Petabit to Mebibyte Converter
Convert petabits to mebibytes with our free online data storage converter.
Quick Answer
1 Petabit = 119209289.550781 mebibytes
Formula: Petabit × conversion factor = Mebibyte
Use the calculator below for instant, accurate conversions.
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All conversion formulas on UnitsConverter.io have been verified against NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) guidelines and international SI standards. Our calculations are accurate to 10 decimal places for standard conversions and use arbitrary precision arithmetic for astronomical units.
Petabit to Mebibyte Calculator
How to Use the Petabit to Mebibyte Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Petabit).
- The converted value in Mebibyte will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Data Storage category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Petabit to Mebibyte: Step-by-Step Guide
Converting Petabit to Mebibyte involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Petabit = 1.1921e+8 mebibytesExample Calculation:
Convert 10 petabits: 10 × 1.1921e+8 = 1.1921e+9 mebibytes
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
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View all Data Storage conversions →What is a Petabit and a Mebibyte?
A petabit (Pb or Pbit) is a multiple of the bit unit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix peta- (symbol P) is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 1015 (1 quadrillion, or 1 followed by 15 zeros). Therefore, 1 petabit = 1,000,000,000,000,000 bits. This is equivalent to 1,000 terabits (Tb) or 1,000,000 gigabits (Gb).
A mebibyte (MiB) is a unit of digital information storage equal to 220 bytes, which is exactly 1,048,576 bytes (or 10242 bytes). It uses the binary prefix 'mebi-' established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The mebibyte was created to provide an unambiguous measurement for byte multiples based on powers of 2, distinguishing it from the megabyte (MB), which is based on the decimal prefix 'mega-' (106 or 1,000,000 bytes).
Note: The Petabit is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Mebibyte belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Petabit and Mebibyte
As data volumes and network speeds continued to increase dramatically beyond the terabit scale, the petabit became relevant for quantifying extremely large amounts of data and ultra-high transmission capacities. It strictly follows the SI definition of 'peta-' as 1015. The distinction between decimal (petabit, Pb) and binary (pebibit, Pib = 250 bits) became increasingly important at this scale, leading to the formalization of binary prefixes like 'pebi-' by the IEC to avoid ambiguity.
The prefix 'mebi-' (representing 220) was defined by the IEC in 1998 alongside other binary prefixes (kibi-, gibi-, tebi-, etc.). Before this standard, the SI prefix 'mega-' (M) was ambiguously used to represent both 1,000,000 (106, as per its SI definition) and 1,048,576 (220) in computing contexts. This led to confusion, especially when comparing storage capacities advertised by manufacturers (often using decimal prefixes) and memory sizes or file sizes reported by operating systems (often using binary interpretations). The introduction of the mebibyte (MiB) aimed to resolve this ambiguity by providing a specific term for 1,048,576 bytes.
Common Uses and Applications: petabits vs mebibytes
Explore the typical applications for both Petabit (imperial/US) and Mebibyte (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for petabits
Petabits are primarily used in contexts involving massive data scales:
- Measuring the theoretical or actual data transfer rates of core internet backbones, major international communication links, and large-scale data center networks (often expressed in Pbps - petabits per second).
- Quantifying the aggregate data traffic processed by major internet exchange points (IXPs) or national telecommunications networks over specific timeframes.
- Describing the capacity of cutting-edge optical fiber communication systems and research networks.
- Characterizing the sheer volume of data generated or processed in large scientific endeavors, such as high-energy physics experiments, climate modeling, or large astronomical surveys, especially when discussing data transmission or raw bit counts.
- High-performance computing (HPC) environments dealing with massive datasets.
When to Use mebibytes
Mebibytes are used in contexts where precision based on powers of 2 is necessary:
- Precisely measuring computer memory (RAM) capacity, which is typically manufactured in powers-of-2 sizes.
- Reporting file sizes and disk space usage by operating systems (like Windows, macOS, Linux distributions) and file systems that adhere to IEC standards.
- Software development, technical documentation, and virtualization where exact binary multiples are crucial for calculations, specifications, or resource allocation.
- Cache sizes in CPUs and other hardware components.
Additional Unit Information
About Petabit (Pb)
How many bits are in a petabit?
There are exactly 1,000,000,000,000,000 bits (one quadrillion bits, or 1015 bits) in 1 petabit (Pb), according to the standard SI definition of the prefix 'peta-'.
What is the difference between a petabit (Pb) and a petabyte (PB)?
- A petabit (Pb) measures data in bits and equals 1015 bits. It is commonly used for data transfer rates and network capacity.
- A petabyte (PB) measures data in bytes. According to SI standards, it equals 1015 bytes. It is typically used for measuring large storage capacities. (Note: The term pebibyte (PiB) correctly refers to 250 bytes).
Since 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 petabyte (1015 bytes) is equal to 8 x 1015 bits, or 8 petabits. Therefore, a petabyte represents 8 times more data than a petabit.
What is the difference between a petabit (Pb) and a pebibit (Pib)?
- A petabit (Pb) uses the decimal SI prefix 'peta-' and equals 1015 bits (1,000,000,000,000,000 bits).
- A pebibit (Pib) uses the binary IEC prefix 'pebi-' and equals 250 bits (1,125,899,906,842,624 bits).
