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 (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 | Gigahertz |
|---|---|
0
MHz
|
0
GHz
|
1
MHz
|
0.001
GHz
|
2
MHz
|
0.002
GHz
|
3
MHz
|
0.003
GHz
|
4
MHz
|
0.004
GHz
|
5
MHz
|
0.005
GHz
|
6
MHz
|
0.006
GHz
|
7
MHz
|
0.007
GHz
|
8
MHz
|
0.008
GHz
|
9
MHz
|
0.009
GHz
|
10
MHz
|
0.01
GHz
|
11
MHz
|
0.011
GHz
|
12
MHz
|
0.012
GHz
|
13
MHz
|
0.013
GHz
|
14
MHz
|
0.014
GHz
|
15
MHz
|
0.015
GHz
|
16
MHz
|
0.016
GHz
|
17
MHz
|
0.017
GHz
|
18
MHz
|
0.018
GHz
|
19
MHz
|
0.019
GHz
|
20
MHz
|
0.02
GHz
|
21
MHz
|
0.021
GHz
|
22
MHz
|
0.022
GHz
|
23
MHz
|
0.023
GHz
|
24
MHz
|
0.024
GHz
|
25
MHz
|
0.025
GHz
|
26
MHz
|
0.026
GHz
|
27
MHz
|
0.027
GHz
|
28
MHz
|
0.028
GHz
|
29
MHz
|
0.029
GHz
|
30
MHz
|
0.03
GHz
|
31
MHz
|
0.031
GHz
|
32
MHz
|
0.032
GHz
|
33
MHz
|
0.033
GHz
|
34
MHz
|
0.034
GHz
|
35
MHz
|
0.035
GHz
|
36
MHz
|
0.036
GHz
|
37
MHz
|
0.037
GHz
|
38
MHz
|
0.038
GHz
|
39
MHz
|
0.039
GHz
|
40
MHz
|
0.04
GHz
|
41
MHz
|
0.041
GHz
|
42
MHz
|
0.042
GHz
|
43
MHz
|
0.043
GHz
|
44
MHz
|
0.044
GHz
|
45
MHz
|
0.045
GHz
|
46
MHz
|
0.046
GHz
|
47
MHz
|
0.047
GHz
|
48
MHz
|
0.048
GHz
|
49
MHz
|
0.049
GHz
|
50
MHz
|
0.05
GHz
|
51
MHz
|
0.051
GHz
|
52
MHz
|
0.052
GHz
|
53
MHz
|
0.053
GHz
|
54
MHz
|
0.054
GHz
|
55
MHz
|
0.055
GHz
|
56
MHz
|
0.056
GHz
|
57
MHz
|
0.057
GHz
|
58
MHz
|
0.058
GHz
|
59
MHz
|
0.059
GHz
|
60
MHz
|
0.06
GHz
|
61
MHz
|
0.061
GHz
|
62
MHz
|
0.062
GHz
|
63
MHz
|
0.063
GHz
|
64
MHz
|
0.064
GHz
|
65
MHz
|
0.065
GHz
|
66
MHz
|
0.066
GHz
|
67
MHz
|
0.067
GHz
|
68
MHz
|
0.068
GHz
|
69
MHz
|
0.069
GHz
|
70
MHz
|
0.07
GHz
|
71
MHz
|
0.071
GHz
|
72
MHz
|
0.072
GHz
|
73
MHz
|
0.073
GHz
|
74
MHz
|
0.074
GHz
|
75
MHz
|
0.075
GHz
|
76
MHz
|
0.076
GHz
|
77
MHz
|
0.077
GHz
|
78
MHz
|
0.078
GHz
|
79
MHz
|
0.079
GHz
|
80
MHz
|
0.08
GHz
|
81
MHz
|
0.081
GHz
|
82
MHz
|
0.082
GHz
|
83
MHz
|
0.083
GHz
|
84
MHz
|
0.084
GHz
|
85
MHz
|
0.085
GHz
|
86
MHz
|
0.086
GHz
|
87
MHz
|
0.087
GHz
|
88
MHz
|
0.088
GHz
|
89
MHz
|
0.089
GHz
|
90
MHz
|
0.09
GHz
|
91
MHz
|
0.091
GHz
|
92
MHz
|
0.092
GHz
|
93
MHz
|
0.093
GHz
|
94
MHz
|
0.094
GHz
|
95
MHz
|
0.095
GHz
|
96
MHz
|
0.096
GHz
|
97
MHz
|
0.097
GHz
|
98
MHz
|
0.098
GHz
|
99
MHz
|
0.099
GHz
|
100
MHz
|
0.1
GHz
|
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