B ↔ KB ↔ MB ↔ GB ↔ TB · Binary & Decimal
Computers use binary (1024 bytes = 1 KB). Manufacturers use decimal (1000 bytes = 1 KB). This is why a "256 GB" drive shows as ~238 GB on your computer.
| Unit | Binary (1024) | Decimal (1000) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 KB | 1,024 bytes | 1,000 bytes |
| 1 MB | 1,048,576 bytes | 1,000,000 bytes |
| 1 GB | 1,073,741,824 bytes | 1,000,000,000 bytes |
| 1 TB | 1,099,511,627,776 bytes | 1,000,000,000,000 bytes |
| Data | Size |
|---|---|
| Text email | ~10 KB |
| MP3 song (4 min) | ~4 MB |
| Photo (iPhone) | ~3-5 MB |
| HD movie (1080p) | ~4-8 GB |
| 4K movie | ~15-25 GB |
| AAA video game | ~50-150 GB |
| iPhone storage | 128-1024 GB |
| Average hard drive | 1-4 TB |