Gigahertz (GHz) is a unit of frequency equivalent to one billion hertz, widely used in telecommunications and computing to measure clock speeds and data transfer rates. Fascinatingly, as you read this, billions of cycles per second are powering your devices, allowing them to process vast amounts of data instantaneously. A gigahertz represents the speed of components in your computer, such as the CPU and memory, which typically operate in the GHz range, signifying their rapid processing capabilities.
Interestingly, the world’s most common electromagnetic waves, such as Wi-Fi and mobile phone signals, also operate in the GHz range. These gigahertz frequencies are crucial for wireless communications as they allow for higher data transfer rates and support for various networks and devices, from your smartphone to your home’s smart technology systems.
Megahertz (MHz) is a common unit of frequency that represents one million cycles per second and is particularly known for its vital role in telecommunications and computing. The term hertz pays homage to Heinrich Hertz, the first person to conclusively prove the existence of electromagnetic waves. In radio broadcasting, the station dial numbers you tune into represent megahertz, which indicate the carrier frequency of the radio station. For example, a frequency of 101.1 MHz means the wave completes 101.1 million cycles every second!
In computing, the speed of the early personal computers was often measured in megahertz. Though we’ve progressed to gigahertz in modern-day processors, the megahertz era marked some groundbreaking advancements in technology. The original IBM PC, introduced in 1981, had a processor speed of just 4.77 MHz. Today, such performance pales in comparison, revealing the incredible strides in processing power over the decades.
Gigahertz | Megahertz |
---|---|
0
GHz
|
0
MHz
|
0.1
GHz
|
100
MHz
|
0.2
GHz
|
200
MHz
|
0.3
GHz
|
300
MHz
|
0.4
GHz
|
400
MHz
|
0.5
GHz
|
500
MHz
|
0.6
GHz
|
600
MHz
|
0.7
GHz
|
700
MHz
|
0.8
GHz
|
800
MHz
|
0.9
GHz
|
900
MHz
|
1
GHz
|
1000
MHz
|
1.1
GHz
|
1100
MHz
|
1.2
GHz
|
1200
MHz
|
1.3
GHz
|
1300
MHz
|
1.4
GHz
|
1400
MHz
|
1.5
GHz
|
1500
MHz
|
1.6
GHz
|
1600
MHz
|
1.7
GHz
|
1700
MHz
|
1.8
GHz
|
1800
MHz
|
1.9
GHz
|
1900
MHz
|
2
GHz
|
2000
MHz
|
2.1
GHz
|
2100
MHz
|
2.2
GHz
|
2200
MHz
|
2.3
GHz
|
2300
MHz
|
2.4
GHz
|
2400
MHz
|
2.5
GHz
|
2500
MHz
|
2.6
GHz
|
2600
MHz
|
2.7
GHz
|
2700
MHz
|
2.8
GHz
|
2800
MHz
|
2.9
GHz
|
2900
MHz
|
3
GHz
|
3000
MHz
|
3.1
GHz
|
3100
MHz
|
3.2
GHz
|
3200
MHz
|
3.3
GHz
|
3300
MHz
|
3.4
GHz
|
3400
MHz
|
3.5
GHz
|
3500
MHz
|
3.6
GHz
|
3600
MHz
|
3.7
GHz
|
3700
MHz
|
3.8
GHz
|
3800
MHz
|
3.9
GHz
|
3900
MHz
|
4
GHz
|
4000
MHz
|
4.1
GHz
|
4100
MHz
|
4.2
GHz
|
4200
MHz
|
4.3
GHz
|
4300
MHz
|
4.4
GHz
|
4400
MHz
|
4.5
GHz
|
4500
MHz
|
4.6
GHz
|
4600
MHz
|
4.7
GHz
|
4700
MHz
|
4.8
GHz
|
4800
MHz
|
4.9
GHz
|
4900
MHz
|
5
GHz
|
5000
MHz
|
5.1
GHz
|
5100
MHz
|
5.2
GHz
|
5200
MHz
|
5.3
GHz
|
5300
MHz
|
5.4
GHz
|
5400
MHz
|
5.5
GHz
|
5500
MHz
|
5.6
GHz
|
5600
MHz
|
5.7
GHz
|
5700
MHz
|
5.8
GHz
|
5800
MHz
|
5.9
GHz
|
5900
MHz
|
6
GHz
|
6000
MHz
|
6.1
GHz
|
6100
MHz
|
6.2
GHz
|
6200
MHz
|
6.3
GHz
|
6300
MHz
|
6.4
GHz
|
6400
MHz
|
6.5
GHz
|
6500
MHz
|
6.6
GHz
|
6600
MHz
|
6.7
GHz
|
6700
MHz
|
6.8
GHz
|
6800
MHz
|
6.9
GHz
|
6900
MHz
|
7
GHz
|
7000
MHz
|
7.1
GHz
|
7100
MHz
|
7.2
GHz
|
7200
MHz
|
7.3
GHz
|
7300
MHz
|
7.4
GHz
|
7400
MHz
|
7.5
GHz
|
7500
MHz
|
7.6
GHz
|
7600
MHz
|
7.7
GHz
|
7700
MHz
|
7.8
GHz
|
7800
MHz
|
7.9
GHz
|
7900
MHz
|
8
GHz
|
8000
MHz
|
8.1
GHz
|
8100
MHz
|
8.2
GHz
|
8200
MHz
|
8.3
GHz
|
8300
MHz
|
8.4
GHz
|
8400
MHz
|
8.5
GHz
|
8500
MHz
|
8.6
GHz
|
8600
MHz
|
8.7
GHz
|
8700
MHz
|
8.8
GHz
|
8800
MHz
|
8.9
GHz
|
8900
MHz
|
9
GHz
|
9000
MHz
|
9.1
GHz
|
9100
MHz
|
9.2
GHz
|
9200
MHz
|
9.3
GHz
|
9300
MHz
|
9.4
GHz
|
9400
MHz
|
9.5
GHz
|
9500
MHz
|
9.6
GHz
|
9600
MHz
|
9.7
GHz
|
9700
MHz
|
9.8
GHz
|
9800
MHz
|
9.9
GHz
|
9900
MHz
|
10
GHz
|
10000
MHz
|
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