Why does digital storage always have the same values eg. 32gb, 64gb, 128gb, 256gb etc. and why do they double every time they go up in size? Is this a limitation or just a standard?

Question

Why does digital storage always have the same values eg. 32gb, 64gb, 128gb, 256gb etc. and why do they double every time they go up in size? Is this a limitation or just a standard?

In: Technology

Answer 1

Lots of great answers, but to go even more for kids, let’s say you have 8 light switches. This means you can count from 0 to 8 pretty easy. But computers are super good at adding. What if instead of each being worth one, we make them worth 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128? Now by flipping those 8 light switches on and off I can represent any number between 0 and 255. (Remember the original Zelda game out at 255 rupees? Yes, I’m old…)

So the next step is obviously to add another light switch, but we don’t have to start at the beginning. The next switch can be worth 256 so now I can represent any number between 0 and 511, the next switch takes me to 1023, and the one after that will take you to 2047. We’ll keep adding more and more switches until we can store all the cat pictures…