Question 1

What's the difference between KB and KiB?

Accepted Answer

KB (kilobyte) uses decimal system where 1 KB = 1,000 bytes, while KiB (kibibyte) uses binary system where 1 KiB = 1,024 bytes. This difference becomes more significant with larger units. Storage manufacturers typically use decimal (KB, MB, GB), while operating systems often use binary (KiB, MiB, GiB).

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

Hard drive manufacturers use decimal units (1 TB = 1,000 GB = 1,000,000 MB), but operating systems often display storage using binary units (1 TiB = 1,024 GiB). So 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes = 931.32 GiB, which appears as ~931 GB in your system.

Question 3

How do I convert internet speed to download speed?

Accepted Answer

Internet speeds are measured in bits per second (bps), while download speeds are in bytes per second (Bps). To convert: divide by 8. For example, 100 Mbps internet = 12.5 MB/s download speed. Remember that actual speeds may be lower due to network overhead.

Question 4

Which units should I use for my calculations?

Accepted Answer

Use decimal units (KB, MB, GB) when dealing with storage devices, file sizes from manufacturers, or network transfers. Use binary units (KiB, MiB, GiB) when working with RAM, system memory, or when your operating system reports sizes in binary units.

Question 5

How accurate are these conversions?

Accepted Answer

Our conversions are mathematically precise. We use exact conversion factors: 1 KB = 1,000 bytes, 1 KiB = 1,024 bytes, 1 byte = 8 bits. The calculator handles very large numbers and provides results with appropriate precision for your needs.

Question 6

Can I convert between bits and bytes?

Accepted Answer

Yes! The converter supports both bit and byte conversions. Remember that 1 byte = 8 bits. This is useful when comparing internet speeds (typically in bits) with file transfer rates (typically in bytes).

Question 7

What's the largest unit supported?

Accepted Answer

We support units up to exabytes (EB) and exbibytes (EiB). 1 exabyte equals 1 billion gigabytes (decimal) or about 1,152,921,504,606,846,976 bytes. This covers virtually all current and near-future storage needs.

Question 8

How do I choose between decimal and binary units?

Accepted Answer

Choose based on context: use decimal (KB, MB, GB) for storage devices, cloud storage, and file sizes. Use binary (KiB, MiB, GiB) for RAM, system memory, and when your OS displays binary units. When in doubt, decimal units are more commonly used today.

Data Storage Converter