Op-Amp Bandwidth Calculator Formula

Understand the math behind the op-amp bandwidth calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.

Formulas Used

Closed-Loop Bandwidth

bandwidth_khz = gbw_mhz * 1000 / closed_loop_gain

Bandwidth (Hz)

bandwidth_hz = gbw_mhz * 1000000 / closed_loop_gain

Gain (dB)

gain_db = 20 * log10(closed_loop_gain)

Variables

VariableDescriptionDefault
gbw_mhzGain-Bandwidth Product(MHz)1
closed_loop_gainClosed-Loop Gain(V/V)10

How It Works

Op-Amp Gain-Bandwidth Product

Formula

BW = GBW / A_CL

Where GBW is the gain-bandwidth product and A_CL is the closed-loop gain. Higher gain means lower bandwidth. This is a fundamental trade-off in op-amp circuits.

Worked Example

An op-amp with GBW = 1 MHz set to a gain of 10.

gbw_mhz = 1closed_loop_gain = 10
  1. 01BW = 1 MHz / 10 = 100 kHz
  2. 02BW in Hz = 1,000,000 / 10 = 100,000 Hz
  3. 03Gain in dB = 20 x log10(10) = 20 dB

Frequently Asked Questions

What is gain-bandwidth product?

A constant for each op-amp: the product of open-loop gain and frequency at the -3 dB point. Typical values range from 1 MHz to over 1 GHz.

Does this apply to inverting and non-inverting?

For both, use the noise gain: (1 + Rf/R1) for non-inverting, (1 + Rf/Rin) for inverting.

How do I get more bandwidth at high gain?

Choose an op-amp with higher GBW, or cascade lower-gain stages to achieve the desired total gain.

Ready to run the numbers?

Open Op-Amp Bandwidth Calculator