Estimate data used streaming in 4K.
4K streaming is the single heaviest routine internet activity in most homes. Data used is bitrate multiplied by time, converted from megabits per second to gigabytes: one hour at 18 Mbps is about 7.9 GB. HDR and Dolby Vision layers add roughly 10-15 percent on top of the base bitrate. The hours-per-100 GB figure is the practical one, because it tells you how far a capped plan actually stretches.
4K data from bitrate
Effective Mbps = bitrate x (1 + HDR overhead); GB per hour = Mbps x 3600 / (8 x 1024); period GB = GB per hour x hours per day x days
Netflix and Disney+ typically peak around 16-18 Mbps for 4K, Amazon Prime Video around 15 Mbps, and YouTube 4K at 60 fps can reach 20-25 Mbps. Live sport in 4K is often higher still.
Because they use decimal gigabytes and a base bitrate without HDR. Streaming providers quote around 7 GB per hour for 4K; this calculator uses binary gibibytes as reported by operating systems, which reads slightly higher for the same traffic.
Partly. Newer codecs help — AV1 or HEVC deliver comparable 4K quality at roughly 30-50 percent lower bitrate than H.264, so a device that supports them uses noticeably less data for the same picture.