If you want to buy and iPhone, you must also decide on the storage capacity. The release of the newer iPhones complicates the annual question of how much storage to get with your new iPhone. Previously, you’d look up how much storage space the cheapest iPhone came with, and get upset that you are paying that much for a phone that only has very minor differences from your old iPhone. Then after much internal struggle pay for the second cheapest level of storage. At least, that’s what I have done in the past. However, your storage requirements will be determined by how you intend to use your device. IPhones have fixed storage capacities that cannot be changed or expanded. As a result, choosing the appropriate amount of storage is critical because there is no going back.
Apple’s latest top-end smartphone, the iPhone, comes with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. The new standard is 128GB rather than 64GB, but there are even devices with 1TB in the Pro models. A large storage capacity isn’t necessary for everyone. An iPhone with a large storage capacity is also more expensive. This article will assist you in comparing different storage capacities, consider just how comfortable you are with relying on cloud storage, and determine whether 128GB is sufficient for you.
Iphone – Purchasing Guide
Storage Options
128GB STORAGE OPTION
128GB of storage space is a lot. Since up to 6000 songs or 15 x 8GB of high-definition video can be stored on it. An iPhone with 128GB of storage is adequate for the average user. This is the bare minimum of storage space. You have enough space with 128GB to store some photos, music, and videos locally. As a result, you are not required to use iCloud storage exclusively. Want to watch a movie on the go? It’s not a problem. Simply delete it from your device to make room for a new one. If you don’t intend to store much on your iPhone and don’t care about taking high-resolution video, 128GB may be sufficient if you are a casual user. A casual user is someone who uses their phone mostly for social media, instant messaging, online browsing, and email and who doesn’t snap a lot of images and videos. A casual user typically uses a small number of apps and doesn’t have many games downloaded to their phone. A 128GB iPhone will work just fine.
It is, however, probably not for people who download multiple albums for offline listening, dozens of podcasts, and various large mobile games like PUBG or Call of Duty Mobile. But suppose you’re not downloading large files and saving them to your phone. You can certainly survive on 128GB in that case.
256GB STORAGE OPTION
A 256GB card should be able to store up to 50,400 images and between 84 and 10 hours of 4K video. 256GB might be what you need if you fall under the category of “pro user,” which refers to someone who uses their iPhone for work-related files and media storage in addition to running a ton of applications. However, 256GB is a lot of storage, and most people won’t even come close to this. If you want to use your iPhone for an extended period, 256GB makes more sense, since you will need as much storage as you can in this situation. And 256GB ought to be plenty for you.
You can choose the higher storage option of 256GB if you have installed more than 100 apps. Additionally, if you play video games frequently, your iPhone probably has programs installed that store progress logs and other kinds of information. In this case, choosing the lower storage option of 128GB will not be in your best interest because as updates and new features are added, the size will continue to increase and you will need to choose a larger amount of space.
Some people prefer to store their videos, music, and photos on their phones rather than in the cloud. If you fall into this category, you can choose the 256GB option. Additionally, if you prefer to save documents offline, this is the better choice for you.
512GB STORAGE OPTION
A 512GB can therefore hold 512GB of data, which corresponds to approximately 64,000 images, 1200 videos, and 400 applications in the real world. If one wants to store everything on their device, they must purchase the top variant. Additionally, this category will be ideal for people who frequently play games, stream movies and TV shows online, and save music, photos, and documents on the device. Purchasing the 512GB version will be preferable if you use a lot of applications that naturally use up a lot of phone memory.
This is ideally for the power users who conduct all of their business online. Whether it is for personal or professional use, it is essentially a lifestyle. You never clean up after yourself and you’re always trying out the newest apps. You don’t use cloud storage services and instead store a lot of information locally. Additionally, if you want to be able to frequently access all of your media offline, such as when you’re traveling. Or download 4k movies to watch on the flight. 512GB is ideal if you want to download without restriction.
WHY 128GB IS ENOUGH
- It is the relatively cheaper option
You should carefully consider your needs because 256GB can be overkill, even for heavy users.The larger the storage capacity of your phone, the better. However, the extra storage space usually comes at a high cost. You will almost certainly have enough space with 128GB, you’ll get the same features, and you’ll have more money left over. Plus, you can use the extra money to buy some iPhone cases or a new pair of sneakers, both of which you should do.
- Using iCloud is better than iPhone storage
You should carefully consider your needs because 256GB can be overkill, even for heavy users especially if you can afford iCloud. Apple’s iCloud option provides users with more than enough storage to store data-intensive files, and as a bonus, vital data stored on the cloud can be easily retrieved if the iPhone is misplaced or damaged.
You can also upgrade to the 50GB (99 cents/month), 200GB ($2.99/month), and 2TB ($9.99/month) tiers of Apple’s iCloud Plus service. Here, you can store items like photos, mail, calendars, contacts, and other files in that storage. With the release of iOS 15, iCloud Plus also gained new capabilities like private relay for more secure browsing, HomeKit secure video recording for compatible security cameras, and a Hide My Email feature that spares you from having to disclose your real email address.
- Most data-intensive videos are available for streaming
If you want to watch videos or television episodes from Apple TV+, Netflix, YouTube, or another service on your phone. These files are typically large, especially the HD versions. You may believe they can cause your phone’s storage to fill up quickly. However, because this content is primarily available on streaming platforms, 128GB should be enough and only the digital techies needs the other options.
A 128GB storage capacity has only one possible drawback, which is present with Pro variants. The 128GB cannot capture 4K ProRes video at 30 frames per second on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone Pro Max. You might need to opt for larger storage options if you wish to record 4K footage that you can later edit and modify in a video editor. If you are not, it shouldn’t affect you at all in your daily life.
Final Thoughts
Consider how much you intend to use cloud storage services, whether downloads will be required, and other factors. In the end, what it all boils down to is how attached are you to your phone and how much data are you utilizing daily. I understand the appeal and necessity for more storage options if you’re a “power user,” like video creators, vloggers, die-hard gamers, etc. However, if you’re not as picky about your smartphone as I am, don’t feel bad about going with 128GB when purchasing an iPhone. So in conclusion, more might not always be better but it depends on your needs
