iPhone 16 Pro 16 Pro – 128GB or 256GB

[KhunJay]

Deciding between 128GB and 256GB iPhone 16 Pro....normally I would pick 128 straight away
but it gives me pause when i think of the new Apple Intelligence iOS and beyond...esp the sizes of apps
that will use Apple Intelligence in future.

What is the likelihood that app sizes and iOS sizes might be significantly heavier with Apple Intelligence in play?

Do I stick to 128GB or go 256GB...I dont upgrade frequently so this model will need to last 7-8 years.

 

[ubinko]

256. Photos and videos take more space with the higher resolutions.

 

[Shirasaki]

If you want your phone to last 7-8 years, go with 256 or even 512GB. App size will grow regardless of AI or not. Stuff will become heavier by the day. Get more storage now so when the time comes you wont be pressured by storage that much.

 

[4sallypat]

Originally bought at Pre order 128GB Pro but after watching all the reviewers on the photo & video abilities, I switched to 256GB - picked up at the Apple store on Saturday.

Past 5 years never needed more than 128GB (normally I use up less than half), but this 16 Pro I bought, made me start taking more photos and 4K videos.

Really glad I got the 256GB.

 

[th1nk]

256 is minimum these days.

 

[msackey]

Deciding between 128GB and 256GB iPhone 16 Pro....normally I would pick 128 straight away
but it gives me pause when i think of the new Apple Intelligence iOS and beyond...esp the sizes of apps
that will use Apple Intelligence in future.

What is the likelihood that app sizes and iOS sizes might be significantly heavier with Apple Intelligence in play?

Do I stick to 128GB or go 256GB...I dont upgrade frequently so this model will need to last 7-8 years.

If you're going to want it to last 7 to 8 years, go for the 256GB.

BTW, I saw this tip from Apple and when I read it, it's a great tip and I also though how stupid that I didn't think of it before. They suggest looking at how much storage your phone is and how much is left. If it's just a bit left, then upgrade to the next level, if the free space left is adequate, then you may not need to go for a higher storage amount.

 

[KhunJay]

BTW, I saw this tip from Apple ...They suggest looking at how much storage your phone is and how much is left. If it's just a bit left, then upgrade to the next level, if the free space left is adequate, then you may not need to go for a higher storage amount.

Well, for reference I am on a 64GB iPhoneX and only 39 GB is being used at the moment.

That's why I thought 128GB on an AI phone made sense...but then I thought about growing app sizes and OS updates.

I do take photographs of things occasionally but videos I don't.

 

[msackey]

Well, for reference I am on a 64GB iPhoneX and only 39 GB is being used at the moment.

Only 39Gb used. Hmmm....then I would investigate whether there are certain features that are only available in models that are greater than 128gb and then see if not having those features matter.

For example, and this could be technically wrong but conceptually it is correct: I believe it is only at the 256Gb or some higher storage level will Apple enable some high video resolution recording. I don't care to record videos, so that aspect I didn't care about.

As to how to find what features are only available at certain storage levels, I believe you can look at the footnotes that are in the product pages. If someone knows of a better way, let us know!

 

[msackey]

By the way, not upgrading until 7 to 8 years later is really quite impressive -- to me. I don't upgrade often but the times I did upgrade were either because I got tired of replacing swollen battery several times or the phone just broke.

My first iPhone was a hand-me-down iPhone 4S

I upgraded to an iPhone 6 because it seems the 4S was having trouble with making international calls abroad and we thought something was broken. When the iPhone 6 was also having trouble too, we did some investigation and it turned out my carrier ACCIDENTALLY turn on some setting to prevent my phone from making calls while abroad. That was stupid. So I upgraded for nothing. Actually, to make this even stupider was when we had the 4s and we checked with the carrerir about why we can't make calls while abroad, they looked at the user account and said everything is in order and you should be able to make the calls. So we thought our 4s was having problems so I upgraded. Only in digging deeper and deeper did the carrier find out that some "hidden" setting was accidentally turned on. UGH.

Then the iPhone 6 I upgraded to iPhone Xs because the iPhone 6 battery kept swelling up and I replaced the battery twice already.

The iPhone Xs died after several years -- could not charge -- so I'm now with my current iPhone 12 Pro. I like almost everything about it but would like the improve camera and battery life. 2x zoom is just not quite enough. Even 5x zoom isn't always enough though it is of course better than just 2x zoom.

The iPhone 16 Pro certainly looks enticing with the better camera (and I LOVE the Camera Control; I tried it out in the store; LOVE IT!) and battery life.

 

[msackey]

256 is minimum these days.

You'd think so, but if OP only used 39GB on their current phone, maybe 128GB is enough?

 

[ProbablyDylan]

One has to assess their own needs. When I was buying 128GB units, I found myself using up 100+ GB of storage. I bumped myself up to 256GB.

If you're only using ~39GB, I think you would be ok with 128GB.

