Understanding the difference between megabit vs megabyte per second and how they affect downloads and speeds is crucial. Understanding the internet as a whole is a tough process as there are so many technical jargons to learn. One of the toughest terms to understand is the Mbps vs MBps difference. They may look and sound the same but the capital “B” on the second term makes a lot of difference.
Mbps vs MBps Difference
The biggest difference between both these terms comes down to bits vs bytes. The first term “Mbps” stands for megabits per second, while the second term “MBps” stands for megabytes per second.
While both the terms are related to measurements, but they’re used differently. Megabits per second are more commonly used when talking about internet upload and download speeds. Megabit vs megabyte is one of the most debated topics among internet enthusiasts.
Megabytes per second is typically referenced when talking about file size or the amount of data. In many cases, you may see MBps shortened to just MB, such as a 500 MB video. MB can also be used when talking about internet data caps or mobile data allowances. For instance, a cellphone plan may offer you 10,000 MB monthly data or 10 GB.
To make the comparison of MBps vs Mbps internet speed, here’s a simple explanation. If you were to download a file from the web, the size of the file will be measured as MBps and the rate at which it is downloaded is known as Mbps.
Quick Guide on Data Measurements
No need to get confused by all the terminology. Here are some of the most common data measurements that denote data amounts, smallest to largest:
- Byte: 8 Bits
- Kilobyte (kB): 1,024 Bytes
- Megabyte (MB): 1,024 Kilobytes
- Gigabyte (GB or Gig): 1,024 Megabytes
- Terabyte (TB): 1,024 Gigabytes
How Do Mbps and MBps affect Online Activities?
| Media | File Size | 1 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 10 Mbps | 30 Mbps | 50 Mbps | 100 Mbps | 500 Mbps | 1 Gbps |
| Webpage | 1 MB | 8 seconds | 2 seconds | 1 second | < 1 second | < 1 second | < 1 second | < 1 second | < 1 second | < 1 second |
| MP3 song | 3 MB | 25 seconds | 8 seconds | 5 seconds | 2 seconds | < 1 second | < 1 second | < 1 second | < 1 second | < 1 second |
| 10 Minutes SD video clip | 500 MB | 1 hour, 10 minutes | 23 minutes, 18 seconds | 14 minutes | 7 minutes | 2 minutes, 19 seconds | 1 minute, 23 seconds | 41 seconds | 8 seconds | 4 seconds |
| SD movie | 2 GB | 4 hours, 46 minutes | 1 hours, 25 minutes | 57 minutes, 15 second | 28 minutes | 9 minutes, 32 seconds | 5 minutes, 43 seconds | 2 minutes, 51 seconds | 34 seconds | 17 seconds |
| HD movie | 12 GB | 28 hours, 38 minutes | 9 hours, 32 minutes | 5 hours, 43 minutes | 2 hours, 52 minutes | 57 minutes, 15 seconds | 34 minutes, 21 seconds | 17 minutes, 10 seconds | 3 minutes, 2 seconds | 1 minute, 43 seconds |
As mentioned above, both Mbps and MBps come into play when you’re downloading things from the internet. Everything from loading a webpage to downloading music & videos to streaming TV.
The time it takes to download will vary based on the size of your file and how fast your download speed is. Other factors can download times as well, such as whether you are downloading using an Ethernet cable or WiFi, or whether you are connected to residential or business internet. This is how MBps vs Mbps internet speed affect your online activities.
But what if you have high Mbps, and you’re still experiencing slow internet? If you have an appropriate download speed, but there are still some trouble with online streaming, online gaming, or video calling then latency may be your problem.
How Long Does It Take To Download a Website, Music & Video?
Here’s an idea of how long it would take to download the following media types at various connection speeds:
Conclusion: Mbps vs MBps Difference
As you saw above, the larger the file size the longer the download time at slower speeds. This is why it’s important to take your online activities into consideration when choosing an internet speed. Here’s a speed test that can tell you how much speed you need. If you want actually high-speed internet for your home or business, you can contact ClubHDTV or call the toll-free number: +1(855) 352-5313.