Your built-in SSD size of choice for Macbook? Usage pattern? External SSD?

[yurkennis]

Please post what you normally use your Macbook for, and what is your choice of SSD size for it.
If you use an external SSD as an always-on attachment, please also share what is it.

I'm stuck in choosing an value-for-money adequate builtin SSD size for my future M1 MacBook, hence the poll.

I'm used to aftermarket-upgraded 2..3TB SSD Macbooks, and never lived with external SSDs like Samsung T7, SanDisk Extreme PRO or storage-enabled dock. Obviously Apple's prices for SSD upgrade are steep; on the other side I'm buying Macbook to last 5 to 7 years.

 

[glenthompson]

I don’t like using external drives for everyday usage on a laptop. I want to be dongle free when moving around. I had a 512gb SSD on my old MBP but occasionally bumped into space constraints when working with large files - video. My MBA now has a 1tb and it should be fine for me until I buy the 2nd generation of the M1 laptop.

 

[CSBBody]

I have the base MBA 256gb as i am planning on upgrading, if the M1 worked well. So I didn’t splurge now on upgraded model, and didn’t need it for my immediate needs.

I have around 120gb spare. I have a 400gb iCloud account and use around 200gb.

I mainly use iCloud private and google drive for my business , which i have now switched to all in iCloud till issues are resolved With back up and sync.

I use 2 external HDD (2TB) , one is just back ups, the other i use for my plex server Media.

i have a travel Sandisk 512GB SSD, which is light and small, when i need to travel with more storage, with iPad or laptop.

we have another back up system for my fiancée photography.

What i do daily does not entail a lot of editing and such, i have very modest needs on a day to day basis, with heavier needs thrown in time to time. (Music, basic video editing and photography)

I do have a 300mb fiber line and strong WiFi, so working with online storage is not at an issue for me, this maybe an issue for some.

Hope that helps.

 

[Zazoh]

Full stack development. I always buy minimum build. Everything is stored in iCloud or on a server. 60% free.
44gb free on my 64gb iPhone.

Next guy will say he needs 2 TB minimum. We’re all very different and don’t make sense.

 

[Mr Screech]

1TB internal, split in 250gb for os+apps and 750gb for everything else.
500gb thunderbolt nvme drive as cache/scratch disk for certain applications.
Spinning disks in various sizes for backup.

Reason for 1TB, they last longer than the 256/512 and are usually a little faster.
For most users not an issue.

 

[Violet_Antelope]

I’ve ordered 2TB this time. I have 512/8 in my 12” MB which was the maximum at the time and it’s so full I’ve had to move files to iCloud to stop all the warning alerts, and I was out of space for the swap my RAM was trying to do (about 16GB typically) but my internet isn’t good enough to work that way and I hate relying on dongles and external storage. I never have what I need with me when I need it when I try that!

My use is only personal with no work usage, but I would characterise myself as a lifelong student and researcher who also does some art. No photo editing or anything like that but I do have a lot of big video files downloaded as part of my studies, as well as high-resolution scans of some of my art, which eat a lot of space, and big files of book designs etc etc. I’m longing for the headroom of 2TB

 

[tarantulasloomlarge]

I am using 25/64 on my iPhone and 26/64 on my iPad. I ordered the 256 for my M1.

In the future I hope to be the guy with 2tb... 2tb seems astronomical to me...

 

[Chompineer]

I always go for 512. 256 is a bit small for me, considering it's down to about 200 usable after all my basic needs are filled. 1TB is a bit overkill for me as I don't keep things archived on my machines, I back up to my NAS and dump anything I don't need right away. 512 allows me to have a few giant things on the go if need be, or in the case of my iMac, a decently sized W10 VM.

I greatly prefer internal storage over external, even if I can match the speed, just due to convenience.

 

[Bob_DM]

Please post what you normally use your Macbook for, and what is your choice of SSD size for it.
If you use an external SSD as an always-on attachment, please also share what is it.

I'm stuck in choosing an value-for-money adequate builtin SSD size for my future M1 MacBook, hence the poll.

I'm used to aftermarket-upgraded 2..3TB SSD Macbooks, and never lived with external SSDs like Samsung T7, SanDisk Extreme PRO or storage-enabled dock. Obviously Apple's prices for SSD upgrade are steep; on the other side I'm buying Macbook to last 5 to 7 years.

When I invest in a new MacBook, I will certainly consider the largest drive option. If you want the same performance/size from an external it will cost about the same as the upgrade with the inconvenience of something extra to take with you.