# iPod memory size question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2006, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-memory-size-question/355764 "2006-05-07T13:49:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-memory-size-question/355764/1 "2006-05-07T13:49:11Z")
I’m thinking of getting a 4gig Nano. The adds say it can hold 1000 songs. I assume that’s an estimate, but… My entire CD collection comes in at around 3.8 gig according to iTunes. But that’s more than 1000 songs. Will it all fit on the Nano, or is there a “cutoff” at 1000 songs regardless of memory space? Thanks for any help. ---
**Author:** ![Mikahw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-memory-size-question/355764/2 "2006-05-07T13:58:48Z")
There’s no set limit on the number of songs that I know of. Even if there was, it’d certainly a lot higher than 1000. So, if your collection isn’t bigger than the Nano’s capacity, it’ll work. **However** , it looks like the 4GB nano’s actual capacity is 3.7GB, so it looks like your music won’t quite fit. [link](http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=875177) ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-memory-size-question/355764/3 "2006-05-07T14:22:37Z")
If your music is in Mp3 format, you can convert them to AAC to save some space in many instances. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-memory-size-question/355764/4 "2006-05-07T16:49:18Z")
The 1,000 songs is just an estimate. I can’t imagine there would be any sort of song number limitation. The size of your songs is determined by the quality they’re encoded at. Higher quality = bigger song files. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-memory-size-question/355764/5 "2006-05-07T16:54:39Z")
The estimate seems to be common to most MP3 players that I’ve seen, and I think they work it like this: 128kbps = 960kB / minute, which is about 1MB per minute. Assume around 4 minutes for most songs, and voila! 1000 songs in your 4GB. Of course, it is just as estimate, but it’s roughly right, from what I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-memory-size-question/355764/6 "2006-05-07T18:31:05Z")
From the [Apple](http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/specs.html) site: > [@](#): > > 1GB = 1 billion bytes; actual formatted capacity less. > Song capacity is based on 4 minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding The above answers are all correct; I just wanted to chime in as the new owner of a 2 GB Nano. The thing will hold any _quantity_ of songs up to the memory limit, but of course the formatted capacity is less; my 2GB model shows a capacity of 1.8 GB. As mentioned, the AAC format will take up less than MP3 (I believe iTunes can convert). No idea what happens when iTunes tries to sync and the iPod runs out of memory (I’ve put 286 songs on mine so far, and still have only used a bit more than half its capacity). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-memory-size-question/355764/7 "2006-05-07T18:33:55Z")
Just don’t copy your Celine Dion albums onto it and you’ll be fine.