Bytes (B) to Gigabits (Gb) conversion

Note: Above conversion to Gb is base 10 decimal unit. If you want to use base 2 (binary unit) use Bytes to Gibibits (B to Gib) (which results to 7.4505805969238e-9 Gib). See the difference between decimal (Metric) and binary prefixes

Bytes to Gigabits conversion table

Bytes (B)Gigabits (Gb)
00
18e-9
21.6e-8
32.4e-8
43.2e-8
54e-8
64.8e-8
75.6e-8
86.4e-8
97.2e-8
108e-8
201.6e-7
302.4e-7
403.2e-7
504e-7
604.8e-7
705.6e-7
806.4e-7
907.2e-7
1008e-7
10000.000008

How to convert bytes to gigabits?

Converting between Bytes and Gigabits involves understanding the relationships between these units, especially considering the difference between base-10 (decimal) and base-2 (binary) systems. Here's a breakdown of how to perform these conversions.

Understanding the Basics

Bytes and Gigabits are units used to measure digital information. A byte is a unit of digital information that most commonly consists of eight bits. A Gigabit (Gb) is a larger unit, typically used to measure network speeds and large storage capacities. Distinguishing between base-10 (decimal) and base-2 (binary) is crucial for accurate conversions.

Conversion Formulas and Steps

Converting Bytes to Gigabits (Base 10)

In the base-10 (decimal) system, 1 Kilobyte (KB) = 1000 Bytes, 1 Megabyte (MB) = 1000 KB, and 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1000 MB. Also, 1 Gigabit (Gb) = 1/8 of a Gigabyte (GB).

Step-by-step conversion:

  1. Bytes to Gigabytes: Divide the number of bytes by 10910^9 (1,000,000,000) to convert to Gigabytes.

    Gigabytes (GB)=Bytes109\text{Gigabytes (GB)} = \frac{\text{Bytes}}{10^9}

  2. Gigabytes to Gigabits: Multiply the number of Gigabytes by 8 to convert to Gigabits.

    Gigabits (Gb)=Gigabytes (GB)×8\text{Gigabits (Gb)} = \text{Gigabytes (GB)} \times 8

Formula for Bytes to Gigabits (Base 10):

Gigabits (Gb)=Bytes109×8\text{Gigabits (Gb)} = \frac{\text{Bytes}}{10^9} \times 8

Therefore, 1 Byte is:

1 Byte to Gigabits (Gb)=1109×8=8×109 Gb\text{1 Byte to Gigabits (Gb)} = \frac{1}{10^9} \times 8 = 8 \times 10^{-9} \text{ Gb}

Converting Bytes to Gigabits (Base 2)

In the base-2 (binary) system, 1 Kibibyte (KiB) = 1024 Bytes, 1 Mebibyte (MiB) = 1024 KiB, and 1 Gibibyte (GiB) = 1024 MiB. Similarly, 1 Gigabit (Gb) = 1/8 of a Gibibyte (GiB).

Step-by-step conversion:

  1. Bytes to Gibibytes: Divide the number of bytes by 2302^{30} (1,073,741,824) to convert to Gibibytes.

    Gibibytes (GiB)=Bytes230\text{Gibibytes (GiB)} = \frac{\text{Bytes}}{2^{30}}

  2. Gibibytes to Gigabits: Multiply the number of Gibibytes by 8 to convert to Gigabits.

    Gigabits (Gb)=Gibibytes (GiB)×8\text{Gigabits (Gb)} = \text{Gibibytes (GiB)} \times 8

Formula for Bytes to Gigabits (Base 2):

Gigabits (Gb)=Bytes230×8\text{Gigabits (Gb)} = \frac{\text{Bytes}}{2^{30}} \times 8

Therefore, 1 Byte is:

1 Byte to Gigabits (Gb)=1230×8=7.4505806×109 Gb\text{1 Byte to Gigabits (Gb)} = \frac{1}{2^{30}} \times 8 = 7.4505806 \times 10^{-9} \text{ Gb}

