iPhone 7 storage options: Why 32 GB is likely not enough – CNET

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Apple’s iPhone 7 wants you to cut the cord
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Apple has finally done away with the rather abysmal, 16 GB model in its iPhone lineup. Starting with the iPhone 7, you have the option of 32 GB, 128 GB and a whopping 256 GB.

Technically, Apple left one 16 GB model available in the lineup – the iPhone SE – but who can concentrate on that when there’s a Jet Black iPhone 7 Plus? Not me.

For someone who is antsy to order Apple’s latest wares, which model should you get? Let’s take a look.

Is 32 GB enough?

If you current own a 16 GB iPhone, you probably endure the ongoing message warning that your iPhone’s storage is full. It’s why Google made that hilarious Google Photos commercial that makes fun of smaller iPhone models, without actually naming the iPhone.

You might be compelled to automatically choose the 32 GB, since it’s the same price as last year’s 16 GB model. But…I plead with you to really ask yourself: is 32 GB enough? Odds are, it’s not.

How often did you clear photos, videos, apps or delete Messages conversations? Now consider that the new Memories feature in the photo app and the sticker- and photo-heavy revision of the Messages app might make you accumulate more data — and want to keep it around.

There’s also Apple Music playlists you download for offline listening, YouTube Red video downloads, 4K video recording and high-resolution photos. Add those to everything else and 32 GB might feel like 16 GB all over again.

If you hardly ever found yourself clearing space with 16 GB, though, the 32 GB is most likely just right for you.

128 GB is the sweet spot

At first 128 GB may seem overkill. 128 GBs! That’s eight times the amount os space the 16 GB iPhone has!

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Even though it was once considered to be a luxurious amount of storage, 128 GB is most likely the sweet spot going forward. It provides enough space to keep a healthy Photos and Music library on the iPhone, without forcing you to pick and choose what gets to stay and what gets deleted.

If you snap a lot of photos, and record a lot of 4K video, the 128 GB will ensure you don’t have to worry about running out of storage.

Who needs 256 GB?

If your phone is your lifeline to the outside world, holding work documents, photos, movies, videos, songs, apps and games, this is the phone you’re looking for.

I own a 128 GB iPad Pro, which is essentially my work computer and I’ve come nowhere near filling it. But that’s also likely because I rely on cloud storage quite a bit.

256 GB can hold an adequate amount of movies for long flights and all of your documents for that upcoming presentation with plenty of room to spare.

You can’t add a memory card

Remember that. Apple doesn’t offer an option with expandable storage, so what you buy now is what you’re stuck with two-years from now. For $100 more, you go from 32 GB to 128 GB. Break that down with one of the carrier leasing programs and it’s only a few extra dollars a month. In the end, avoiding a headache of constantly managing storage is well worth the extra cost.