As computer repair specialists in Harrisonburg, VA, we know more than most, that when it comes to data, size matters. While the HBO series Silicon Valley allows us to dream of an age of compression when what you store doesn’t affect your devices, it all adds up. That being said it can be hard to wrap our minds around what each file size actually means. With that in mind, here’s our ultimate guide to file size:

Bit

The smallest unit, it means a “single binary digit”, meaning 1 or 0.

Byte

A byte is equal to 8 bits. To explain this further, 1 character you take up when composing your tweets is equal to 1 byte. 10 bytes is usually equal to one word.

Kilobyte (KB)

A kilobyte is equal to 1,000 bytes. To break this down, here are the KB sizes of basic files you have on your computer right now:

  • Short Paragraph= 1 KB
  • Typewritten Page= 2 KB
  • Low Resolution Photograph= 100 KB

Megabyte (MB)

This is equal to 1,000 kilobytes, which in perspective is 1,000,000 bytes. Here are some files up to this size:

  • Short Novel= 1 MB
  • Complete Works of Shakespeare = 5 MB
  • Two Encyclopedia Volumes = 100 MB
  • High Resolution Photograph = 2 MB
  • Digital Chest X-Ray = 10 MB
  • CD-Rom = 500 MB

Gigabyte (GB)

This is 1,000 megabytes. According to USA Today, in terms of computer storage,

“Most non-professional users will be fine with 250 to 320GBs of storage. For example, 250GB can hold more than 30,000 average size photos or songs.”

Breaking that down, here are some common files:

  • 7 Minutes of HD-TV Video = 1 GB
  • Audio Set of the Works of Beethoven = 20 GB
  • Size of Standard DVD-R= 4.7 GB
  • Library Floor of Academic Journals = 100 GB

Terabyte (TB)

When you’re searching for external hard drives, you’ll probably see a lot of models for sale that hold 1 TB. The space equals to about 1,000 gigabytes. To put how much you can store into perspective, here are some examples:

  • 50,000 Trees made Into Paper and Printed = 1 TB
  • Printed Collection of the U.S. Library of Congress = 10 TB

Petabyte (PB)

A Petabyte is equal to 1,000 terabytes and is starting to get into a lot of data. For perspective, here are examples:

  • 20 Million Four Drawer Filing Cabinets Filled with Text = 1 PB
  • All 10 Billion Photos on Facebook = 1.5 PB
  • Daily Amount of Data Processed by Google = 20 PB
  • Entire Written Works of Mankind, from the beginning of recorded history, In All Languages = 50 PB

Want More Storage Help?

Of course, those are only the basic units of storage you’ll run into with your own computer. There are much higher units including:

  • Exabyte (EB) = 1,000 PB, or the entire Netflix catalogue streamed more than 3,00 times
  • Zettabyte (ZB) = 1,000 EB, or 250 million DVD’s
  • Yottabyte (YB)= 1,000 ZB, or the size of the entire World Wide Web

To get storage or other computer repair help in Harrisonburg, VA, don’t hesitate to seek the help of Roz Hi-Tech. Whether you’re having issues with your Macbook Air or your Windows PC, we are proud to support your system. From providing factory restoration and the installation of the OS you need to replacing damaged fans and the LCD screens, to selling replacement chargers and keyboards— we can keep your computer going. No matter the system, our dedicated staff is ready to find solutions to all your problems. Contact us today to get started.