Video Size Calculator
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Why Are Some Videos Huge?
You can have two video files that are both 1 hour long and both 1080p resolution, yet one is 1 GB and the other is 50 GB. Why?
The answer is Bitrate.
Resolution (e.g., 1920x1080) only tells you how many pixels are on the screen. Bitrate tells you how much data is used to describe those pixels.
Since Bitrate is usually measured in Mbps (Megabits per second) and file storage is in MB (Megabytes), you must divide by 8 (since 8 bits = 1 Byte).
Choosing the Right Bitrate
If you set your bitrate too low, your video will look "blocky" or pixelated (artifacts). If you set it too high, you are wasting hard drive space with no visual benefit.
YouTube Recommended Settings (SDR)
| Resolution | Standard (30fps) | High (60fps) |
|---|---|---|
| 4K (2160p) | 35 - 45 Mbps | 53 - 68 Mbps |
| 1440p | 16 Mbps | 24 Mbps |
| 1080p | 8 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
| 720p | 5 Mbps | 7.5 Mbps |
The Codec Revolution: H.264 vs. H.265
A "Codec" (Compressor/Decompressor) is the math used to squash video data.
- H.264 (AVC): The industry standard for the last 15 years. It is compatible with everything, but files are larger.
- H.265 (HEVC): The modern standard. It is "High Efficiency." It can store the same visual quality as H.264 using roughly 40% to 50% less data.
ProRes and RAW (For Editors)
If you are a video editor using Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, you might use intermediate codecs like Apple ProRes or DNxHD.
These formats are "Intra-frame," meaning they compress every single frame individually. This makes them huge but very easy for computers to edit smoothly.
ProRes 422 HQ (4K) runs at roughly 750 Mbps. That is 20x larger than a YouTube file. You need fast SSDs to edit this!