Convert Block (block) to Kilobyte (10^3 bytes) (kB (10^3)) instantly.
About these units
Block (block)
A block is a unit of data storage used by file systems, typically ranging from 512 bytes to 4096 bytes, though advanced systems may use even larger sizes (8 KB, 16 KB, etc.). Blocks form the fundamental allocation unit for disk storage—files occupy blocks on disk, and file systems track which blocks belong to which files. Block size has significant performance implications. Larger blocks improve read/write throughput but may waste space for small files (internal fragmentation). Smaller blocks offer precision but reduce I/O efficiency. Many classic file systems (FAT, ext2), modern ones (ext4, NTFS), and network storage systems (ZFS, Btrfs, distributed file systems) all rely on block-based allocation. Blocks bridge the gap between raw physical storage and abstract file structures.
Kilobyte (10^3 bytes) (kB (10^3))
A decimal kilobyte equals 1,000 bytes, reflecting the SI prefix kilo = 10³. Storage device manufacturers standardize on this definition because it scales cleanly and simplifies marketing and specification. This creates a mismatch with binary kilobytes (1,024 bytes) historically used in RAM and file systems. As storage capacities grew, this discrepancy became increasingly noticeable, leading standards bodies to promote explicit binary prefixes (KiB, MiB) for clarity. Despite these efforts, decimal kilobytes remain dominant in contexts such as hard drives, flash memory packaging, and communication standards.