Converting Gigabits to Bytes

Base 10:

  1. Gigabits to Gigabytes: Divide the number of Gigabits by 8 to get Gigabytes.

    Gigabytes (GB)=Gigabits (Gb)8\text{Gigabytes (GB)} = \frac{\text{Gigabits (Gb)}}{8}

  2. Gigabytes to Bytes: Multiply the number of Gigabytes by 10910^9 to get Bytes.

    Bytes=Gigabytes (GB)×109\text{Bytes} = \text{Gigabytes (GB)} \times 10^9

Formula for Gigabits to Bytes (Base 10):

Bytes=Gigabits (Gb)8×109\text{Bytes} = \frac{\text{Gigabits (Gb)}}{8} \times 10^9

Therefore, 1 Gigabit is:

1 Gigabit (Gb) to Bytes=18×109=125,000,000 Bytes\text{1 Gigabit (Gb) to Bytes} = \frac{1}{8} \times 10^9 = 125,000,000 \text{ Bytes}

Base 2:

  1. Gigabits to Gibibytes: Divide the number of Gigabits by 8 to get Gibibytes.

    Gibibytes (GiB)=Gigabits (Gb)8\text{Gibibytes (GiB)} = \frac{\text{Gigabits (Gb)}}{8}

  2. Gibibytes to Bytes: Multiply the number of Gibibytes by 2302^{30} to get Bytes.

    Bytes=Gibibytes (GiB)×230\text{Bytes} = \text{Gibibytes (GiB)} \times 2^{30}

Formula for Gigabits to Bytes (Base 2):

Bytes=Gigabits (Gb)8×230\text{Bytes} = \frac{\text{Gigabits (Gb)}}{8} \times 2^{30}

Therefore, 1 Gigabit is:

1 Gigabit (Gb) to Bytes=18×230=134,217,728 Bytes\text{1 Gigabit (Gb) to Bytes} = \frac{1}{8} \times 2^{30} = 134,217,728 \text{ Bytes}

Real-World Examples

  1. Data Transfer Speeds:

    • A network interface might advertise speeds of 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps). Understanding this in terms of bytes helps estimate the time to transfer a file of a known byte size.
    • Example: Transferring a 1 Gigabyte (GB) file over a 1 Gbps connection.
      • In base 10: 1 GB = 10910^9 bytes. Time ≈ (10910^9 bytes) / (125,000,000 bytes/second) = 8 seconds (ignoring overhead).
      • In base 2: 1 GB = 2302^{30} bytes. Time ≈ (2302^{30} bytes) / (134,217,728 bytes/second) ≈ 7.46 seconds (ignoring overhead).
  2. Storage Capacity:

    • Hard drives and SSDs are often specified in Gigabytes or Terabytes (TB). Knowing the equivalent in bits or bytes helps in data planning.
    • Example: A 256 GB SSD (base 10) can store:
      • 256×109256 \times 10^9 bytes = 256,000,000,000 bytes
  3. Memory Cards and USB Drives:

    • The capacity of SD cards and USB drives is often given in GB. Converting to bytes helps in understanding the true storage capability.

Laws and Notable Figures

While there isn't a specific "law" related to byte-to-gigabit conversion, Claude Shannon, an American mathematician and electrical engineer, is highly relevant in the field of information theory. His work on quantifying information and understanding data transmission rates laid the groundwork for digital communications and data storage as we know it today. Shannon's concepts directly relate to how we measure and understand bits, bytes, and the capacity of digital media.

See below section for step by step unit conversion with formulas and explanations. Please refer to the table below for a list of all the Gigabits to other unit conversions.

What is Bytes?

Bytes are fundamental units of digital information, representing a sequence of bits used to encode a single character, a small number, or a part of larger data. Understanding bytes is crucial for grasping how computers store and process information. This section explores the concept of bytes in both base-2 (binary) and base-10 (decimal) systems, their formation, and their real-world applications.

