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Is 64gb enough?

  • Yes (it’s enough for my future needs)

    Votes: 21 33.9%
  • No (be safe and get the 256gb)

    Votes: 41 66.1%

  • Total voters
    62

frosty18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 10, 2018
212
181
Pennsylvania, United States
I currently have an iPhone 8 Plus 64gb and I have 27gb available. I have 5,000 photos and 300 videos but I feel like that’s a lot of storage used already for only having this 8 Plus for 7 months. I’m going to upgrade to a XS or XS Max in December (haven’t decided which size yet) and can’t decide which storage size to get. What do you think I should do? Also is it true that the 256gb is faster than the 64gb or is that a myth?
 

KrisLord

macrumors 68000
Sep 12, 2008
1,748
1,880
Northumberland, UK
That’s a lot of free storage.

What apps are using it?

Do you use iCloud photo to store your pictures and video?

If so then you shouldn’t need a lot more storage even if you keep taking photos and videos.

I got a 256GB iPhone X last year and I’m using 87GB.

I honestly think my next device might be the lower storage tier as even with that 87GB very little of it needs to be on device - there’s 16GB music, 16GB of TV and 12GB(!!) of podcasts there.

Mobile networks have improved loads over recent years and streaming content vs local storage is becoming more and more the norm.
 

one_tech

macrumors regular
Feb 27, 2018
121
25
Canada
i buy iphone max 64 giga it's enough for me im download 55 apps and i have 200 pic and 80 songs and i have still 50 gigs space and you can buy i cloud space manthly
 

lwilliams

macrumors 6502
Nov 27, 2012
466
242
Athens, GA
I was carrying a 7 Pus 128GB for the last 2 years. I had about 20GB free space on it. So, last week I have the Xs Max 64GB.

I had to delete a lot of music, and cut back on a lot of other things as well. I finally got it down to where I had about 16GB free space. But I had to turn of sharing docs with my Mac.

I exchanged for a 256GB today. In the end, it cost me nothing more than if I had done it at the start. But, at least I know for certain that I needed the 256.
 
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Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
16,271
11,768
Not sure about US, but in Sydney, unlimited mobile data is yet to be a thing. Data cost is still considerable. I’d say local storage is much more important than streaming and whatnot. Given that you have 27/64 available, I suggest you go future proof and buy 256GB.
 

davedvdy

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2011
803
589
I voted 256.

I think it's better to be safe than sorry, especially in this premium price range.

A 14 or even 30 day return period is not usually enough time to tell. Some here,
luckily figured out they needed more storage before the return window was over.
 
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kasakka

macrumors 68020
Oct 25, 2008
2,389
1,084
Not sure about US, but in Sydney, unlimited mobile data is yet to be a thing. Data cost is still considerable. I’d say local storage is much more important than streaming and whatnot. Given that you have 27/64 available, I suggest you go future proof and buy 256GB.

On the flip side, here in Finland unlimited mobile data is the norm with fast LTE speeds at least in the major cities. I've been on 64 GB phones for years and have usually hovered around 30 GB free space on them. Only times I need more things stored locally is when I'm traveling and want for example music and videos stored on the device. Usually the combination of my phone and iPad is enough.
 
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EugW

macrumors G5
Jun 18, 2017
14,976
12,938
27 GB free can be consumed really quickly.

128 GB is perfect for you. Oops, Apple doesn’t offer that...

BTW, that’s one reason I didn’t buy theMax this year - pricing for the 256 GB Max is nuts, and it hurts doubly hard for those with absolutely no need for anything over 128 GB.
 

frosty18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 10, 2018
212
181
Pennsylvania, United States
I was looking at my storage and google maps was taking up FOUR gigabytes. I reinstalled the app and now I have 31 free but I still am leaning towards the 256gb. I used to have a 7 with 256gb (because Best Buy had it for the same price as the 32gb) and I loved never even having to think about it.
 

Squirreljam

macrumors member
Sep 19, 2014
40
34
I’m roughly in the same boat as OP, close to filling up 64 but the cost of 256 bugs me - so I’ll point out an alternative: wait for xr and get 128 for only $50 extra...
 
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EugW

macrumors G5
Jun 18, 2017
14,976
12,938
I’m roughly in the same boat as OP, close to filling up 64 but the cost of 256 bugs me - so I’ll point out an alternative: wait for xr and get 128 for only $50 extra...
That's what we're doing.

