How much memory do you need in a smartphone?

Ideally, when you buy a smartphone, you should make sure that it has enough storage space to meet your needs. But unfortunately, not all needs are created equal. Some users are hoarders and need more storage, while others make do with the bare essentials.

Finding out how much disk space you are actually using can help you avoid the horrible insufficient disk space notifications. Plus, it helps you save cash as you don’t have to pay more for storage that you won’t use up in the long run.

Here we will help you determine the right amount of storage space you need in a smartphone. So let’s dive in.

Standard smartphone storage options

Unlike the early days of smartphones, storage space has increased tremendously, and what you used to pay big bucks for isn’t even considered a bare minimum anymore. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S2 shipped in 2011 with 16GB of storage. There was also a more expensive 32GB variant.

By modern standards, both storage options seem pretty low. Of course there is a reason for that. We take a lot of pictures and videos, mobile games and apps have gotten bigger, and we save as many memes as we can for later use.

Modern smartphones now ship with 32GB as standard, and lower storage options than that are becoming increasingly difficult. Even most phones in the sub-$100 category pack at least 32GB of storage. With 32GB being the minimum, the default choice for most smartphone companies has become 64GB.

However, alongside 32GB and 64GB, you can also find phones with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and even a whopping 1TB of storage. A great example of the latter is Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro, some of the best smartphones of 2022.

Is 64GB or 128GB enough for a phone?

While 64GB or 128GB of storage sounds good on paper, you never get the same amount of available storage, even on a brand new phone. Some of this memory is unusable as the operating system and pre-installed apps take up it.

And remember, when it comes to storage, it’s not just about the numbers. For example, while you can use 110GB on a 128GB device, you still won’t be able to use the full 110GB. You also need breathing room to keep your phone from getting stuck and performance sluggish.

Everyone uses their smartphone differently. Therefore, determining a sufficient amount of storage for your specific needs depends on several factors. One of them is your media consumption habits.

If you prefer to store your media files locally, you’ll struggle with 64GB of onboard storage. Also, if you take a lot of pictures or videos and use your phone as your primary storage device, you’ll quickly gobble up storage space. In this case, you should choose 128 GB or more to be on the safe side.

If you store a moderate amount of media files on your device, 64GB of storage should be fine. By moderate, we mean religiously streaming music, movies, and TV shows instead of downloading them offline. 128GB might be a lot of storage if you’re that type of person.

However, 128GB will give you more room to play with moderate usage and should be a safer option, especially considering most modern smartphones no longer ship with a hybrid or dedicated memory expansion slot. This way, there is no other way to upgrade your storage than to buy a new phone.

Another factor to consider is gambling. If you regularly play graphics-intensive games like Fortnite, Call of Duty or PUBG, you should definitely go for 128 GB. Finally, if you’ve opted for the cloud and prefer to have your files online, you don’t need a 128GB device. You can back up your files regularly and delete them locally to free up disk space.

However, despite the above factors, 64GB of storage is often enough for the average consumer. But if you sometimes overdo it with media files, 128GB should cover your needs. This is an ideal point that balances the value for money and can give you peace of mind even if you are a heavy user.

It’s not too much or too little, just enough to sometimes go overboard with media files, give your photography ambitions a chance, and play resource-intensive games. In summary, we recommend 64GB for most people, but if you can get 128GB, please do so.

Is 256GB a lot of storage for a phone?

As you might expect, this depends on you as a smartphone user. Most people will be fine with 64GB of storage, while 128GB is for those who need a little extra headroom to avoid the hassles of constantly freeing up phone storage.

256GB might seem like a lot of storage for a smartphone at first, but if you’re either hoarding media files, playing resource-intensive games, or creating video or image content online, this option gives you more freedom than 128GB. If any of these describe you and you have the freedom to choose between a 128GB and 256GB phone, go for the 256GB option.

How Many GB of Storage Do You Need on a Phone?

The more storage space your phone has, the better. However, more storage usually comes at a hefty premium. But if you can comfortably equip yourself with a 512GB storage option for peace of mind while capturing high-resolution images and 4K video, go for it.

However, you should carefully consider your requirements as 256GB can sometimes be overkill, even for heavy users. Higher options are completely overkill and should only be feasible for the prosumers who use their smartphones to create content. In general, your usage habits will determine how many GB you need on your phone.

However, if you can buy the smartphone you want with more storage without incurring the extra cost, it’s worth doing. Even if you don’t use it, it can increase your smartphone’s resale value when the time comes, and additional unused storage space doesn’t negatively impact performance. So why not?

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