MHz to GHz Converter
Convert megahertz to gigahertz (MHz to GHz) for processors, Wi-Fi and radio
1 MHz = 0.001 GHz, and 1,000 MHz = 1 GHz. To convert MHz to GHz, divide the megahertz by 1,000. For example, 2,437 MHz (Wi-Fi channel 6) is 2.437 GHz.
Megahertz to Gigahertz converter
Live- 1,000 kHz
- 1,000,000 Hz
- 6,283,185.2999999998 rad/s
- 60,000,000 rpm
How to convert megahertz to gigahertz
A megahertz is one million cycles per second and a gigahertz is one billion. Mega and giga are neighboring SI prefixes, exactly 1,000 apart, so dividing by 1,000 turns MHz into GHz. A 3,600 MHz processor is 3.6 GHz, and a 5,180 MHz Wi-Fi channel is 5.18 GHz. Nothing about the signal changes; the gigahertz figure is simply easier to read once values pass a thousand megahertz. The frequency converter covers every step of the ladder, from hertz to gigahertz and rpm.
Frequencies in electronics always use decimal prefixes, so there is no 1,024 factor to worry about. The one trap is memory: RAM is often advertised in MHz when the number is really a transfer rate in megatransfers per second (MT/s), as explained below. For lower frequencies, the Hz to kHz converter covers audio and AM radio.
Step by step
- Take the frequency in megahertz (MHz).
- Divide it by 1,000.
- Write the result in gigahertz (GHz).
- Keep enough decimals for channel work: 2,412 MHz is 2.412 GHz, not 2.4 GHz.
See it on a scale
Worked examples
Wi-Fi channel 6, a typical desktop processor clock, and 5 GHz Wi-Fi channel 36, all given in megahertz.
2,437 MHz ÷ 1,000 = 2.437 GHz
= 2.437 GHz
3,600 MHz ÷ 1,000 = 3.6 GHz
= 3.6 GHz
5,180 MHz ÷ 1,000 = 5.18 GHz
= 5.18 GHz
Is 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi exactly 2,400 MHz?
No: “2.4 GHz” names a band that runs from 2,400 to 2,483.5 MHz, and Wi-Fi channels 1 to 13 are centered between 2,412 and 2,472 MHz, 5 MHz apart.
Each channel is about 20 MHz wide, far wider than the 5 MHz spacing, so neighboring channels overlap. That is why routers in North America are usually set to channel 1, 6 or 11: their centers (2,412, 2,437 and 2,462 MHz) sit 25 MHz apart, so they do not step on each other.
| Band name | Range in MHz | Range in GHz |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 GHz | 2,400–2,483.5 | 2.4–2.4835 |
| 5 GHz | about 5,150–5,850 | 5.15–5.85 |
| 6 GHz (US) | 5,925–7,125 | 5.925–7.125 |
The same rule applies to any band label: convert the band edges, not the rounded name, when you plan channels or read a device's certification.
What frequencies does 5G use in MHz and GHz?
5G uses two ranges defined by 3GPP: FR1, from 410 to 7,125 MHz (0.41–7.125 GHz), and FR2, millimeter-wave bands from 24,250 MHz (24.25 GHz) upward.
Phones spend most of their time in FR1, where signals travel farther and pass through walls more easily. FR2 carries much more data over short distances, so it is deployed in dense spots such as stadiums and city centers. Some widely used bands:
| 3GPP band | Range in MHz | Range in GHz |
|---|---|---|
| n41 | 2,496–2,690 | 2.496–2.69 |
| n77 | 3,300–4,200 | 3.3–4.2 |
| n78 | 3,300–3,800 | 3.3–3.8 |
| n261 | 27,500–28,350 | 27.5–28.35 |
| n260 | 37,000–40,000 | 37–40 |
Carriers advertise bands by a rounded GHz name such as “3.5 GHz” or “28 GHz”, so convert the exact MHz edges when you compare coverage claims or a phone's supported bands.
MHz to GHz conversion chart
Radio bands, Wi-Fi channel centers and processor clocks converted from megahertz to gigahertz, to five decimal places so values like 1,575.42 MHz stay exact.
