Want to learn the difference between Megabytes and Gigabytes? Well, both GB (Gigabyte) and MB (Megabyte) are units to denote storage/memory size.
When using the decimal system, a Gigabyte is 1000 times larger than a Megabyte. It is generally used to denote large sized files such as 4K movies, 3D renders, games, etc.. However, MB is used for medium sized items such as HD photos, short videos, mobile applications, songs, etc.
Want to convert MB to GB? Use the calculator convert Megabytes to Gigabytes
Gigabyte vs Megabyte: Compared
Byte is the most prevalent unit of storage used in the computer. Yet, it is not the smallest unit of storage. Bit is the short form of a binary digit, and is the smallest measurement unit, expressed in binary either as 0 or 1.
8 bits put together form a byte.
A megabyte comprises 1000 kilobytes, which are themselves made of 1000 bytes. A megabyte is a unit of storage representing the size of different files stored in the computer's memory. It is also predominantly used to denote the rate of data transfer between storage devices. Ex: 100MB/s – read/write speed of an SSD drive./p>
The Gigabyte, a larger unit of storage, equals 1000 megabytes. You'll find it as a metric to denote the size or storage capacity of the RAM, hard drive, etc. Ex: 6GB RAM or 250GB Hard Disk.
Here's a table that represents values for each unit:
| Unit | Value |
|---|---|
| 1 bit | 1 or 0 |
| 1 byte | 8 bits |
| 1 KB (Kilobyte) | 1000 bytes |
| 1 MB (Megabyte) | 1000 KB (Kilobytes) |
| 1 GB (Gigabyte) | 1000 MB (Megabytes) |
| 1 TB (Terabyte) | 1000 GB (Gigabytes) |
| 1 PB (Petabyte) | 1000 TB (Terabytes) |
| 1 EB (Exabyte) | 1000 PB (Petabytes) |
| 1 ZB (Zettabyte) | 1000 EB (Exabytes) |
| 1 YB (Yottabyte) | 1000 ZB (Zettabytes) |
Key Takeaways
- A megabyte is 1 million bytes
- A gigabyte is 1 billion bytes
- Gigabyte is a larger unit of storage
Also check: Megabit vs Megabyte (Mb vs MB)
Decimal vs Binary Measurements in Storage Size
When it comes to digital storage, measurements like kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), and beyond can follow two different systems: decimal (base-10) and binary (base-2). The difference between these systems are relatively minor and are often mistakenly used interchangeably.
Decimal (Base-10) Measurement
Decimal measurement uses a factor of 1,000 for each unit. This system is often used by manufacturers when marketing storage devices such as hard drives, SSDs, and USB drives.
- 1 kilobyte (KB) = 1,000 bytes
- 1 megabyte (MB) = 1,000 kilobytes (1,000² bytes) = 1,000,000 bytes
- 1 gigabyte (GB) = 1,000 megabytes (1,000³ bytes) = 1,000,000,000 bytes
This system aligns with the International System of Units (SI) standards and makes it easier for manufacturers to advertise larger numbers.
Binary (Base-2) Measurement
Binary measurement, used primarily by operating systems, calculates storage based on powers of 2. Each unit increases by a factor of 1,024 rather than 1,000.
- 1 kibibyte (KiB) = 1,024 bytes
- 1 mebibyte (MiB) = 1,024 kibibytes (1,024² bytes) = 1,048,576 bytes
- 1 gibibyte (GiB) = 1,024 mebibytes (1,024³ bytes) = 1,073,741,824 bytes
Operating systems often display storage capacity in binary terms, which can make the usable capacity appear smaller than what is advertised.
For example, the binary measurement should read MiB instead of MB.
Why the Difference Matters
This difference can lead to confusion when buying or using storage devices. For example, a hard drive advertised as “1 TB” (terabyte) in decimal terms equals 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. However, when viewed by an operating system using binary measurement, it will show as approximately 931 GiB (gibibytes).
| Unit | Decimal Size (Base-10) | Binary Size (Base-2) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kilobyte (KB) | 1,000 bytes | 1,024 bytes |
| 1 Megabyte (MB) | 1,000,000 bytes | 1,048,576 bytes |
| 1 Gigabyte (GB) | 1,000,000,000 bytes | 1,073,741,824 bytes |
| 1 Terabyte (TB) | 1,000,000,000,000 bytes | 1,099,511,627,776 bytes |
Key Points to Remember
- Manufacturers vs Systems: Device manufacturers use decimal measurements, while most operating systems display storage using binary measurements.
- Practical Impacts: The discrepancy becomes more noticeable with larger storage sizes, making a terabyte drive appear smaller when viewed by your computer.
- Industry Standards: To reduce confusion, some manufacturers now specify both decimal (GB) and binary (GiB) capacities on their packaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
1000 MB (Megabytes) equals 1 GB (Gigabyte).
It depends on multiple factors, including internet speed, router capacity, and the specification of the client device. If your internet speed is 10Mbps, it will take you approximately 14 minutes to download.
Yottabyte is the largest unit of storage we have in terms of metric. But the largest storage drives currently in use are in terabytes.
Conclusion
I hope now you'd have a clear idea of the difference between MB and GB and where they are commonly in use. Be aware that as our ability to pack more information into a gadget improves, the capacity to access/transfer data also improves, and the storage reference, which is dominated by MB and GB, is eventually bound to change.
