixes has not been universally adopted. For example, in operating systems, 1 KB actually means 1 KiB (i.e., 1,024 B), even though the KB label suggests 1,000 B.
- 1 KiB (kibibyte) = 1,024 B
- 1 MiB (mebibyte) = 1,024 KiB = 1,048,576 B
- 1 GiB (gibibyte) = 1,024 MiB = 1,073,741,824 B
The Difference Between a Bit and a Byte
A bit (b) is the smallest unit of information and can have a value of 0 or 1. A byte (B) typically consists of 8 bits. Bits are used to describe data transfer speeds:
- kbps (kilobits per second) = 1,000 bps
- Mbps (megabits per second) = 1,000 kbps = 1,000,000 bps
- Gbps (gigabits per second) = 1,000 Mbps = 1,000,000,000 bps