Do You Actually Need 64GB of Storage?

Storage capacity decisions have gotten complicated with all the options and opinions flying around. As someone who has filled up more hard drives than I care to admit — mostly with flight sim scenery addons and aircraft mods — I learned everything there is to know about whether 64GB cuts it for modern devices. Today, I will share it all with you.

First, Figure Out How You Actually Use Your Device

This is the question nobody wants to sit down and honestly answer. Do you hoard apps? Is your photo library a disaster zone of duplicates? Are you downloading entire Netflix seasons for flights? Your storage needs are personal, and 64GB might be plenty or painfully tight depending on your habits.

Apps and Software Eat More Than You Think

Probably should have led with this section, honestly. A few games can easily gobble up 10-15GB on their own. Throw in social media apps, productivity tools, and the operating system itself, and you’ve consumed a big chunk before you’ve even started using the device. iOS and Android updates need temporary breathing room too, which eats into available space.

If you’re the type who installs everything and forgets about it, 64GB will start feeling tight within a year. Trust me on this one.

Photos and Videos — The Silent Storage Killers

Modern phone cameras shoot at insane resolutions. Each photo takes up more space than it used to. And video? A few minutes of 4K footage can burn through gigabytes like nothing. I once shot a 20-minute video walkthrough of an aviation museum and it ate 8GB. Just from my phone camera.

Cloud storage helps offload the burden, but you still need local space for the stuff you access regularly. Nobody wants to wait for a cloud download every time they want to look at vacation photos.

Music and Media Downloads

Streaming services have reduced how much local storage most people need for music and movies. But offline playlists exist for a reason — flights, road trips, spotty connections. If you download playlists for offline listening or save movies for travel, those files add up. Lossless audio formats especially. A good quality music library can surprise you with how much space it demands.

When 64GB Is Actually Fine

Not everyone needs a terabyte in their pocket. If you’re a cloud-first person who streams everything and backs up photos automatically, 64GB works. My mom uses 64GB and hasn’t complained once. She streams music, takes occasional photos that auto-backup to Google Photos, and uses maybe a dozen apps. Perfect use case.

Cloud Services That Help

• Google Photos: Automatically backs up your camera roll and frees local space. Dead simple and it works well.
• Amazon and iCloud Services: Solid backup and storage options that take the pressure off your device’s internal storage.

Practical Storage Habits

• Go through your apps every couple of months. Delete the ones you haven’t opened since you installed them.
• Move videos and raw photos to a computer or external drive periodically.
• Stream instead of download when you have reliable internet access.

The Downsides of Going Small

The biggest risk with 64GB is hitting the wall unexpectedly. You’re trying to take a photo at exactly the wrong moment and your phone says “Storage Full.” Or you can’t update your OS because there’s no room. It’s frustrating, and managing it takes effort that gets old fast.

There’s also the future-proofing angle. Apps get bigger. Photos get higher resolution. OS updates get heavier. What feels comfortable today might feel cramped in eighteen months. If you’re planning to keep your device for more than two years, think hard about whether 64GB will age well.

The Cost Angle

That’s what makes the 64GB option endearing to us budget-conscious buyers — it keeps the initial price down. You save real money choosing the base model over a 128GB or 256GB variant. But be honest about hidden costs. Cloud storage subscriptions add up monthly. External drives cost money too. Sometimes paying more upfront saves you hassle and expense down the road.

Which Devices Even Offer 64GB Anymore?

Smartphones, tablets, and entry-level laptops commonly include 64GB as their base tier. You’ll see it on both iOS and Android devices. Mid-range tablets often default to it. High-performance laptops aimed at professionals have mostly moved past it, because anyone doing real work needs more breathing room.

The Ideal 64GB User

You’re a good fit for 64GB if you keep things lean. Cloud-integrated lifestyle. Light app usage. You don’t shoot tons of video. You stream your music and movies. You clean up your device regularly without being asked. If that describes you, 64GB works perfectly and saves you money.

If that doesn’t sound like you — if you hoard apps, shoot tons of photos, download everything, and never delete anything — bump up to 128GB minimum. You’ll thank yourself later.

Making 64GB Work Long-Term

• Use cloud storage aggressively. Back up everything you can.
• Adjust camera settings to shoot at slightly lower resolutions if storage is your priority over print-quality photos.
• Clear app caches regularly. Some apps store gigabytes of cached data that you’ll never notice missing.

Bottom Line

Storage choice matters more than people give it credit for. 64GB can absolutely work for the right user with the right habits. But go in with your eyes open. Think about how your needs might change over the next couple of years. There’s no universal right answer here — just the one that fits your actual usage patterns. Take ten minutes to check your current storage breakdown before buying, and you’ll make a much smarter decision.