Definition and Formation (Base-2)

In the binary system (base-2), a byte is typically composed of 8 bits. Each bit can be either 0 or 1. Therefore, a byte can represent 28=2562^8 = 256 different values (0-255).

The formation of a byte involves combining these 8 bits in various sequences. For instance, the byte 01000001 represents the decimal value 65, which is commonly used to represent the uppercase letter "A" in the ASCII encoding standard.

Definition and Formation (Base-10)

In the decimal system (base-10), the International System of Units (SI) defines prefixes for multiples of bytes using powers of 1000 (e.g., kilobyte, megabyte, gigabyte). These prefixes are often used to represent larger quantities of data.

  • 1 Kilobyte (KB) = 1,000 bytes = 10310^3 bytes
  • 1 Megabyte (MB) = 1,000 KB = 1,000,000 bytes = 10610^6 bytes
  • 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1,000 MB = 1,000,000,000 bytes = 10910^9 bytes
  • 1 Terabyte (TB) = 1,000 GB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes = 101210^{12} bytes

It's important to note the difference between base-2 and base-10 representations. In base-2, these prefixes are powers of 1024, whereas in base-10, they are powers of 1000. This discrepancy can lead to confusion when interpreting storage capacity.

IEC Binary Prefixes

To address the ambiguity between base-2 and base-10 representations, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) introduced binary prefixes. These prefixes use powers of 1024 (2^10) instead of 1000.

  • 1 Kibibyte (KiB) = 1,024 bytes = 2102^{10} bytes
  • 1 Mebibyte (MiB) = 1,024 KiB = 1,048,576 bytes = 2202^{20} bytes
  • 1 Gibibyte (GiB) = 1,024 MiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes = 2302^{30} bytes
  • 1 Tebibyte (TiB) = 1,024 GiB = 1,099,511,627,776 bytes = 2402^{40} bytes

Real-World Examples

Here are some real-world examples illustrating the size of various quantities of bytes:

  • 1 Byte: A single character in a text document (e.g., the letter "A").
  • 1 Kilobyte (KB): A small text file, such as a configuration file or a short email.
  • 1 Megabyte (MB): A high-resolution photograph or a small audio file.
  • 1 Gigabyte (GB): A standard-definition movie or a large software application.
  • 1 Terabyte (TB): A large hard drive or a collection of movies, photos, and documents.

Notable Figures

While no single person is exclusively associated with the invention of the byte, Werner Buchholz is credited with coining the term "byte" in 1956 while working at IBM on the Stretch computer. He chose the term to describe a group of bits that was smaller than a "word," a term already in use.

What is Gigabits?

Gigabits (Gb or Gbit) are a unit of data measurement commonly used to describe data transfer rates and network speeds. It represents a significant amount of data, making it relevant in today's digital world where large files and high bandwidth are common. Let's dive deeper into what gigabits are and how they're used.

Definition of Gigabits

A gigabit is a multiple of the unit bit (binary digit) for digital information. The prefix "giga" means 10910^9 (one billion) in the International System of Units (SI). However, in computing, due to the binary nature of digital systems, the value of "giga" can be interpreted in two ways: base 10 (decimal) and base 2 (binary).

Gigabits in Base 10 (Decimal)

In the decimal context, 1 Gigabit is equal to 1,000,000,000 (one billion) bits. This is typically used in contexts where precision is less critical, such as describing storage capacity or theoretical maximum transfer rates.

1 Gb (decimal)=109 bits=1,000,000,000 bits1 \text{ Gb (decimal)} = 10^9 \text{ bits} = 1,000,000,000 \text{ bits}

Gigabits in Base 2 (Binary)

In the binary context, 1 Gigabit is equal to 2^30 (1,073,741,824) bits. This is the more accurate representation in computing since computers operate using binary code. To differentiate between the decimal and binary meanings, the term "Gibibit" (Gib) is used for the binary version.

