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Scorpia

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 6, 2010
29
0
For example with iphones you get 14gb/16gb due to the software etc, whats the situation with macbooks? Do you get the full SSD space or is some already used by default?
 

S.B.G

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 8, 2010
26,679
10,464
Detroit
As with any computer, Mac, Linux, Windows, iOS, Android etc... some of the storage space on an SSD and/or HDD will be allocated for system use and for OS use.
 

S.B.G

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 8, 2010
26,679
10,464
Detroit
It just depends. How much the OS takes up is usually dependant on the options that are installed with the OS. Some options are dependant on what the hardware platform is too.

You can MRoogle and find tons of threads on the space that is available in the SSD's on the new MBA's. There was a lot of talk about it.

There's too many variables in how much space is used by any particular OS on any particular hardware setup to quantify in a short simple answer. Regardless of that, there isn't anything you can do about it anyway.
 
Last edited:

mmcxiiad

macrumors 6502
Jul 19, 2002
259
17
you know, the other way to think about it, is you actually get ALL of the space. But what are you going to do with an empty drive?

the drive needs some space to make a map, so the computer will be able to find files.

the OS puts a lot of files, some are vital, some are important to you, some you will never use. Most people don't have the ability to go through all the files to know what you need and what you don't. so there will be a fair amount used and some wasted here.

you also should always have 10% of your drive free for virtual memory. when you drop below 10% free you lose overall system performance.

then there is apps. some are installed by default, some you install some. some have features or languages you may or may not need.

All this adds up and no two computers are alike to know what you will have free after you start using them.

If your question is, how much does the default installation of OSX 10.6.x take up on a brand new computer, I think it is around 12gb.... but once you start using it, it is far more complex on how much space you have left for your data.
 

Thiol

macrumors 6502a
Jan 26, 2008
693
0
For the Toshiba SSDs, 7% is set aside for overprovisioning (maintenance for logical SSD functions). So the 128 GB drive, for example, is actually ~ 121 GB (not counting the space taken up by the OS). As suggested above, please search the forums as there are a few threads about this already.
 
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