Why your download takes longer than you'd expect
The most common mistake in estimating download time isn't about your connection at all — it's mixing up bits and bytes. Internet providers advertise speed in megabits per second (Mbps), but file sizes and download progress bars are almost always shown in megabytes (MB). There are 8 bits in a byte, so a "300 Mbps" connection downloads at about 37.5 MB/s, not 300 MB/s. Dividing a file's size directly by the number on your internet plan, without converting from bits to bytes first, gives an answer that's 8× too fast. This calculator handles that conversion automatically — just enter your actual plan speed and let the math take care of itself.
Typical download sizes for common scenarios
| Scenario | Typical Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Indie / smaller game | ~30 GB | Varies enormously by title |
| AAA game, today's average | ~90–120 GB | Some titles now exceed 150GB |
| Monthly OS cumulative update | ~1.5–2 GB | What most users actually download |
| OS feature update / install ISO | ~5 GB | Full image, not incremental update |
| 2-hour movie, HD | ~6 GB | Streaming-quality download |
| 2-hour movie, 4K | ~14 GB | Netflix's own published 4K rate |
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to download a 100GB game?
It depends entirely on your download speed. At 300 Mbps (a common cable/fiber plan speed), a 100GB game takes about 44 minutes. At 100 Mbps, the same download takes about 2 hours 13 minutes. Enter your own speed above, or use the game presets, for an exact estimate.
Why is my download slower than my advertised internet speed?
Two common reasons. First, your plan's speed is in megabits per second, but download progress is usually shown in megabytes — a "300 Mbps" plan is a 37.5 MB/s plan, not 300 MB/s, an 8x difference that trips a lot of people up. Second, real-world speeds rarely hit the exact advertised maximum due to network congestion, server-side limits, and Wi-Fi overhead.
How big are modern AAA games?
Today's AAA games commonly run 90–120GB, with some recent titles exceeding 150GB. Game sizes have grown roughly sixfold over the past decade as textures, audio, and cutscene assets have gotten more detailed.