256-bit computing: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:21, 7 August 2024

Revision as of 13:57, 7 August 2024

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A 256-bit register can store 2²⁵⁶ different values. The range of [[integer]] values that can be stored in 256 bits depends on the [[Integer (computer science)#Value and representation|integer representation]] used.

The limit of of a signed 256-bit integer is from -57,{{zwsp}}896,{{zwsp}}044,{{zwsp}}618,{{zwsp}}658,{{zwsp}}097,{{zwsp}}711,{{zwsp}}785,{{zwsp}}492,{{zwsp}}504,{{zwsp}}343,{{zwsp}}953,{{zwsp}}926,{{zwsp}}634,{{zwsp}}992,{{zwsp}}332,{{zwsp}}820,{{zwsp}}282,{{zwsp}}019,{{zwsp}}728,{{zwsp}}792,{{zwsp}}003,{{zwsp}}956,{{zwsp}}564,{{zwsp}}819,{{zwsp}}968 to 57,{{zwsp}}896,{{zwsp}}044,{{zwsp}}618,{{zwsp}}658,{{zwsp}}097,{{zwsp}}711,{{zwsp}}785,{{zwsp}}492,{{zwsp}}504,{{zwsp}}343,{{zwsp}}953,{{zwsp}}926,{{zwsp}}634,{{zwsp}}992,{{zwsp}}332,{{zwsp}}820,{{zwsp}}282,{{zwsp}}019,{{zwsp}}728,{{zwsp}}792,{{zwsp}}003,{{zwsp}}956,{{zwsp}}564,{{zwsp}}819,{{zwsp}}967.

256-bit processors could be used for addressing directly up to 2²⁵⁶ bytes. Already 2¹²⁸ (for [[128-bit computing|128-bit]] addressing) would greatly exceed the total data stored on Earth as of 2018, which has been estimated to be around 33.3 [[zettabyte|ZB]]s (over 2⁷⁴ bytes).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Reinsel |first1=David |last2=Gantz |first2=John |last3=Rydning |first3=John |title=The Digitization of the World |date=November 2018 |publisher=IDC |page=6 |url=https://www.seagate.com/files/www-content/our-story/trends/files/idc-seagate-dataage-whitepaper.pdf |access-date=27 October 2022}}</ref>