In today's era of modern technology, storage capacity has become a very important factor in selecting electronic gadgets. Be it a new smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer, an analysis of your storage needs would determine the right choice.
This article will guide you through the process of determining your device storage requirements, helping you avoid the frustration of running out of space or overpaying for unnecessary capacity.
A few major factors go towards your overall requirements of storage. These include:
Different types of files occupy varying amounts of space. Text documents are quite small, but high-resolution photos, videos, and audio files take no time to fill up your device.
How you use your machine determines a great deal about how much storage you'll need. Are you a light user, or do you just use the Internet and do email, or are you a power user editing videos and keeping large databases?
The programs and OS you will be using can take up a considerable amount of space. Professional suites, video games, and specialized applications may take up a high amount of storage.
Knowing how much storage different file types take will give you a rough idea of your needs:
Plain documents such as Word and Excel files usually take from a few kilobytes to a couple of megabytes. They do not exceed space, even when in thousands.
Photos
The size of photo files depends on resolution and format. A typical smartphone photo has about 2-5 MB, with high-resolution DSLR photos reaching over 20 MB per image.
The average size of an MP3 file is around 3-5 MB per minute of audio. A typical album would take up 30-60 MB of storage.
Video files are among the most demanding file types when it comes to storage. One full-length HD movie can easily fill up 4-8 GB of storage, and 4K videos can be even larger.
Before knowing your future needs, let us analyze your current use in the following manner:
Most devices have built-in facilities to view their storage usage: File Explorer under Windows, About This Mac for macOS, Settings under iOS and Android, and selecting Storage.
See what types of files take up all your storage to find where you may want to increase storage, or where possible cut some fat.
If you store data on the cloud, think about how much data you are storing on your device versus remotely.
Manufacturers of devices tend to sell storage in standardized capacities:
Common options include 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, with some high-end models offering 1TB or more.
For computers, storage capacity usually starts at 128GB for SSDs, and up to several terabytes for traditional hard drives.
External hard drives and SSDs range in capacity from a low of 128GB to 18TB or more.
You predict your future storage needs based on various factors:
Estimate your data acquisition rate over the last year or two. Then, project that forwards to predict your growth.
Think about what projects you are planning shortly that might change how much storage you need, like starting a YouTube channel or a new hobby involving photography.
Keep in mind that, in general, file sizes are increasing as technology is improving. A good example is the leap from HD to 4K video, which has greatly increased the storage needed for the latter.
Cloud storage can considerably lower your device storage requirements:
Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud are some of the services that enable you to store files online, eliminating the need for storing them locally.
Cloud storage enables easy access to your files across multiple devices, potentially reducing the need for large storage on each device.
While cloud storage is convenient, consider factors such as internet connectivity, subscription costs, and privacy concerns when relying heavily on these services.
Your storage requirements can vary greatly depending on your user profile:
For those who use their devices merely for web browsing, email, and little more than light document work, 64GB to 128GB could be just fine.
Users who work with larger files, multiple applications, and local storage for documents may need to aim for 256GB to 512 GB.
Photographers, videographers, and other creatives working with big media files will need 1TB or more of storage.
Modern games can take up 50GB or more each, and avid gamers might find they need 1TB to 2TB of storage for their game library.
As tempting as it is to invest in the highest storage capacity on offer, it's essential to weigh the cost against your actual requirements:
Look out for devices that support storage expansion with SD cards or are upgradeable internally.
External hard drives and NAS devices can be added when more storage is required.
Good file management and periodic purging of data not needed will go a long way in extending the life of existing storage.
Choosing the storage of your device does not have to be a daunting process. Assessing your current usage and looking at your user profile, a projection of the requirements will get you to an informed decision in a manner that balances cost versus functionality. Often, it's better to have a little more storage than you think you might need to accommodate surprise growth.
If you are still confused and want personalized advice based on your condition, then do not hesitate to call us. With Vudu Consulting, one could be assisted regarding every other solution covering technology solutions related to storage or otherwise.
Expert analysis can point out ways in which an individual can ascertain their usage, recommend ideal device storage, or even develop and manage a plan for storing information to help their storage devices reach maximum capacity. Don't let storage limitations hold you back; reach out today for a customized solution to fit your specific needs.
