Most of us might not know what is the
difference between kilobyte and kibibyte.
One of the most confusing problems regarding
PC statistics and measurements, where people
misuse kibibytes as kilobytes because, the
computers are more widely used nowadays, so
the binary nature of digital computer lends
them to think kilobyte as 1024. 1024 bytes
is not really a kilobyte, it is a kibibyte.
Kilo stands for 10^3, which is 1000, which
is not equal to 1024. Kilobyte is a unit of
information equal to 1000 bytes in SI unit.
As a unit of computer storage, i.e., in
Binary, the kilobyte is usually equal to
1024 bytes, this should be called as
kibibyte. Don't get confused with kilobyte
and kibibyte which lets you to calculate
wrongly. The following table will help you
in this difference.
|
Name(SI) |
Symbol(SI) |
SI
Value |
Name(Binary) |
Symbol(Binary) |
Binary Value |
| kilobyte |
KB | 103
= 1000 Bytes |
kibibyte | KiB |
210 = 1024 Bytes |
| megabyte |
MB | 106
= 10002 Bytes |
mebibyte | MiB |
220 = 10242 Bytes |
| gigabyte |
GB | 109
= 10003 Bytes |
gigabyte | GiB |
230 = 10243 Bytes |
| kilobit |
kb | 103
= 1000 Bits |
kibibit | Kibit |
210 = 1024 Bits |
| megabit |
Mb | 106
= 10002 Bits |
Mebibit | Mibit |
220 = 10242 Bits |
| gigabit |
Gb | 109
= 10003 Bits |
Gibibit | Gibit |
230 = 10243 Bits |
Bit : The smallest unit of information in a system. A bit
has a single binary value, either 0 or 1. A
four-bit quantity is known as a nibble.
Byte :
A Byte is a series of 8 bits. It is also
called as character. Computer storage space
is usually measured in Bytes. It is a
sequence of bits processed as one unit of
information.Comprised of eight bits, they
are large enough to hold one character of
alphanumeric data.
Kilobyte : Kibibyte
A kilobyte or KB is approximately 1000
bytes(10
3) in SI value. Kibibyte
is a unit of information or computer
storage, which are used to measure memory
capacity.A kibibyte or KiB is approximately
1024 bytes(2
10) in Binary value.
Megabyte : Mebibyte
A megabyte or MB is approximately 1000000
bytes(10
6) in SI value. Mebibyte
is an amount of computer memory consisting
of about one million bytes. A mebibyte or
MiB is approximately 1,048,576 bytes(2
20)
in Binary value.
Gigabyte : Gibibyte
A gigabyte or GB is approximately 1000000000
bytes(10
9) in SI value. Gibibyte
is a measure of computer data storage
capacity about one billion bytes. A gibibyte
or GiB is approximately 1,073,741,824
bytes(2
30) in Binary value.
Kilobit : Kibibit
A kilobit or kb is approximately 1000
bits(10
3) in SI value. Kibibit is
a data transmission speed measure. A kibibit
or Kibit is approximately 1024 bits(2
10)
in Binary value.
Megabit : Mebibit
A megabit or Mb is approximately 1000000
bits(10
6) in SI value. Mebibit is
used to measure higher rates of data
transfer, it consist of one million bits. A
mebibit or Mibit is approximately 1,048,576
bits(2
20) in Binary value.
Gigabit : Gibibit
A gigabit or Gb is approximately 1000000000
bits(10
9) in SI value. Gibibit is
used for measuring the amount of data that
is transferred in a second between two
telecommunication points, it consist of one
billion bytes. A gibibit or Gibit is
approximately 1,073,741,824 bits(2
30)
in Binary value.