How Much Storage Do You Really Need?

Storage is one of the easiest things to under-buy and one of the hardest to add later. Here’s how to size it right.

Phones

128GB works for light users, but photos, video, and apps add up quickly. Most people are better served by 256GB, especially since few phones still support expandable microSD storage.

Laptops

A 512GB SSD is a comfortable baseline. Drop to 256GB only if you live mostly in the cloud, and step up to 1TB or more if you store large files locally.

SSD vs HDD

Always choose an SSD for your main drive. They’re dramatically faster than traditional hard drives, which now only make sense for cheap bulk storage of files you rarely touch.

Cloud and external options

Cloud storage and external SSDs are great for backups and overflow, but they’re no substitute for enough built-in storage. Buy enough on the device first, then supplement.