While computer jargon may be common knowledge to some, others find it difficult to understand. This can make things tricky when it comes to handling important files. That’s because files are measured in special units that represent their overall size. Perhaps the two most common units of memory/data are kilobytes (KB) and megabytes (MB). And a common question that users often have is whether an MB is bigger than a KB.
Thankfully, you don’t have to be a computer nerd to make sense of these computer basics.
In the article below, we explain everything you need to know about kilobytes and megabytes. This includes what they mean, how much data these units of information represent, and how big they are. We will also explain file sizes larger than a KB or MB and where you might encounter them.
What is a kilobyte (KB)?
A kilobyte is a unit of digital information. KB stands for kilobyte. One kilobyte is equal to 1,024 bytes.
Examples of files measured in kilobytes include low resolution pictures and simple Word documents.
They are typically quick and easy to transfer to external storage devices (such as a USB flash drive) or to share online due to their small size.
When computing was in its infancy, a few kilobytes was considered a significant amount of memory for a personal computer. Of course, as technology has developed, this is no longer the case.
What is a megabyte (MB)?
A megabyte is also a unit of digital information. MB is an abbreviation of megabyte. One megabyte is equal to 1,024 kilobytes.
Examples of files measured in megabytes includes high resolution images, short high quality videos, PowerPoint presentations, small video games, photographs taken using a digital camera, and more. One minute of audio may weigh in at around 1 MB.
Interestingly, the word “megabyte” is actually based on the Greek word “megas”. This translates to “great” or “large”, hence the use of the prefix mega in this context.
In fact, each of the different prefixes for units of digital information are based in the Greek language. So, while our technology has developed exponentially, we can still see remnants of ancient times in the most subtle of places.
Is MB bigger than KB?
An MB (megabyte) is much bigger than a KB (kilobyte). This is because 1,024 kilobytes make up one megabyte.
However, a kilobyte is not the smallest unit of information.
What is the smallest unit of memory storage?
The “bit” is the smallest unit of digital information. Bit is short for “binary digit”. The next smallest unit is the unit byte. The number of bits in a single byte is eight. When it comes to computer data storage and memory capacity, there are 1,024 bytes in a kilobyte.
So, to give you a clear picture of how much digital information these units represent, take a look at the figures below:
- 8 bits = 1 byte
- 1,024 bytes = 1 kilobyte
- 1,024 kilobytes = 1 megabyte
With this in mind, KB is far from the smallest unit of data. However, there are also far bigger units than a kilobyte or megabyte.
Binary system vs. Decimal system
It is worth bearing in mind that units of data can be measured using two systems. They are the binary and decimal systems.
In the binary system, a kilobyte is equal to 1,024 bytes (as stated above). Using the decimal system, a kilobyte is equal to 1,000 bytes.
Computers operate on the binary system. Therefore, they measure a kilobyte as 1,024 bytes. However, as the The New York Times explains, this can lead to discrepancies when it comes to storage capacities in consumer products (such as external hard drives). That’s because, as a rule of thumb, products are advertised using the decimal system.
If you have ever wondered why your computer shows a storage device as having less capacity than advertised, that is the reason.
What is a kibibyte and mebibyte?
To help avoid confusion between the binary and decimal systems, alternative words are used to describe measurements of binary data units. They are most commonly used when precision and accuracy is required, such as in computer science fields.
In this context, a kibibyte (KiB – Ki signifies kibi) is equal to 1,024 bytes while a kilobyte (KB) is equal to 1,000 bytes. A mebibyte (MiB) is equal to 1,024 kibibytes.
For the typical computer user, however, the terms kilobyte/megabyte and kibibyte/mebibyte are interchangeable and shouldn’t be of much concern.
What is a Gigabyte (GB)?
In the modern day, gigabytes are also common units of digital information measurement. You will see the term “gigabyte” abbreviated to “GB”.
There are 1,024 MBs in a GB. Twenty years ago, a gigabyte was considered a large amount of data. When it came to RAM (Random Access Memory), 1 GB of RAM used to be ample for many demanding applications and processes, such as gaming. RAM “is a computer’s short-term memory, where the data that the processor is currently using is stored.”
Today, it is far more common for computers to require at least 8GB of RAM for anything above the most basic of activities.
Files typically measured in GB include high definition movies, the latest video games, and more. In 2023, 500 GB storage is considered standard for many personal computers.
What is a Terabyte (TB)?
Terabytes (TB) – which were largely unheard of until the mid-2010s – are commonplace today when measuring large amounts of data storage capacity. Examples include modern SSDs (solid-state drives) and external hard drives.
A TB is equal to 1,024 GB or approximately one trillion bytes. This should help you understand just how large a TB is, and you should expect to see this unit far more frequently as our technology continues to improve.
Typically, the average computer or smartphone user in the digital world will not encounter units larger than a TB. However, they do exist and are worth bearing them in mind when discussing seriously large numbers.
What is bigger than a Terabyte (TB)?
There are units of digital storage measurement used to describe data greater than a TB. They are:
- Petabyte (PB) – approximately one quadrillion bytes.
- Exabyte (EB) – approximately one quintillion bytes.
- Zettabyte (ZB) – approximately one sextillion bytes.
- Yottabyte (YB) – approximately one septillion bytes.
These larger data units are used in contexts where massive amounts of data need to be stored, analysed, or transmitted, such as scientific research, big data analytics, data-intensive industries, and global-scale information systems.
With that being said, these units will likely become increasingly common as our technology continues to develop at such a rapid rate.
What are kilobits, megabits, and gigabits?
The terms “kilobit”, “megabit”, and “gigabit” are used to measure data transfer rates or internet connection speeds.
You will often see advertisements for home broadband packages promising a certain amount of “Mbps”. Mbps stands for megabits per second.
As a general rule, the higher the stated Mbps is, the better your internet connection will perform.
Now you understand what KB and MB (and everything else that goes along with them) mean, hopefully they feel like less of a foreign language. After all, you don’t need to be a computer geek (like me!) to make sense of them once you understand how they work.
What do you think of these different units of data? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other Tech articles…
