Bytes to GB converter

What are bytes, gigabytes, and gibibytes?

A byte is the fundamental unit of digital information, consisting of 8 bits. It is used to represent a single character, such as a letter or number. Larger units like gigabytes (GB) and gibibytes (GiB) measure bigger data volumes, but they belong to different measurement systems:

• SI (International System of Units): Uses base-10 prefixes, where 1 gigabyte (GB) = $10^9$ bytes = 1,000,000,000 bytes.
• Binary (IEC Standard): Uses base-2 prefixes, where 1 gibibyte (GiB) = $2^{30}$ bytes = 1,073,741,824 bytes.

The distinction between GB and GiB is critical for accuracy in computing, storage devices, and data transfer calculations.

Formula

Converting bytes to gigabytes (GB)

Converting bytes to gibibytes (GiB)

Examples

Example 1: USB drive capacity

A USB drive is labeled as 64 GB (SI units). To find its capacity in GiB:

This explains why a “64 GB” drive shows ~59.6 GiB on a computer.

Example 2: File size conversion

A video file is 12,884,901,888 bytes. Converting to GB and GiB:

• GB: $12,884,901,888 \div 10^9 = 12.885 \, \text{GB}$
• GiB: $12,884,901,888 \div 2^{30} \approx 12.0 \, \text{GiB}$

Example 3: RAM module

A RAM module has 8 GiB. Converting to bytes:

Why do two systems exist?

The SI system (base-10) was established for simplicity in non-technical fields. However, computers use binary logic (base-2), leading to discrepancies. In 1998, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) introduced gibibytes (GiB) to resolve confusion, though “GB” remains widely misused for $2^{30}$ bytes in consumer electronics.

Historical context

The term “giga-” (Greek for “giant”) was formalized in 1960 as part of the SI system. The binary prefixes (kibi-, mebi-, gibi-) were introduced in 1998 to address the growing gap between decimal and binary interpretations in computing.

Notes

• Storage manufacturers often use GB (base-10) for larger advertised capacities.
• Operating systems like Windows use GiB (base-2) but label them as “GB,” causing perceived “missing” space.
• Always verify the measurement system when precision matters (e.g., programming, engineering).

Frequently Asked Questions

How many bytes are in a gigabyte (GB)?

In the SI system:

In the binary system (IEC):

Why does my 1 TB hard drive show only 931 GB?

A “1 TB” drive uses SI units:

Converted to GiB:

The operating system displays GiB but labels it as “GB,” creating the discrepancy.

How to convert 5,000,000,000 bytes to GB and GiB?

• GB:

• GiB:

What is the difference between GB and GiB?

• GB (Gigabyte): Base-10 unit ($10^9$ bytes), used in storage marketing and general contexts.
• GiB (Gibibyte): Base-2 unit ($2^{30}$ bytes), used in software and technical specifications.

How much data is 16 GB in GiB?

This is why a “16 GB” smartphone might show ~14.9 GiB of usable space.