Gibibytes (GiB) to Megabytes (MB) conversion

Note: Above conversion to MB is base 10 decimal unit. If you want to use base 2 (binary unit) use Gibibytes to Mebibytes (GiB to MiB) (which results to 1024 MiB). See the difference between decimal (Metric) and binary prefixes

Gibibytes to Megabytes conversion table

Gibibytes (GiB)Megabytes (MB)
00
11073.741824
22147.483648
33221.225472
44294.967296
55368.70912
66442.450944
77516.192768
88589.934592
99663.676416
1010737.41824
2021474.83648
3032212.25472
4042949.67296
5053687.0912
6064424.50944
7075161.92768
8085899.34592
9096636.76416
100107374.1824
10001073741.824

How to convert gibibytes to megabytes?

Converting between Gibibytes (GiB) and Megabytes (MB) involves understanding the difference between base-2 (binary) and base-10 (decimal) interpretations of these units. GiB is a binary unit while MB is commonly used as a decimal unit.

Understanding Gibibytes and Megabytes

A Gibibyte (GiB) is a unit of information storage defined as 2302^{30} bytes. A Megabyte (MB) can be interpreted in two ways:

  • Base-10 (Decimal) MB: Defined as 10610^6 bytes (1,000,000 bytes).
  • Base-2 (Binary) MB: Sometimes used informally as 2202^{20} bytes (1,048,576 bytes), though the correct term for this is Mebibyte (MiB).

For clarity, we will assume MB refers to the decimal definition (10610^6 bytes) in most contexts, as this is how it is generally used in marketing materials and operating systems, while GiB is always in base 2.

Converting 1 GiB to MB (Decimal)

To convert 1 GiB to MB (decimal), we use the following relationship:

1 GiB=230 bytes1 \text{ GiB} = 2^{30} \text{ bytes}

1 MB=106 bytes1 \text{ MB} = 10^6 \text{ bytes}

Therefore,

1 GiB to MB=230 bytes106 bytes/MB1 \text{ GiB to MB} = \frac{2^{30} \text{ bytes}}{10^6 \text{ bytes/MB}}

1 GiB to MB=230106 MB=10737418241000000 MB=1073.741824 MB1 \text{ GiB to MB} = \frac{2^{30}}{10^6} \text{ MB} = \frac{1073741824}{1000000} \text{ MB} = 1073.741824 \text{ MB}

So, 1 GiB is equal to approximately 1073.74 MB (decimal).

Converting 1 MB (Decimal) to GiB

To convert 1 MB (decimal) to GiB, we simply invert the above calculation:

1 MB to GiB=106 bytes230 bytes/GiB1 \text{ MB to GiB} = \frac{10^6 \text{ bytes}}{2^{30} \text{ bytes/GiB}}

1 MB to GiB=106230 GiB=10000001073741824 GiB0.00093132 GiB1 \text{ MB to GiB} = \frac{10^6}{2^{30}} \text{ GiB} = \frac{1000000}{1073741824} \text{ GiB} \approx 0.00093132 \text{ GiB}

So, 1 MB (decimal) is approximately 0.00093132 GiB.

Converting 1 GiB to MB (Binary, MiB)

As indicated earlier, binary MB is generally referred to as Mibibyte (MiB) these days.

To convert 1 GiB to MiB, we use the following relationship:

1 GiB=230 bytes1 \text{ GiB} = 2^{30} \text{ bytes}

1 MiB=220 bytes1 \text{ MiB} = 2^{20} \text{ bytes}

Therefore,

1 GiB to MiB=230 bytes220 bytes/MiB1 \text{ GiB to MiB} = \frac{2^{30} \text{ bytes}}{2^{20} \text{ bytes/MiB}}

1 GiB to MiB=23020 MiB=210 MiB=1024 MiB1 \text{ GiB to MiB} = 2^{30-20} \text{ MiB} = 2^{10} \text{ MiB} = 1024 \text{ MiB}

So, 1 GiB is equal to 1024 MiB.