| Megahertz (MHz) | Gigahertz (GHz) |
|---|---|
| 1 MHz | 0.001 GHz |
| 100 MHz | 0.1 GHz |
| 300 MHz | 0.3 GHz |
| 433.92 MHz | 0.43392 GHz |
| 800 MHz | 0.8 GHz |
| 900 MHz | 0.9 GHz |
| 1,000 MHz | 1 GHz |
| 1,200 MHz | 1.2 GHz |
| 1,500 MHz | 1.5 GHz |
| 1,575.42 MHz | 1.57542 GHz |
| 1,800 MHz | 1.8 GHz |
| 2,000 MHz | 2 GHz |
| 2,100 MHz | 2.1 GHz |
| 2,400 MHz | 2.4 GHz |
| 2,412 MHz | 2.412 GHz |
| 2,437 MHz | 2.437 GHz |
| 2,450 MHz | 2.45 GHz |
| 2,462 MHz | 2.462 GHz |
| 2,500 MHz | 2.5 GHz |
| 3,000 MHz | 3 GHz |
| 3,200 MHz | 3.2 GHz |
| 3,500 MHz | 3.5 GHz |
| 3,600 MHz | 3.6 GHz |
| 4,000 MHz | 4 GHz |
| 4,500 MHz | 4.5 GHz |
| 5,000 MHz | 5 GHz |
| 5,180 MHz | 5.18 GHz |
| 5,500 MHz | 5.5 GHz |
| 5,800 MHz | 5.8 GHz |
| 5,925 MHz | 5.925 GHz |
| 6,000 MHz | 6 GHz |
| 7,125 MHz | 7.125 GHz |
| 10,000 MHz | 10 GHz |
| 24,000 MHz | 24 GHz |
| 28,000 MHz | 28 GHz |
Megahertz vs gigahertz: what is the difference?
Megahertz and gigahertz are neighboring SI multiples of the hertz, exactly 1,000 apart. The switch from one to the other usually happens where radio gives way to microwaves.
| Attribute | Megahertz | Gigahertz |
|---|---|---|
| Symbol | MHz | GHz |
| System | SI | SI |
| Defined as | 1,000,000 Hz | 1,000,000,000 Hz |
| One unit equals | 0.001 GHz | 1,000 MHz |
| What it measures | Millions of cycles per second | Billions of cycles per second |
| Period of one cycle | 1 µs (microsecond) at 1 MHz | 1 ns (nanosecond) at 1 GHz |
| Free-space wavelength | about 299.79 m at 1 MHz | about 29.98 cm at 1 GHz |
| Typical everyday values | FM radio at 87.5–108 MHz, 433.92 MHz key fobs, a 1,600 MHz DDR4 clock | 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz Wi-Fi, 3–5 GHz CPU clocks, 28 GHz 5G |
| Common confusion | RAM “MHz” ratings that are really MT/s | Band names such as “2.4 GHz” read as one exact frequency |
4 key differences
- One gigahertz is exactly 1,000 megahertz; frequency prefixes are powers of ten, never 1,024.
- A 1 GHz signal completes a cycle every nanosecond, a thousand times faster than the one-microsecond cycle of a 1 MHz signal.
- Free-space wavelength shrinks from about 299.79 m at 1 MHz to about 29.98 cm at 1 GHz, which is why gigahertz antennas fit inside a phone.
- Broadcast radio, memory clocks and older processors are usually labeled in MHz, while Wi-Fi, 5G and modern CPUs are labeled in GHz.
Wi-Fi channels in MHz and GHz
Channel centers follow simple IEEE 802.11 formulas: 2,407 + 5n MHz in the 2.4 GHz band, 5,000 + 5n MHz in the 5 GHz band, and 5,950 + 5n MHz in the 6 GHz band. Which channels you may use depends on your country's regulations.
| Band | Channel | Center (MHz) | Center (GHz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 GHz | 1 | 2,412 MHz | 2.412 GHz |
| 2.4 GHz | 6 | 2,437 MHz | 2.437 GHz |
| 2.4 GHz | 11 | 2,462 MHz | 2.462 GHz |
| 2.4 GHz | 13 | 2,472 MHz | 2.472 GHz |
| 5 GHz | 36 | 5,180 MHz | 5.18 GHz |
| 5 GHz | 48 | 5,240 MHz | 5.24 GHz |
| 5 GHz | 100 | 5,500 MHz | 5.5 GHz |
| 5 GHz | 149 | 5,745 MHz | 5.745 GHz |
| 5 GHz | 165 | 5,825 MHz | 5.825 GHz |
| 6 GHz | 1 | 5,955 MHz | 5.955 GHz |
| 6 GHz | 37 | 6,135 MHz | 6.135 GHz |
| 6 GHz | 93 | 6,415 MHz | 6.415 GHz |
| 6 GHz | 233 | 7,115 MHz | 7.115 GHz |
How long is one clock cycle at 3.6 GHz?
One clock cycle at 3.6 GHz lasts about 0.2778 nanoseconds, because the chip ticks 3.6 billion times a second and cycle time in ns is 1 ÷ GHz. A CPU's clock speed is simply how many cycles its internal clock completes each second, so 4 GHz means 0.25 ns per cycle. In that quarter of a nanosecond, light travels only about 7.5 cm, which is one reason chip designers care so much about distance. Nanoseconds and other small time units convert on the time converter.
