Bytes: SI Units vs IEC Units
Created on April 23, 2025 Updated on April 24, 2025
ComputerScience
MB is based on powers of 10 (1’000’000 Bytes), MiB is based on powers of 2 (1024**2).
I learned only recently that there are megabytes and mebibytes.
The International System of Units (“SI”) base their units in decimal, or powers of 10.
kB kilobyte 1'000 bytes
MB megabyte 1'000'000 bytes (1000**2)
GB gigabyte 1'000'000'000 bytes (1000**3)
TB terabyte 1'000'000'000'000 bytes (1000**4)
On the other hand, the International Electrotechnical Commission (“IEC”) define bytes in binary, in powers of 2.
KiB kibibyte 1'024 bytes
MiB mebibyte 1'048'576 bytes (1024**2)
GiB gibibyte 1'073'741'824 bytes (1024**3)
TiB tebibyte 1'099'511'627'776 bytes (1024**4)