Converting 1 MiB to GiB

To convert 1 MiB to GiB, we simply invert the above calculation:

1 MiB to GiB=220 bytes230 bytes/GiB1 \text{ MiB to GiB} = \frac{2^{20} \text{ bytes}}{2^{30} \text{ bytes/GiB}}

1 MiB to GiB=22030 GiB=210 GiB=11024 GiB0.0009765625 GiB1 \text{ MiB to GiB} = 2^{20-30} \text{ GiB} = 2^{-10} \text{ GiB} = \frac{1}{1024} \text{ GiB} \approx 0.0009765625 \text{ GiB}

So, 1 MiB is equal to approximately 0.0009765625 GiB.

Real-World Examples

  1. SSD/HDD Storage: When you buy a 1 TB hard drive, manufacturers often use the decimal definition (1 TB = 101210^{12} bytes). Your operating system, however, often reports storage in GiB (base-2). This is why a "1 TB" drive might show up as roughly 931 GiB in your OS.

  2. Downloading Files: When downloading a file, the size is usually displayed in MB (decimal). If you have limited storage in GiB, you can quickly estimate how many such files you can store. For example, if you have 10 GiB of free space, you can store approximately nine 1073 MB files.

  3. Memory (RAM): RAM is typically sold and specified using GiB (binary). For example, 8 GiB of RAM is 8×2308 \times 2^{30} bytes.

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 Megabytes to other unit conversions.

What is Gibibytes?

Gibibyte (GiB) is a unit of measure for digital information storage, closely related to Gigabytes (GB). Understanding Gibibytes requires recognizing the difference between base-2 (binary) and base-10 (decimal) systems, especially in the context of computer storage. Gibibytes are specifically used to represent storage sizes in base-2, which is the system that computers use.

Gibibytes: Binary Unit

Gibibyte is a unit based on powers of 2. It's defined as 2302^{30} bytes.

  • 1 GiB = 1024 MiB (Megabytes)
  • 1 GiB = 1024 * 1024 KiB (Kilobytes)
  • 1 GiB = 1024 * 1024 * 1024 bytes = 1,073,741,824 bytes

This is important because computers operate using binary code (0s and 1s), making base-2 units more natural for specifying actual memory or storage allocations.

GiB vs. GB: The Confusion

The term "Gigabyte" (GB) is often used in two different contexts:

  • Decimal (Base-10): In marketing and general usage (e.g., hard drive capacity), 1 GB is typically defined as 10910^9 bytes (1,000,000,000 bytes).
  • Binary (Base-2): Historically, GB was also used to informally refer to 2302^{30} bytes. To clarify this, the term Gibibyte (GiB) was introduced by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to specifically denote 2302^{30} bytes.

The key difference: 1 GB (decimal) ≠ 1 GiB (binary).

1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes 1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes

The difference of ~7.4% can be significant when dealing with large storage capacities.

Why Gibibytes Matter

Using GiB helps avoid confusion and misrepresentation of storage capacity. Operating systems (like Linux and newer versions of macOS and Windows) increasingly report storage sizes in GiB to provide a more accurate representation of available space. This can lead to users observing a discrepancy between the advertised storage (in GB) and the actual usable space reported by their computer (in GiB).

Real-World Examples of Gibibytes

  • RAM (Random Access Memory): Computer RAM is often sold in GiB increments (e.g., 8 GiB, 16 GiB, 32 GiB). The operating system reports the memory size in GiB, reflecting the actual usable memory based on binary calculations.
  • Virtual Machines: Virtual machine storage allocations are often specified in GiB, giving a precise allocation of storage space.
  • Disk Partitions: When partitioning a hard drive or SSD, the partition sizes are often defined and displayed in GiB.
  • Blu-ray Discs: While Blu-ray disc capacity is marketed in GB (base 10), the actual usable storage is closer to values represented by GiB. A 25 GB Blu-ray disc has approximately 23.28 GiB of usable storage.
  • Network Attached Storage (NAS): NAS devices often report available storage in GiB, providing a consistent view of capacity across different devices and operating systems.

Relevant Standards Organizations

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a standards organization that defines standards for electrical, electronic and related technologies. It defined "kibibyte", "mebibyte", "gibibyte" and others in IEC 60027-2. For more information please read their website IEC

Conclusion

Gibibytes are essential for accurately representing digital storage in computing due to the binary nature of computers. While Gigabytes are commonly used in marketing, understanding the difference between GB and GiB ensures clarity and avoids discrepancies in storage capacity calculations.

