iPad 64 GB iPhone & 16GB iPad; big enough iPad?

[Peter K.]

I currently have a 64 GB iPhone 5 and really want an iPad (not mini). Due to budget constraints, I can't really afford to buy what I'd like to - a 64 GB iPad 4 with LTE connectivity. So, I figure that I can afford one of the 3 (or 4?) following options:

1. 16 GB iPad 4 (Wi-Fi Only)
2. 32 GB iPad 3 (Wi-Fi Only, Refurbished)
3. 16 GB iPad 3 (Wi-Fi + Cellular, Refurbished)

BIG Stretch:

4. 32 GB iPad 4 (Wi-Fi Only)

The two key questions are:

1. Is a 16 GB iPad big enough, storage space-wise, for someone used to a 64 GB iPhone 5?
2. Is LTE (Cellular) connectivity worth buying, even though I can't see myself needing/using it in the near future?

Thanks in advance.

 

[EricByer]

Why not just wait until you can afford the configuration you want?

That said, I have a iPhone 4S 64gb and I've only owned 16gb iPads (iPad Wifi, iPad 2 Wifi and iPad 3 Wifi/ LTE). It really depends on how you want to use the iPad. I used mine mainly for surfing the internet and email from the couch and on short weekend trips so I didn't really need that much storage or the LTE connectivity (though it was fast and fun to play with for the month I decided to subscribe). I found that 16gb was more than enough space for the apps I wanted to run and the occasional photo album.

 

[KeepCalmPeople]

I currently have a 64 GB iPhone 5 and really want an iPad (not mini). Due to budget constraints, I can't really afford to buy what I'd like to - a 64 GB iPad 4 with LTE connectivity. So, I figure that I can afford one of the 3 (or 4?) following options:

1. 16 GB iPad 4 (Wi-Fi Only)
2. 32 GB iPad 3 (Wi-Fi Only, Refurbished)
3. 16 GB iPad 3 (Wi-Fi + Cellular, Refurbished)

BIG Stretch:

4. 32 GB iPad 4 (Wi-Fi Only)

The two key questions are:

1. Is a 16 GB iPad big enough, storage space-wise, for someone used to a 64 GB iPhone 5?
2. Is LTE (Cellular) connectivity worth buying, even though I can't see myself needing/using it in the near future?

Thanks in advance.

If money is tight and you're not sure if you'd use the cellular capability, then the sensible option is to go for a wi-fi only iPad and use the personal hotspot on your iPhone 5 for connectivity, assuming you have that option. Cellular iPads don't hold their value as well as wi-fi (in my opinion, based on anecdotal evidence, I might be wrong), and certainly the 64GB iPads don't hold their value (percentage-wise) as well as the 16GB.

The question of space needs is difficult. You don't mention how much of your 64GB iPhone you are using, and for what.

Most argue that 32GB is the sweet spot, unless you have no desire to store videos or a huge music collection, in which case you can get away with 16GB.

If this is your first iPad and you think you might sell and upgrade in a year, get 16GB.

 

[Peter K.]

Some answers:

Yes, I neglected to say how full my iPhone is right now. I currently have just over 40 GB of free space; however, 10 GB of my used storage space is occupied with music. As another poster said, I likely won't keep much music on the iPad, or even tons of video content. Most of the iPad usage I can predict will be in-home web surfing, Netflix streaming, and iPhoto editing.

So, the question is: will 16 GB be enough for the copious amount of apps and photos likely to reside on my iPad? Obviously, I don't NEED cellular connectivity at all; I was just trying to future-proof the situation.

Regarding the poster's input about resale, even if I see myself upgrading in a year (to an iPad 5/retina iPad mini), it isn't likely that I'll sell this one.

P.S. - "Afford", in this case, really means "feel comfortable spending".

P.P.S. - Tethering is not an option, at least until at&t succeeds at bullying me into dropping my grandfathered unlimited data plan.

 

[Peter K.]

One other thing:

P.P.P.S. - The iPhone 5 is my first iOS product, so keeping an all-Lightning connector portfolio is important to me, despite the obvious savings going with a refurbished iPad 3 would provide.

 

[M87]

I think 16GB is fine for iPad. I stream music and video content rather than storing it locally, so that helps a lot. Some apps can be quite big, but after syncing all the apps I want and more I still have more than 5GB left on a 16GB iPad. I find it quite comfortable. It all comes down to how much content you want stored locally.

 

[weas]

I think 16gb is way too short for an iPad 3 or 4. Latest apps are gettiing really big for the retina display, and you will have more stuff you probably wouldn't have on an iPhone. Pdfs, movies....

 

[Breaking Good]

P.P.P.S. - The iPhone 5 is my first iOS product, so keeping an all-Lightning connector portfolio is important to me, despite the obvious savings going with a refurbished iPad 3 would provide.

I'm thinking that you might want to try for the big stretch here and get the 32GB iPad 4.

Unless you are going to store a lot of video on your iPad, 32GB should be fine for quite some time and I would expect the iPad 4 to be supported for quite some time.

If you really just looking for something to consume content (surf internet, read) then I think I would wait until a 16GB iPad 3 WiFi refurb becomes available and grab that. Then start saving so you can get the next release of the iPad whenever that happens.

(Note, I don't want to start an argument about when Apple will release the next generation of iPad as that is not the purpose of this thread. Suffice to say that I am pretty confident Apple will release an updated version of the iPad someday.)