 

[TechnoMonk]

Depends on how long you are keeping the device. I use 256 GB 13 PM, would upgrade to 512 GB iPhone 19 or 20. The trade in value for higher end storage is abysmal. If you depend on trade in, expect not much more than base model.

 

[littlepud]

256 mandatory. I had filled up my 13 Pto Max with 128.

 

[dave006]

Do I stick to 128GB or go 256GB...I dont upgrade frequently so this model will need to last 7-8 years.

Well it should be a very easy decision if you want to keep your iPhone 16 Pro for that long of a period of time. $999 vs $1099 = $100 over say just 5 years is only $20 per year. The price for 256 or 512 is $1099 vs $1299 = $200 over say 5 years is $40 per year.

I would vote for the iPhone 16 Pro 256GB based on your input variables.

Dave

 

[WarmWinterHat]

256 is minimum these days.

It depends, I have a 256gb 13 Pro and I'm only using 59gb. I've never came close to filling half my storage.

I bought the higher storage tier thinking I would grow into the space but I never did.

 

[pugxiwawa]

depends on if Apple pulls a fast one again with slower ssd on 128gb.

 

[gamerdude]

I always buy the cheapest as I pay for 2TB iCloud. Apple gives you same trade in value (if you are trading in) regardless of storage.

 

[PeteS1963]

I often wonder what people are doing to use up so much storange IF they are using iCloud for photos and video etc. I have a 128GB iPhone 14 Pro. I have 1400 videos, nearly all 4k@60fps, plus 33,200 photos, about 1/4 Raw. But photos (inc video) only takes up 7.5GB on my phone. And I still have 44GB free. Because I use iCloud my photo and video taking over the last year has only used up a couple of GB. Mind, I’m certainly not bothered about games or fancy apps so perhaps that’s it.

 

[KhunJay]

Im starting to think 256GB will be overkill for me.
I thought the higher camera resolution might require 256 but my current photo folder only takes up 2.9GB

Im leaning towards 128 now...I mistakenly assumed that AI and supporting apps would need larger storage to run optimally.

 

[Macsidia]

Im starting to think 256GB will be overkill for me.
I thought the higher camera resolution might require 256 but my current photo folder only takes up 2.9GB

Im leaning towards 128 now...I mistakenly assumed that AI and supporting apps would need larger storage to run optimally.

Just get the 256GB £/$100 extra over 7-8 years will give you storage peace of mind more than anything else.

 

[KhunJay]

depends on if Apple pulls a fast one again with slower ssd on 128gb.

Mac memory and iPhone storage is different....former is ssd iPhone is flash storage.
So I assume all iPhone 16 Pro will have the same processing speed...

 

[KhunJay]

Just get the 256GB £/$100 extra over 7-8 years will give you storage peace of mind more than anything else.

Its not so much about money...its about knowing I'm never going to use that extra 128GB unless I transform
overnight into one of those influencers who shoots, edits, uploads and stores 4K videos every day.
That's just not my use case.

 

[msackey]

OP might find this article interesting:

This is how much iPhone storage Apple Intelligence will require - 9to5Mac

Apple has published the storage requirements for Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.1. Here’s how much free iPhone storage you’ll need.

9to5mac.com

Update: given what this article suggests, it seems to me that if you are going to keep your phone for 7 to 8 years, you might aim to put out just a little more money to go from 128gb to 256gb. It is unknown at this time how much Apple AI will take. While it probably won't take like say 100gb, why not give yourself a bit of wiggle room to play with?

The difference between 128gb and 256gb is just $100. That, to me, is money well spent if you're going to keep your phone for 7 to 8 years AND want to be sure that you can make good use of Apple Intelligence.

If you have like ZERO interest in that new feature and strongly believe that your interests and how you use the phone will be as they are now, then 128gb is very likely more than adequate.

 

[Macsidia]

Its not so much about money...its about knowing I'm never going to use that extra 128GB unless I transform
overnight into one of those influencers who shoots, edits, uploads and stores 4K videos every day.
That's just not my use case.

Well you have answered your own question there. Just get the 128.

 

[wannaza]

Originally bought at Pre order 128GB Pro but after watching all the reviewers on the photo & video abilities, I switched to 256GB - picked up at the Apple store on Saturday.

Past 5 years never needed more than 128GB (normally I use up less than half), but this 16 Pro I bought, made me start taking more photos and 4K videos.

Really glad I got the 256GB.

View attachment 2426147

I have the same dilemma as the OP, I'm planning to upgrade from iPhone 12 128gb to iPhone 16 Pro, but should I stick with 128gb or increase to 256gb? After 4 years, I only use 86gb, so I thought maybe 128gb is enough, but when I read your post, hey we have the same thinking. Maybe when I have the 16 Pro, I should start taking more photos and videos, why buy 16 Pro if you're not using the using the camera function isn't it? I might just add extra $100 and go for 256gb. Better have it but don't need then need it but don't have it.