48-bit computing

<p>In <a href="/facts/Computer_architecture/tHtwxgR2">computer architecture</a>, 48-bit <a href="/facts/Integer_(computer_science)/zWabo5M9">integers</a> can represent 281,474,976,710,656 (248 or 2.814749767×1014) discrete values. This allows an <a href="/facts/Unsigned_integer/zWabo5M9">unsigned</a> binary integer range of 0 through 281,474,976,710,655 (248 − 1) or a <a href="/facts/Signed_number_representations/cE0sEMau">signed</a> <a href="/facts/Two%2527s_complement/xhjYpnsc">two's complement</a> range of −140,737,488,355,328 (−247) through 140,737,488,355,327 (247 − 1). A 48-bit <a href="/facts/Memory_address/7EsUmbea">memory address</a> can directly address every byte of 256 <a href="/facts/Terabyte/BNHUp9Qq">terabytes</a> of storage. 48-bit can refer to any other <a href="/facts/Data_(computing)/cPjfFHph">data</a> unit that consumes 48 <a href="/facts/Bit/S972NSaD">bits</a> (6 <a href="/facts/Octet_(computing)/dqCHsuUF">octets</a>) in width.  Examples include 48-bit <a href="/facts/Central_processing_unit/Jxp1bqMV">CPU</a> and <a href="/facts/Arithmetic_logic_unit/SgIjPzSc">ALU</a> <a href="/facts/Computer_architecture/tHtwxgR2">architectures</a> that are based on <a href="/facts/Processor_register/32RvbUdz">registers</a>, <a href="/facts/Address_bus/R45TKwS7">address buses</a>, or <a href="/facts/Bus_(computing)/R45TKwS7">data buses</a> of that size.
</p>

48-bit computing open-in-new

48-bit computing