If you plan on shooting videos in 4K resolution, or if you want to download some 4K shows to watch, you’re probably wondering just how much storage you need to set aside for it.
After all, 4K video is extremely detailed, and can rack up a lot of storage.
So, how much 4K video can 64, 128, or 256 GB hold?
We have found that the amount of storage 4K video needs depends on the length, fps, and encoding of the video file. On average, 64 GB can hold around two to eight hours, 128 GB can hold around five to sixteen hours, and 256 GB can hold around eleven to thirty-one hours of 4K video.
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How Much Space Does One Minute of 4K Video Take Up?
The answer depends on several factors, including the length, the fps, and the encoding method.
In general, 30 fps is the preferred fps for 4K video, simply because it’s the most common fps and it’s already high quality.
You could go down to 24 fps, but the decrease in file size isn’t worth the decrease in video quality. And if you go all the way to 60 fps, it increases the size of your video file exponentially.
Meanwhile, when it comes to encoding, HEVC and H.264 are the most popular methods, with HEVC typically being the more space-efficient method.
With all of this in mind, we can estimate the amount of space a single minute of 4K video takes up.
For one minute of 4K video shooting at 24 fps, it takes up around:
- 135 MB using HEVC encoding
- 270 MB using H.264 encoding
For one minute of 4K video shooting at 30 fps, it takes up around:
- 170 MB using HEVC encoding
- 350 MB using H.264 encoding
And for one minute of 4K video shooting at 60 fps, it takes up at least 400 MB, for either encoding method.
How Much 4K Video Can 64 GB Hold?
You have 64 GB of storage on your device or you have a 64 GB USB and you want to know how many minutes of 4K video it can hold.
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For 4K video shooting at 24 fps, you can store up to:
- 474 minutes or almost eight hours using HEVC encoding
- 237 minutes or almost four hours using H.264 encoding
For 4K video shooting at 30 fps, you can store up to:
- 376 minutes or six hours using HEVC encoding
- 182 minutes or three hours using H.264 encoding
And for 4K video shooting at 60 fps, you can store up to 160 minutes or 2 hours.
This means you can store one to four 4K movies!
How Much 4K Video Can 128 GB Hold?
If you have a 128 GB USB or storage, you can store even more 4K video!
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For 4K video shooting at 24 fps, you can store up to:
- 948 minutes or almost sixteen hours using HEVC encoding
- 474 minutes or almost eight hours using H.264 encoding
For 4K video shooting at 30 fps, you can store up to:
- 752 minutes or 12.5 hours using HEVC encoding
- 365 minutes or six hours using H.264 encoding
And for 4K video shooting at 60 fps, you can store up to 320 minutes or five hours.
This means you can store two to eight 4K movies!
How Much 4K Video Can 256 GB Hold?
And if you have a 256 GB USB , you can store the most 4K video!
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For 4K video shooting at 24 fps, you can store up to:
- 1896 minutes or thirty-one hours using HEVC encoding
- 948 minutes or almost sixteen hours using H.264 encoding
For 4K video shooting at 30 fps, you can store up to:
- 1505 minutes or twenty-five hours using HEVC encoding
- 731 minutes or twelve hours using H.264 encoding
And for 4K video shooting at 60 fps, you can store up to 640 minutes or almost eleven hours.
This means you can store five to fifteen 4K movies!
How Do You Compress 4K Videos Without Losing Quality?
Although there are many programs for compressing videos, the easiest way to do it is through VLC Media Player, which you probably have installed on your PC already.
If you don’t have VLC Media Player installed, you can download it from the VideoLAN website. It’s free and compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, and Unix.
Using VLC Media Player, you can use these steps to compress your 4K video with zero to minimal loss in video quality:
- Open the VLC Media Player program.
- Click on Media.
- Select Convert/Save.
- Go to the File tab.
- Click Add. This will open a folder.
- Find and select the 4K video that you’ll compress.
- Click Open.
- Press Convert/Save. This will open a new window.
- Find Profile.
- Click on the dropdown menu and choose the encoding and file type you prefer.
- If you want to customize the video conversion even more:
- Click on the wrench icon next to the dropdown menu.
- Select the Video codec tab.
- Find and adjust the bitrate, scale, and frame rate to your liking.
- Press Save.
- Choose your destination folder by either typing it in or finding it with Browse.
- Finally, click Start to begin the compressing.
Conclusion
The size of a 4K video file depends on the length, the fps, and the encoding method.
The fps is typically 24, 30, or 60 fps, with 30 fps being the most popular.
The encoding method is typically either HEVC or H.264, with HEVC being the more space-efficient method.
Depending on the fps and the encoding method, one minute of 4K video can take up 135 to 400 MB.
Using those measurements:
- 64 GB can hold around two to eight hours of 4K video.
- 128 GB can hold around five to sixteen hours of 4K video.
- 256 GB can hold around eleven to thirty-one hours of 4K video.
To compress 4K videos without losing quality, you can use VLC Media Player to convert the video file type, bitrate, scale, and frame rate.
Vance is a dad, former software engineer, and tech lover. Knowing how a computer works becomes handy when he builds Pointer Clicker. His quest is to make tech more accessible for non-techie users. When not working with his team, you can find him caring for his son and gaming.