1 Gib (binary)=230 bits=1,073,741,824 bits1 \text{ Gib (binary)} = 2^{30} \text{ bits} = 1,073,741,824 \text{ bits}

How Gigabits are Formed

Gigabits are formed by scaling up from the base unit, the "bit." A bit represents a single binary digit, which can be either 0 or 1. Bits are grouped into larger units to represent more complex information.

  • 8 bits = 1 Byte
  • 1,000 Bytes = 1 Kilobyte (KB) (Decimal)
  • 1,024 Bytes = 1 Kibibyte (KiB) (Binary)
  • 1,000 KB = 1 Megabyte (MB) (Decimal)
  • 1,024 KiB = 1 Mebibyte (MiB) (Binary)
  • 1,000 MB = 1 Gigabyte (GB) (Decimal)
  • 1,024 MiB = 1 Gibibyte (GiB) (Binary)
  • 1,000 GB = 1 Terabyte (TB) (Decimal)
  • 1,024 GiB = 1 Tebibyte (TiB) (Binary)

And so on. The prefixes kilo, mega, giga, tera, etc., denote increasing powers of 10 (decimal) or 2 (binary).

Real-World Examples

  • Internet Speed: Internet service providers (ISPs) often advertise internet speeds in megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps). For example, a 1 Gbps internet connection can theoretically download 1 gigabit of data in one second. However, overhead and other factors often result in real-world speeds being lower.
  • Network Infrastructure: High-speed network connections within data centers and enterprise networks often utilize gigabit Ethernet (GbE) or faster technologies like 10 GbE, 40 GbE, and 100 GbE to handle large volumes of data traffic.
  • Data Storage: While hard drive and SSD storage capacities are usually measured in Gigabytes (GB) or Terabytes (TB), internal transfer rates or interface speeds can be measured in Gigabits per second (Gbps). For instance, the SATA III interface has a maximum theoretical transfer rate of 6 Gbps.
  • Video Streaming: High-definition and ultra-high-definition video streaming require significant bandwidth. A 4K stream can require anywhere from 15 to 25 Mbps, so a gigabit connection can handle multiple 4K streams simultaneously.

Key Considerations

  • Bits vs. Bytes: It's important to differentiate between bits (b) and bytes (B). A byte is a group of 8 bits. Transfer rates are often specified in bits per second, while storage capacities are typically specified in bytes.
  • Decimal vs. Binary: Be aware of the difference between decimal (SI) and binary (IEC) prefixes. While the industry is slowly adopting the binary prefixes (kibi, mebi, gibi, etc.), decimal prefixes are still more common in marketing materials and everyday usage.

Further Reading

For a more in-depth understanding of data units and prefixes, refer to the following resources:

Complete Bytes conversion table

Enter # of Bytes
Convert 1 B to other unitsResult
Bytes to Bits (B to b)8
Bytes to Kilobits (B to Kb)0.008
Bytes to Kibibits (B to Kib)0.0078125
Bytes to Megabits (B to Mb)0.000008
Bytes to Mebibits (B to Mib)0.00000762939453125
Bytes to Gigabits (B to Gb)8e-9
Bytes to Gibibits (B to Gib)7.4505805969238e-9
Bytes to Terabits (B to Tb)8e-12
Bytes to Tebibits (B to Tib)7.2759576141834e-12
Bytes to Kilobytes (B to KB)0.001
Bytes to Kibibytes (B to KiB)0.0009765625
Bytes to Megabytes (B to MB)0.000001
Bytes to Mebibytes (B to MiB)9.5367431640625e-7
Bytes to Gigabytes (B to GB)1e-9
Bytes to Gibibytes (B to GiB)9.3132257461548e-10
Bytes to Terabytes (B to TB)1e-12
Bytes to Tebibytes (B to TiB)9.0949470177293e-13