1. What is SSD Capacity Conversion?

SSD manufacturers typically advertise capacity using decimal units (GB), while operating systems report capacity using binary units (GiB). This calculator converts between these two measurement systems to show the actual usable capacity.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the conversion formula:

Where:

• \( \text{Advertised (GB)} \) — Manufacturer's advertised capacity in gigabytes
• \( \text{Real (GiB)} \) — Actual capacity in gibibytes as shown by operating systems
• \( \frac{1000}{1024} \) — Conversion factor between decimal and binary units

Explanation: The formula accounts for the difference between decimal (base-10) and binary (base-2) measurement systems used by manufacturers and operating systems respectively.

3. Importance of Accurate Capacity Calculation

Details: Understanding the actual usable capacity helps set realistic expectations about storage space and explains why operating systems show less capacity than advertised.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the advertised SSD capacity in gigabytes (GB). The value must be greater than 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is there a difference between advertised and actual capacity?
A: Manufacturers use decimal units (1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes) while operating systems use binary units (1 GiB = 1,073,741,824 bytes).

Q2: Is this capacity loss normal?
A: Yes, this is normal and expected due to the different measurement systems used. It's not actual data loss.

Q3: Does this affect all storage devices?
A: Yes, this affects all storage devices including HDDs, SSDs, and USB drives that use decimal advertising but binary reporting.

Q4: What about formatting and system files?
A: This calculator shows the raw capacity difference. Additional space will be used for formatting and system files.

Q5: Can I recover the "lost" space?
A: No, this is not actual lost space but rather a difference in measurement systems. The capacity is exactly as advertised, just measured differently.