The 256 GB Max is a 57% cost premium over the 128 GB XR. The main advantage of the Max here IMO is the higher pixel density screen and the telephoto lens. Neither are critical for my significant other. Neither of us use 3D Touch, and the 3 GB RAM is more than fine for iOS 12 (and probably iOS 13 and iOS 14 too).
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
Because of iCloud Photo Library and Messages in iCloud 64gb is fine now and will be fine for my next iPhone (I have a limited data plan but iCloud services does not exceed it).
 
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Ffosse

macrumors 68000
Nov 5, 2012
1,827
652
Never buy a phone with lower storage; this was the mistake I made with the X last year, only getting the 64GB model.

64GB just isn't enough space with what I want to do with the device, remember it's better to have more space than you need than not enough space period.
 

TooDarkPark

Suspended
Nov 23, 2017
85
20
I would get at least 256GB these days. I bought my 8+ in April and got the 256GB model. I now have 105GB free and that's just from storing my music and podcasts on it.
 

itsmilo

Suspended
Sep 15, 2016
3,985
8,731
Berlin, Germany
I still got 31 GB left of 64 GB with 17.000 photos, 900 videos, 90 Apps and over 2.000 songs from Spotify as well as 4 TV Show ep so i am pretty fine with 64 GB. In fact it helps me clear out crap instead of becoming a horder
 
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frosty18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 10, 2018
212
181
Pennsylvania, United States
If you have the funds get the 256gb and you will not regret it.
I think the 256GB is better in the long run. I like to keep all my photos on my phone and I don’t use iCloud for anything (I do import my photos to my MacBook for security). I think I’ll spend the extra few dollars a month and get the 256GB. I wish there was a 128GB XS
 
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Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,254
Jacksonville, Florida
I think the 256GB is better in the long run. I like to keep all my photos on my phone and I don’t use iCloud for anything (I do import my photos to my MacBook for security). I think I’ll spend the extra few dollars a month and get the 256GB. I wish there was a 128GB XS


Yep, many wished for a 128gb model but Apple knows how to market and where to make to jump to into effect people into the larger capacity. Reguardless you will now not have to be concerned with memory. I am like you and do not use the cloud except for the nightly backups and like to have all my stuff in the phone. Once a week I do a encrypted iTunes backup with the computer just to make sure I am not just depending on the cloud. My pictures do not sync to the cloud so once a week makes sure.

Hope you enjoy, the xtra room will allow you to do what you want!
 

EugW

macrumors G5
Jun 18, 2017
14,976
12,938
Yep, many wished for a 128gb model but Apple knows how to market and where to make to jump to into effect people into the larger capacity. Reguardless you will now not have to be concerned with memory. I am like you and do not use the cloud except for the nightly backups and like to have all my stuff in the phone. Once a week I do a encrypted iTunes backup with the computer just to make sure I am not just depending on the cloud. My pictures do not sync to the cloud so once a week makes sure.

Hope you enjoy, the xtra room will allow you to do what you want!
Well, Apple marketed themselves into my not buying a Max at all. I'm just sticking with my 7 Plus 128 GB and reassessing next year.
 
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Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,254
Jacksonville, Florida
Well, Apple marketed themselves into my not buying a Max at all. I'm just sticking with my 7 Plus 128 GB and reassessing next year.

Apple knows everyone is not going to buy the MAX. With its profit margin they do not have to break records. Right now Apple offers the largest line up of new phone hoping to attract the most customers. They also know that some will wait till next year to spend their money. Apple is quite patient and will be there waiting for you.

The XR will be Apple’s meat and potatoes device and will sell the most. The average buyer could care less about ppi and will be very happy.
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
I think the 256GB is better in the long run. I like to keep all my photos on my phone and I don’t use iCloud for anything (I do import my photos to my MacBook for security). I think I’ll spend the extra few dollars a month and get the 256GB. I wish there was a 128GB XS

As someone that uses iCloud quite heavily extensively there is a feature that may interest you if you use Photos on your MacBook. With iCloud Photo Library you can set the Mac (and phone for that matter) to download the original version. So as your out and about taking pics they are downloading to your Mac (if its on and on wifi somewhere). By the time you get home its already done all the importing for you and you can just glance to make sure it did what it was supposed to do.

You get a lot more security this way because photos are in iCloud and a hard copy on your Mac LONG before you could have done it yourself without adjusting your current behavior except checking photos instead of importing.

Just a thought...that is how I use it on my iMac to safely store photos (back it up from there) and its worked flawlessly for the last 4 years.
 
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