48-bit

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Microprocessors
4-bit 8-bit 16-bit 24-bit 31-bit 32-bit 48-bit 64-bit 128-bit
Applications
8-bit   16-bit   31-bit 32-bit   64-bit  
Data Sizes
4-bit 8-bit 16-bit     32-bit   64-bit 128-bit
nibble byte octet word dword qword

In computer architecture, 48-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are at most 48 bits (6 octets) wide. Also, 48-bit CPU and ALU architectures are those that are based on registers, address buses, or data buses of that size.

The IBM AS/400, in its CISC variants, is a 48-bit addressing system.

[edit] Images

In digital images, 48 bits per pixel, or 16 bits per each colour channel (red, green and blue), is used for accurate processing. Such images do not look better than 24-bit images (which already contain far more colours than the human eye can discern), but the existence of more shades between colours (65,536 as opposed to 256) means that more operations can be performed on the image without risk of noticeable banding or posterization.