Windows – What do Mbps and Kbps represent in Task Manager Performance Tab

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What do Mbps or Kbps represent in Task Manager performance Tab?

Example of Kbps being used
Please See Attached

I often get confused by this measure, since it sometimes shows 15.0 Mbps in Task Manager – however, the actual download speed is merely 1.5 Mb/s in uTorrent or IDM etc.

Best Answer

The last sentence in your question indicates that you do know that these values are actually your network transfer speeds. Your question appears to be about the discrepancy that you mentioned.

There are two reasons:

  1. IDM and uTorrent actually report the speed in kilobytes per seconds and megabytes per second (KB/s or MB/s) while Task Manager shows kilobit per second and megabits per second (Kbps and Mbps). A byte consists of eight bits, hence, expect Task Manager to report values that are at least eight times bigger.
  2. Task Manager shows the total bytes transferred, which include those spent in datalink frames, IP packet, TCP segment, application layer overhead and flow-control communications like ACK. uTorrent and IDM show only bytes pertaining raw payload. Imagine the difference between your lean weight and the weight of you along your clothes, watch, backpack, etc. You will get a good idea.
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