How much storage do you really need on your smartphone?

The options on the market: what to choose?

There are a huge variety of devices out there for Android, all equipped with different internal memory and RAM. Depending on the price range, your options change, but you can see how far manufacturers have come with this compared to some years ago, especially in the mid-range where 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage are now the norm. For this reason, life is easier for Android users compared to iPhone users.

Manufacturers release devices with 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, and 512GB of internal storage. In fact in 2019 it's now even possible to buy a 1TB smartphone. At least, this is what it will say on your smartphones packaging, but these figures don't necessarily reflect the amount of space that is available to you. Part of this is taken up by the system itself and bloatware.

• How to remove pre-installed apps and bloatware

The low end: is 16GB enough?

Smartphones with just 8GB are quite rare now, and with good reason: just the files received on WhatsApp and a few photos are enough for the system to start lagging with such limited storage. Personally, I'd advise against choosing this option. 

You can just about survive with 16GB, but take this advice: you'll have to make sure you clean up your smartphone from unnecessary apps and take advantage of cloud services such as Google Photos, for example. Heavy multitasking and demanding games are a definite no, so therefore your experience is limited to general web browsing, emails, WhatsApp, and not much more. At the moment, some low-end smartphones still offer 16GB of storage, including Samsung's popular J line (J3 2017, J5 2017 and J7 2017).

32-64GB: a comfortable middle?

32GB is reasonable, unless you're used to taking a lot of photos and the cloud is still a world you don't know. In any case, this is a good solution for those who don't need a top of the range device, and don't require a lot of apps. Another example, again, is Samsung with its Galaxy A6 2018. 

A robust 64GB is a decent choice. This option allows you to have enough space for apps, photos and other files, and you won't have to deal with constant system slowdowns while playing games or multitasking. Fans of mobile games with good graphics, which can often take up several GB per game, should consider 64 at the very least. The Razer Phone 2 has a nice combination of 64GB storage and 8GB RAM, both fast and roomy enough for a games library with PUBG Mobile, Fortnite, Darkness Rises and so on on-board. The Samsung Galaxy S9, still a great phone now more affordable then ever, also comes with 64GB as standard.

128GB and up: never worry about storage again

128 and 256GB  are two options no longer reserved for the top flagships. Upper mid-rangers like the Samsung Galaxy A9 can boast 128GB amount, and even high-end devices from budget brands like the Honor View20 also pack plenty of storage at 256GB. The OnePlus 6T and the new Samsung Galaxy S10e also come in these configurations.

But to really stake your claim at the top in 2019, one must offer a whopping 512GB storage. A number previously unthinkable on a smartphone, but as we know, the numbers keep going up and up. The Xiaomi Mi MIX 3, among its many other attractive qualities, comes with 128GB-512GB storage depending on configuration. The Samsung's new Galaxy S10 can have up to 512GB, and the Galaxy S10 Plus can go all the way up to an absurd 1TB, or 1,000GB!

Suffice to say, that such an outrageous number may become more common years from now, but hardly anyone has a need to keep such vasts amounts of data on their smartphone. If money is no object, or if you're using your phone as a mobile workstation to create and edit videos, then you might be grateful that a smartphone can now break the 500GB mark. But most of us will struggle to fill up 128GB.

There is no definite answer

Your budget and the way you use your smartphone are the two factors to consider when choosing the best memory option to suit your needs. Media files take up a lot of space, and one way to solve this problem is to reduce photo quality in your camera's settings. However, this is not ideal if you're a keen photographer, so forget devices with 16 or 32GB is this is the case.

Regarding apps, you can enjoy music and TV series by using streaming services such as Spotify and Netflix, for games though, it's different. Gamers: compromising isn't an option, you need to go for more storage. As for other users who only like to play games occasionally, you should ensure that you clean up unused apps, and any other type of unwanted files.

• The best Android games that deserve space in your internal memory

Go to the settings on your smartphone, how much memory do you have available? How much memory would you ideally like to have on a new device? Let us know in the comments.