When we talk about MB and GB, we are referring to the units of data storage or computer memory.

MB stands for MegaByte and GB stands for GigaByte.

There’s quite a bit of difference between the two units of measurements, so it’s important to know what they are, especially when it comes to buying a new hard drive or a new smartphone.

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We aim to answer “What is bigger, MB or GB?” as well as explain the fundamentals of all the many units of data storage and computer memory, including what each one stands for and which ones are the largest.

We will also explain what the differences are between them all, so you’re clear on your units of data storage from here on in.

Quick Answer to: Which Is Bigger – MB Or GB?

So you can get the answer in super quick time, we have put this section at the very top of the page for your convenience.

GB (GigaByte) is bigger.

The larger unit of data storage between a MegaByte (MB) and a GigaByte (GB) is actually a GigaByte (GB).

1 GB (GigaByte) is equal to 1024 MB (MegaByte).

As a result, a Gigabyte is 1000 times bigger than a Megabyte (MB).

Examples of GigaByte Storage

  • One hour of SDTV video at 2.2 Mbit/s is approximately 1 GB.
  • Seven minutes of HDTV video at 19.39 Mbit/s is approximately 1 GB.
  • A dual-layered Blu-ray can hold about 50 GB.
  • A triple-layered Ultra HD Blu-ray can hold about 100 GB.
  • 114 minutes of uncompressed CD-quality audio at 1.4 Mbit/s is approximately 1 GB.
  • A single layer DVD+R disc can hold about 4.7 GB.
  • A dual-layered DVD+R disc can hold about 8.5 GB.
  • A single layer Blu-ray can hold about 25 GB.
  • The largest Nintendo Switch cartridge available on the market holds about 32 GB.

Other useful related guides: Which Is Bigger – KB or MB?

What is a “Bit”?

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The smallest unit of memory storage in a computer system is called a “bit,” which is a binary digit. It refers to a single bit, which has two possible states: on and off. It is a binary digit because it can only be a 0 or a 1.

Since each byte is eight bits long (comprised of two four-bit patterns), there are 256 possible values for each one, including zero and 255.

What is a “Byte”?

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Data is stored in 8-bit units called bytes. It is the smallest type of storage that a computer employs to hold information.

Eight bits make up a byte, and there are 256 potential values in a byte. It can be utilised to represent punctuation, alphabetic characters, and other symbols.

The way that bytes are measured can vary from one country to the next, but the most often used definition is that there are eight bits (or single digits) in a byte.

Initially, all data was stored in bytes, with one byte being equal to eight bits.

What Is a “KiloByte” Or KB?

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Kilobyte is a unit of measurement for data storage and memory that equals approximately 1,000 bytes.

In computer science, a kilobyte is frequently defined as 1,024 bytes even though “kilo” normally refers to 1,000.

Depending on the context, it may also be used to refer to 1,000 bytes.

Kilobytes are the size unit used to store data on your computers, such as spreadsheets and word documents.

Here are a range of measurement contexts that kilobyte is used for:

  • RAM or ROM Memory size
  • Processor cache size
  • The quantity of storage space on a device like a flash drive or SD memory chip
  • Storage capacity on a Hard disk drive (HDD)
  • iPhone memory chip capacity

What Is a “MegaByte” Or MB?

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Megabyte is a unit of measurement for data storage that equals approximately 1 million bytes.

Since ancient times, the prefix mega, which derives from the Greek word “megas”, which means “great”. This word has been used for many thousands of years to denote extremely huge numbers.

1 MB (MegaByte) is equivalent to 1024 KB (Kilobytes).

Similar to kilobytes, the size of each unit depends on how it is formatted. However, a really large image might only be 2-6 megabytes in size, or an MP3 music might only be about 10 megabytes.

What Is a “GigaByte” Or GB?

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A GigaByte is a unit of data storage measurement that corresponds to exactly 1,000,000,000 bytes.

1 GB (GigaByte) is equal to 1024 MB (MegaByte).

As a result, a Gigabyte is 1000 times bigger than a Megabyte (MB).

The unit “Gigabyte” is mainly used to describe the file sizes of large software applications or the volume of data saved or the storage device’s capacity.

The following metrics are equivalent to one gigabyte:

  • 1,000 megabytes (decimal) or 1,024 megabytes (binary);
  • 1,000,000 kilobytes (decimal) or 1,048,576 kilobytes (binary); and
  • 1,000,000,000 bytes (decimal) or 1,073,741,824 bytes (binary).

What Is a “TeraByte” Or TB?

A TeraByte is a unit of measurement for data storage. To put it into size context, a TeraByte is 1000 times bigger than a Gigabyte (GB).

A terabyte is equal to 1024 GigaBytes.

Terabytes are typically used to refer to extremely large data sets, as backups made every day for years at a time. A common external hard drive has a capacity of 2-4 terabytes.

What Is a “PetaByte” or PB?

A petabyte, which is made up of 1024 terabytes, is a greater data unit than a terabyte. It has a storage capacity of about 1 quadrillion bytes. The majority of the time, petabytes are used to refer to enormous collections of audio, video, or other media assets.

Closing

I hope this short guide has explained MB and GB well enough for you to understand which is bigger and which is smaller.

This means you’ll be able to shop with confidence the next time you need a new external hard drive, smartphone or laptop and buy exactly what you need.