Spec sheets list a base clock and a boost clock, often in MHz in BIOS menus and in GHz on the box: a 4,700 MHz boost is 4.7 GHz. Clock speed alone does not decide performance, because processors also differ in how much work they finish per cycle and in how many cores they have. Every frequency unit, including radians per second, is on the frequency converter.
Is RAM speed measured in MHz or MT/s?
DDR RAM speed is properly a transfer rate in MT/s; the “MHz” figure on the box counts transfers, which happen at twice the real memory clock.
DDR memory (double data rate) moves data on both the rising and falling edge of each clock cycle. A module sold as DDR4-3200 runs its memory clock at 1,600 MHz but makes 3,200 million transfers per second, so its proper rating is 3,200 MT/s. Diagnostic tools such as CPU-Z report the real clock, which is why they show half the number on the box.
- DDR4-2666: 1,333 MHz clock, 2,666 MT/s
- DDR4-3200: 1,600 MHz clock, 3,200 MT/s
- DDR5-4800: 2,400 MHz clock, 4,800 MT/s
- DDR5-6000: 3,000 MHz clock, 6,000 MT/s
Converting these to GHz follows the same rule: a 6,000 MT/s kit has a 3 GHz clock. Bandwidth is a separate figure: multiply MT/s by the 8-byte width of a 64-bit channel, so DDR5-6000 moves up to 48,000 MB/s per channel. The Gbps to Mbps converter handles data rates.
How do you convert MHz or GHz to wavelength?
Wavelength is the speed of light divided by frequency: λ = 299,792,458 m/s ÷ f. A quick approximation is λ in meters ≈ 300 ÷ f in MHz. A quarter-wave antenna is about a quarter of the wavelength, which is why Wi-Fi antennas are only a few centimeters long. Convert the lengths with the cm to inches converter.
| Signal | MHz | GHz | Wavelength | Quarter wave |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FM radio | 100 MHz | 0.1 GHz | 2.998 m | 74.9 cm |
| ISM band (Europe, IoT remotes) | 433.92 MHz | 0.43392 GHz | 69.09 cm | 17.3 cm |
| ISM band (Americas) | 915 MHz | 0.915 GHz | 32.76 cm | 8.2 cm |
| GPS L1 | 1,575.42 MHz | 1.57542 GHz | 19.03 cm | 4.8 cm |
| Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and microwave ovens | 2,450 MHz | 2.45 GHz | 12.24 cm | 3.1 cm |
| Wi-Fi 5 GHz | 5,500 MHz | 5.5 GHz | 5.45 cm | 1.4 cm |
| 5G millimeter wave | 28,000 MHz | 28 GHz | 1.07 cm | 2.68 mm |
Sources and further reading
The standards and references behind the numbers on this page. Links open in a new tab.
Standards and official sources
Further reading
- FrequencyWikipedia
MHz to GHz FAQs
Short, exact answers to what people ask most.
How many MHz are in 1 GHz?
One gigahertz contains exactly 1,000 megahertz. So 2.4 GHz is 2,400 MHz, and 0.9 GHz is 900 MHz.
How do you convert MHz to GHz?
Divide the megahertz value by 1,000. For example, 3,600 MHz ÷ 1,000 = 3.6 GHz, and 5,180 MHz = 5.18 GHz.
What is 2400 MHz in GHz?
2,400 MHz is 2.4 GHz. It is the lower edge of the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth band, which runs from 2,400 to 2,483.5 MHz.
What does GHz mean for a processor?
It is the clock speed: how many billion cycles the processor completes each second. A 3.5 GHz CPU runs 3.5 billion cycles per second, though real performance also depends on cores and design.
Why does my 3200 MHz RAM show 1600 MHz?
DDR memory transfers data twice per clock cycle. DDR4-3200 is really 3,200 MT/s with a 1,600 MHz clock, and tools like CPU-Z show the clock.
What frequency is 5 GHz Wi-Fi in MHz?
The 5 GHz band spans roughly 5,150 to 5,850 MHz, depending on the country. Channel 36 is centered at 5,180 MHz and channel 165 at 5,825 MHz.
What is 1500 MHz in GHz?
1,500 MHz is 1.5 GHz. Divide by 1,000, or move the decimal point three places to the left.
What is 3.2 GHz in MHz?
3.2 GHz is 3,200 MHz. Multiply gigahertz by 1,000 to get megahertz.
Is 1000 MHz the same as 1 GHz?
Yes. 1,000 MHz and 1 GHz are exactly the same frequency: 1,000,000,000 cycles per second.
Related conversions
SI prefixes and the speed of light from the BIPM SI Brochure (9th edition); Wi-Fi channel numbering from IEEE 802.11-2020 and 802.11ax; DDR transfer rates from JEDEC JESD79-4 and JESD79-5; 5G frequency ranges and bands from 3GPP TS 38.101; the US 6 GHz band from the FCC's 2020 unlicensed rules. Last updated . How we verify our numbers.