In today's digital age, understanding storage units is crucial. Whether you're buying a new device, managing cloud storage, or working with data, knowing these units helps you make informed decisions.
Binary vs Decimal: The Great Debate
There are two ways to measure digital storage:
- Binary (IEC): Uses powers of 2 (1024)
- 1 KiB (Kibibyte) = 1,024 bytes
- 1 MiB (Mebibyte) = 1,024 KiB
- 1 GiB (Gibibyte) = 1,024 MiB
- Decimal (SI): Uses powers of 10 (1000)
- 1 KB (Kilobyte) = 1,000 bytes
- 1 MB (Megabyte) = 1,000 KB
- 1 GB (Gigabyte) = 1,000 MB
Common Storage Units in Practice
- Byte (B): A single character
- Kilobyte (KB): Text document, small image
- Megabyte (MB): High-resolution photo, short song
- Gigabyte (GB): Movies, large software applications
- Terabyte (TB): Modern hard drives, game libraries
- Petabyte (PB): Large data centers, cloud storage
Pro Tip
When buying storage devices, remember that manufacturers often use decimal (SI) units, while operating systems display in binary (IEC) units. This explains why a "1 TB" drive shows less space in your computer.