The 500MB benchmark didn't appear by accident. Historically, it is a product of the early 2000s internet and CD-R burning culture (a 700MB CD). However, it persists today for three specific reasons:
Most 500MB movies are usually 720p or 1080p in name only. While the pixel dimensions might be 1920x1080, the bitrate (data per second) is crushed. 500mb movies
At 0.5 Mbps, complex scenes (explosions, fast action, snow, or rain) become a mess of macroblocking—those ugly square pixels you see during high-motion sequences. The 500MB benchmark didn't appear by accident
The first thing ripped out is audio quality. 500MB movies almost exclusively use AAC or MP3 audio at 96kbps. Compare this to 640kbps Dolby Digital Plus on streaming services. You will lose sub-woofer response, spatial separation, and any sense of "depth." Most 500MB movies are usually 720p or 1080p in name only