Is 100GB a lot of data? Network data and bandwidth can seem like abstract concepts.
Thus, it can be hard for most people to gauge how much data they need weekly or monthly.
While many internet service providers offer unlimited or uncapped data plans, they may be too expensive for some people.
Additionally, you may not spend much data every month.
For instance, Starlink may not technically impose any hard data caps ( not when writing this article), but many of its plans have a priority data limit.
The following guide will touch on these topics and more.
Table of Contents
- How Do Data Rates Relate To Data Amounts?
- Determining The Data You Need By Internet Usage
- FAQ
- Conclusion: Is 100GB a Lot of Data?
How Do Data Rates Relate To Data Amounts?
In the mid-90s, dial-up modems offered average speeds of 28.8kbps.
Moore’s Law, which infers that computational power doubles every two years, also seemingly applies to data transfer rates.
Today, gigabit speeds are achievable through fiber and 5G-based broadband internet. The satellite internet isn’t far behind, either.
For instance, Starlink’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation has the potential capacity to deliver maximum speeds of 500Mbps.
Your internet connection speed can determine how fast you consume your data.
On average, a gigabit line can download a 100GB file in 13 minutes and 20 seconds (or less).
Similarly, if you reach Starlink’s 500Mbps speeds, it will take 26 minutes and 40 seconds to do the same.
The average internet broadband download speed for the US is 112.9Mbps. But you may not be in America.
The global average download speeds for fixed broadband are around 80Mbps.
Cable internet is still the most widespread connection type.
The most affordable fiber optic-based internet packages typically have speeds of up to 15Mbps.
Accordingly, it would take roughly 15 hours to download a 100GB file. That’s if you have a steady and consistent internet connection.
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Determining The Data You Need By Internet Usage
The Internet has many information-based applications. It can be used to download new software or update old software.
More people have adopted Internet-of-Things (IoT)-like ecosystems through various smart devices.
Almost every device with some computational capacity can connect to the internet.
This includes fridges, television screens and, in some cases, toilets.
Synchronizing these devices doesn’t consume as much data as all the other ways people use the internet.
100GB is enough to remotely control your smart home and synchronize your devices for a month.
If this is all you’re using this data for, it could last up to a year or more.
Thus, it can be considered a lot of But how but internet usage for entertainment? How much data do you need?
Is 100GB A Lot of Data for Streaming?
Video content streaming services like Netflix have forced satellite and cable-based television into near obsoletion.
While TV and Audio streaming services may be convenient, they require a reliable internet connection.
Today, much of the average household’s data goes towards streaming media content.
Companies like YouTube and Netflix have spent years developing various compression techniques to make it more affordable for customers to stream high-quality content.
We’ll use that as a baseline since Netflix still has the most subscribers. 100GB is enough to stream at least 300 hours of 460p/360p content.
This data would last 142 hours if you continuously stream 720p content.
However, streaming continuous high-resolution video content with 100GB would last 33 hours for HD (1080p) content and 14 hours for 4K (2160p) quality movies.
But what if you want to just stream audio or music? With 100GB of data, you could stream over 40 days of high-quality audio.
Thus, in addition to your internet connection speed, you must consider the quality and type of content you’re willing to stream.
For audio and low-quality video, 100GB is a lot of data.
Video Streaming from a Tablet
Is 100GB a Lot of Data for Web Browsing
When its creators conceptualized the Internet in the 1960s, they saw it as a way to share content between government agencies.
Others saw it as a digital public library.
While it seems most people use the internet for entertainment, it’s still an important educational tool.
Much time and data are still spent browsing the internet for information and static media.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen eCommerce and online shopping begin to underpin our worldwide economy.
Regardless, 100GB is enough for 40 days of web browsing.
Is 100GB a Lot for Gaming?
Just as with any other technology or form of entertainment, game design and development have evolved over the last few decades.
Free-to-play multiplayer games such as Fortnite and Apex Legends are dominating the market.
Both these games have their system and internet speed requirements.
For instance, Apex Legends only requires a 512 Kbps internet connection.
Playing Apex Legends for an hour uses around 230 MB.
On the other hand, Fortnite’s internet speed requirements are a lot more demanding.
According to Microsoft, a line with a minimum download speed of 5 Mbps is required.
An hour of fast-paced Fortnite gaming would use roughly 300 MB.
Consequently, it would take less than 3 hours and 30 minutes to completely use up your 100GB stipend.
But what if you’re just playing single-player games?
Game download files and patches (especially for AAA titles) have become much larger.
While 100GB may have been more than enough to deliver a quality gaming experience five years ago, it may not be able to sustain you for an entire month.
But downloading a title like GTA IV and its various DLCs, would require more than 100GB of data.
So 100 GB isn’t a lot of data when for modern-day gaming. Gamers should consider applying for an unlimited broadband internet package with 10 Mbps speeds.
Gaming Configuration
FAQ
What uses a lot of data?
Most household data is dedicated to streaming video and audio content. The case is similar for smartphone data users.
Most of their data also goes towards social media applications like Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.
Remote workers use much of their bandwidth for video conferencing and SaaS-based software.
How much data does WhatsApp use?
Unsurprisingly, Instant messaging and Voice Over IP (VoIP) apps like WhatsApp don’t use much data.
Each chat you send only uses 30KB of data. On the other hand, voice calls use 300KB of data per minute, whereas video calls consume 5MB per minute.
Does TikTok use a lot of Data?
TikTok is no different than any other video and audio streaming service.
How much data you spend will depend on the quality of your streaming content.
Nevertheless, TikTok uses roughly 850MB for each hour you spend on it.
Conclusion: Is 100GB a Lot of Data?
The above guide answers the question: “Is 100GB a lot of data?”
In most cases, the answer highly depends on your requirements. It’s relative.
For instance, 100GB may not be a lot of data for a data scientist or a video game streamer.
However, it may be too much for the average consumer or household.
Again, your internet connection’s speed is just as important as the amount of allocated data you have.
Finishing your 100GB data ratio is harder using a 560Kbps line.
Often, mobile carriers and other ISPs will market discounted bulk data in prepaid packages.
In some cases, these companies gamble on the fact that their bandwidth capacity won’t allow you to spend it all, especially, during off-peak times.
As such, you must consider reading reviews and surveying users around your area to ascertain the speed and quality of an internet service provider’s package.
It would also be wise to use various speed tests.
Nevertheless, we hope that you’ve found this guide to be helpful. Thank you for reading.
