How much is 5GB of data? And how long does it last?

When it comes to buying a mobile data plan for your needs, it feels overwhelming to select the best one. How much is 5GB of data? It is most confusing for people to estimate whether it's enough or not. 

5GB of data is good for browsing the internet for approximately 50 hours per month. Moreover, you can stream 2,500 songs online or watch 6 hours of online video in standard definition. 

In this article, I will explain how much 5GB of data is for you. How long can you use it and for which activities? 

What Does 5GB of Data Mean?

A 5GB data plan means you purchased 5 gigabytes of cellular data to access the internet. A gigabyte is equal to 1024 megabytes, so you have 5120MB of data in your phone. You can use this to stay connected with your friends and family during travel. 

If you are a light data user, it's enough for reading news or checking emails, and browsing the web. To make the 5GB last longer, it's recommended to avoid online gaming and video streaming. 

How Long Does 5GB of Data Last?

It depends on your activities. The amount of data is okay if you browse the internet, stream music, or check your mail. While video calls and streaming the social media platforms consume high data.

Here is the breakdown of how long the 5GB of mobile data lasts with different activities. 

Light Data Users 

• Web browsing: Use 60 MB per hour. The data plan lasts for 83 hours.
• Streaming music: Consumes 100MB per hour, and the 5GB plan last for 50 hours. 

Moderate Data Users 

• Social media scrolling: Use 150 MB per hour, and the data plan lasts for 33 hours.
• Video streaming: Video streaming with SD quality consumes 700MB per hour and 5GB lasts for 7 hours.
• Video calls: Video calls use 500MB per hour, and the data plans will expire in 10 hours. 

Heavy Data Users 

• Video streaming: If you are streaming at HD quality, it will consume 1.5GB of data per hour, and the cellular plan will last for 3 hours. 

5GB of data per month is enough for you if you are a light data user. Data consumption also depends on factors like video and audio quality. For example, if you are streaming YouTube or Netflix at HD quality, it will consume more data.

Is 5GB of Data a Lot?

5GB of data is a lot, if it's not your primary data source. You can use the WiFi network for downloads, updates, and streaming. On the other hand, when WiFi is not available, you can activate the data plan for limited activities.

The following are some conditions in which 5GB of data per month is enough for you. 

• Connect your device to a WiFi if it's available. 
• Avoid streaming when your cellular data plan is active. 
• Use data occasionally for music streaming and social media scrolling. 
• Use data to browse the internet for a few hours per day. 

Factors That Affect Your Data Usage

The following are the factors you should take into account that affect your mobile data consumption. 

Video Quality

Streaming at high video quality, like HD, consumes more data for the better resolution. If you adjust the video quality, you can minimize the excessive and faster data consumption. So it's an ideal practice to avoid using more data. 

Auto Play Settings

The auto-play settings on YouTube and other social media apps consume data. Turning off auto-play in the settings helps to fix the fast data consumption. 

Background App Refresh

When the phone is active, multiple apps in the background use data without your consent to refresh. It is the major factors of fast data consumption. 

Phone Updates and Downloads

If your phone updates are set to use mobile data, it might be the obvious reason for the early data usage. To use your 5GB data longer, set the downloads and updates to WiFi. 

No WiFi Access

If you are completely relying on the cellular data plan to stay connected, your 5GB data will not last longer. 

Tips To Save Your Data Plan Longer

Here are tips that will help you use data longer. 

• Turn off the videos' autoplay settings to adjust the data consumption. 
• Turn off the app's background data usage to refresh.
• Adjust the video quality to normal to prevent high data usage. 
• Update your data plan to unlimited data.
• Switch to an eSIM, like Phonico, to access flexible and affordable data and get connected according to your needs. 
• Set the phone settings for downloads and updates to WiFi. 

Conclusion

How much is 5GB of data? 5GB of data is around 5120MB of data, which is perfect for the light users who rely on WiFi as well. The data amount is enough for a month if you often use it for browsing, music streaming, and checking emails and messages. 

For the moderate and heavy users, it's ideal to switch to the unlimited plans for eSIM to access a reliable and affordable connection. In the article, I have dicussed the factors that majorly contribute to your data consumption faster. 

Moreover, considering the data saving tips will ensure your data plan lasts longer. 

FAQs

How much video can I watch with 5GB of data?

You can watch 1.5 to 10 hours of videos with a 5GB cellular data plan. The hours vary depending on your video quality. For example, with HD quality, you can stream for 1.5 to 2 hours, while on SD quality, it's about 6 hours. 

Is 5 GB enough for 2 weeks?

5GB is enough for the 2 weeks for the light data users. In comparison, moderate and heavy data users require 12 to 20GB of data for 2 weeks. 

Will 5GB last a full month if I use Wi-Fi at home?

Yes, 5GB of data is enough per month for you if you primarily rely on the WIFi for connection.