A pebibit is approximately 12.6% larger than a petabit (1 Pib ≈ 1.126 Pb). Use Pb for contexts adhering to decimal standards (like network speeds) and Pib when precise binary multiples (powers of 2) are required (often related to memory or specific storage architectures).
How many gigabits (Gb) are in a petabit (Pb)?
There are 1,000,000 gigabits (Gb) in 1 petabit (Pb). This is derived from the SI prefixes: 1 Pb = 1015 bits and 1 Gb = 109 bits. Therefore, 1 Pb / 1 Gb = 1015 / 109 = 106 = 1,000,000.
About Mebibyte (MiB)
How many bytes are in a mebibyte (MiB)?
There are exactly 220 bytes in 1 mebibyte (MiB). This equals 1,048,576 bytes.
How many kibibytes (KiB) are in a mebibyte (MiB)?
There are 1,024 kibibytes (KiB) in 1 mebibyte (MiB). This follows the binary prefix system where 1 MiB = 220 bytes and 1 KiB = 210 bytes, and 220 / 210 = 210 = 1,024.
What is the difference between a mebibyte (MiB) and a megabyte (MB)?
A mebibyte (MiB) represents 220 bytes (1,048,576 bytes), using the IEC binary prefix 'mebi-'. A megabyte (MB) typically represents 106 bytes (1,000,000 bytes), using the SI decimal prefix 'mega-'. A mebibyte is approximately 4.86% larger than a megabyte (1 MiB ≈ 1.0486 MB). Use MiB for precision in binary contexts (like RAM, OS reporting) and MB for decimal contexts (like hard drive marketing, network speeds in some cases) or when the specific definition is clarified.
What is the difference between a mebibyte (MiB) and a mebibit (Mib)?
A mebibyte (MiB) measures information in bytes, while a mebibit (Mib) measures information in bits. Assuming the standard 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 mebibyte (MiB) is equal to 8 mebibits (Mib). Both use the binary prefix 'mebi-' (220).
Why is MiB used less often than MB in marketing?
Marketing materials (like hard drive capacities) often use the decimal prefix (MB, GB) because it results in a larger-looking number for capacity compared to the binary prefix (MiB, GiB) for the same amount of physical storage (e.g., 1,000,000,000 bytes is marketed as 1 GB, while an OS might report it as approximately 931 MiB, not GiB, because 1 GB is closer to 953.67 MiB, but OS often report GiB as GB). This discrepancy arises because 1 MB = 106 bytes, whereas 1 MiB = 220 bytes. Using decimal units allows manufacturers to advertise higher numbers.
Conversion Table: Petabit to Mebibyte
| Petabit (Pb) | Mebibyte (MiB) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 59,604,644.775 |
| 1 | 119,209,289.551 |
| 1.5 | 178,813,934.326 |
| 2 | 238,418,579.102 |
| 5 | 596,046,447.754 |
| 10 | 1,192,092,895.508 |
| 25 | 2,980,232,238.77 |
| 50 | 5,960,464,477.539 |
| 100 | 11,920,928,955.078 |
| 250 | 29,802,322,387.695 |
| 500 | 59,604,644,775.391 |
| 1,000 | 119,209,289,550.781 |
People Also Ask
How do I convert Petabit to Mebibyte?
To convert Petabit to Mebibyte, enter the value in Petabit in the calculator above. The conversion will happen automatically. Use our free online converter for instant and accurate results. You can also visit our data storage converter page to convert between other units in this category.
Learn more →What is the conversion factor from Petabit to Mebibyte?
The conversion factor depends on the specific relationship between Petabit and Mebibyte. You can find the exact conversion formula and factor on this page. Our calculator handles all calculations automatically. See the conversion table above for common values.
Can I convert Mebibyte back to Petabit?
Yes! You can easily convert Mebibyte back to Petabit by using the swap button (⇌) in the calculator above, or by visiting our Mebibyte to Petabit converter page. You can also explore other data storage conversions on our category page.
Learn more →What are common uses for Petabit and Mebibyte?
Petabit and Mebibyte are both standard units used in data storage measurements. They are commonly used in various applications including engineering, construction, cooking, and scientific research. Browse our data storage converter for more conversion options.
For more data storage conversion questions, visit our FAQ page or explore our conversion guides.
Helpful Conversion Guides
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📚 How to Convert Units
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🔢 Conversion Formulas
Essential formulas for data storage and other conversions.
⚖️ Metric vs Imperial
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⚠️ Common Mistakes
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All Data Storage Conversions
Other Data Storage Units and Conversions
Explore other data storage units and their conversion options:
- Bit (b) • Petabit to Bit
- Byte (B) • Petabit to Byte
- Kilobit (kb) • Petabit to Kilobit
- Kilobyte (KB) • Petabit to Kilobyte
- Megabit (Mb) • Petabit to Megabit
- Megabyte (MB) • Petabit to Megabyte
- Gigabit (Gb) • Petabit to Gigabit
- Gigabyte (GB) • Petabit to Gigabyte
- Terabit (Tb) • Petabit to Terabit
- Terabyte (TB) • Petabit to Terabyte
Verified Against Authority Standards
All conversion formulas have been verified against international standards and authoritative sources to ensure maximum accuracy and reliability.
International Electrotechnical Commission — Binary prefixes for digital storage (KiB, MiB, GiB)
International Organization for Standardization — International standards for quantities and units
Last verified: December 3, 2025