MB to GB Converter
Try out our MB to GB converter, which allows you to convert from megabytes to gigabytes and vice versa. Continue reading to learn what megabytes and gigabytes are and the difference between these units' base-2 and base-10 definitions. Using our MB to GB converter, you can switch between both of these variants.
What is a megabyte?
A megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte, which measures the amount of data stored in a digital medium. There are two definitions of how many bytes 1 megabyte has.
First, let's talk about the base-2 definition. According to information technology fields, 1 MB is equal to 10242 bytes. You may ask why the 1024 base since usually the 1000 base is used for converting multiples of units with prefixes such as kilo and mega. In the computer world, the binary (aka base-2 number system) is used for representing data. Because of this, it has made more sense to use powers of two when referring to computer information and 1024 is in fact equal to 210. If you want to find out more about the binary system and how to convert between decimal and binary numbers, be sure to check out our binary converter.
On the other hand, the base-10 megabyte definition states that 1 MB is equal to 10002 bytes which in turn is equal to 1 000 000 bytes. Here, the standard 1000 base is used for converting to bytes. This definition follows the rules of the SI metric system.
What is a gigabyte?
Like a megabyte, a gigabyte is a multiple of the byte unit. The only difference is the prefix, which designates how many bytes each unit has. The binary definition of the gigabyte states that 1 GB is equal to 10243 bytes, while according to the SI metric system, 1 GB is equal to 10003 bytes.
How do you convert MB to GB?
Megabytes to gigabytes conversion is fairly easy.
- Base-2: non-SI system
In the case of a base-2 system, to get the number of gigabytes, you should divide the number of megabytes by 1024.
For example, when converting 2048 megabytes to gigabytes, the result is 2048 / 1024, which is equal to 2. Here is the formula:
Here are the exemplary megabytes to gigabytes conversions using the base-2 system:
- 512 MB = 0,5 GB
- 1024 MB = 1 GB
- 2560 MB = 2.5 GB
- 4096 MB = 4 GB
- Base-10: SI system
If you want to get the number of gigabytes from megabytes when using the base-10 system, you should divide the number of megabytes by 1000. Here is the formula:
According to the base-10 system:
- 500 MB = 0,5 GB
- 1000 MB = 1 GB
- 2500 MB = 2,5 GB
- 4000 MB = 4 GB
Try our MB to GB converter, which allows you to easily switch between MB and GB in both base-2 and base-10 systems.
How many bytes are in a gigabyte?
There are two answers to the question of how many bytes are in a gigabyte, depending on which definition you use.
Using base-2 system:
- 1 GB = 10243 bytes = 1,073,741,824 bytes
Using base-10 system:
- 1 GB = 10003 bytes = 1,000,000,000 bytes
How many bytes are in a megabyte?
The number of bytes in a megabyte is determined by one of two definitions.
Using base-2 system:
- 1 MB = 10242 bytes = 1,048,576 bytes
Using base-10 system:
- 1 MB = 10002 bytes = 1,000,000 bytes