What is Megabytes?

Megabytes (MB) are a unit of digital information storage, widely used to measure the size of files, storage capacity, and data transfer amounts. It's essential to understand that megabytes can be interpreted in two different ways depending on the context: base 10 (decimal) and base 2 (binary).

Decimal (Base 10) Megabytes

In the decimal system, which is commonly used for marketing storage devices, a megabyte is defined as:

1 MB=1000 kilobytes (KB)=1,000,000 bytes1 \text{ MB} = 1000 \text{ kilobytes (KB)} = 1,000,000 \text{ bytes}

This definition is simpler for consumers to understand and aligns with how manufacturers often advertise storage capacities. It's important to note, however, that operating systems typically use the binary definition.

Real-World Examples (Decimal)

  • A small image file (e.g., a low-resolution JPEG): 1-5 MB
  • An average-length MP3 audio file: 3-5 MB
  • A short video clip: 10-50 MB

Binary (Base 2) Megabytes

In the binary system, which is used by computers to represent data, a megabyte is defined as:

1 MB=1024 kibibytes (KiB)=1,048,576 bytes1 \text{ MB} = 1024 \text{ kibibytes (KiB)} = 1,048,576 \text{ bytes}

This definition is more accurate for representing the actual physical storage allocation within computer systems. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) recommends using "mebibyte" (MiB) to avoid ambiguity when referring to binary megabytes, where 1 MiB = 1024 KiB.

Real-World Examples (Binary)

  • Older floppy disks could store around 1.44 MB (binary).
  • The amount of RAM required to run basic applications in older computer systems.

Origins and Notable Associations

The concept of bytes and their multiples evolved with the development of computer technology. While there isn't a specific "law" associated with megabytes, its definition is based on the fundamental principles of digital data representation.

  • Claude Shannon: Although not directly related to the term "megabyte," Claude Shannon, an American mathematician and electrical engineer, laid the foundation for information theory in his 1948 paper "A Mathematical Theory of Communication". His work established the concept of bits and bytes as fundamental units of digital information.
  • Werner Buchholz: Is credited with coining the term "byte" in 1956 while working as a computer scientist at IBM.

Base 10 vs Base 2: The Confusion

The difference between decimal and binary megabytes often leads to confusion. A hard drive advertised as "1 TB" (terabyte, decimal) will appear smaller (approximately 931 GiB - gibibytes) when viewed by your operating system because the OS uses the binary definition.

1 TB (Decimal)=1012 bytes1 \text{ TB (Decimal)} = 10^{12} \text{ bytes} 1 TiB (Binary)=240 bytes1 \text{ TiB (Binary)} = 2^{40} \text{ bytes}

This difference in representation is crucial to understand when evaluating storage capacities and data transfer rates. For more details, you can read the Binary prefix page on Wikipedia.

Complete Gibibytes conversion table

Enter # of Gibibytes
Convert 1 GiB to other unitsResult
Gibibytes to Bits (GiB to b)8589934592
Gibibytes to Kilobits (GiB to Kb)8589934.592
Gibibytes to Kibibits (GiB to Kib)8388608
Gibibytes to Megabits (GiB to Mb)8589.934592
Gibibytes to Mebibits (GiB to Mib)8192
Gibibytes to Gigabits (GiB to Gb)8.589934592
Gibibytes to Gibibits (GiB to Gib)8
Gibibytes to Terabits (GiB to Tb)0.008589934592
Gibibytes to Tebibits (GiB to Tib)0.0078125
Gibibytes to Bytes (GiB to B)1073741824
Gibibytes to Kilobytes (GiB to KB)1073741.824
Gibibytes to Kibibytes (GiB to KiB)1048576
Gibibytes to Megabytes (GiB to MB)1073.741824
Gibibytes to Mebibytes (GiB to MiB)1024
Gibibytes to Gigabytes (GiB to GB)1.073741824
Gibibytes to Terabytes (GiB to TB)0.001073741824
Gibibytes to Tebibytes (GiB to TiB)0.0009765625