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Worth getting 32GB over the 16GB?

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dw3bb10

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 1, 2008
283
6
Im making the jump from Android (Samsung GS2) over to an iPhone 5. I have 32GB of storage currently, 16GB built in, and a 16GB SD card. The majority of my storage is allocated for apps, and pictures. Music wise, I stream everything. Pandora, iHeartRadio, and Google Music (Stream my 50GB+ Music library). So with my uses, I dont even use 16GB. A part of me is TIRED of waiting for a 16GB iPhone, but my local Sprint stores have 32GB models in stock.

If i didn't store music on my phone, would there be any reason to get the 32GB model over the 16? What are app sizes like? Pictures files? Video? More than likely, I would probably get into some jailbreaking, when eventually available, because I like to tinker. Would I benefit in the long run? Trying to justify just going tomorrow and picking up a 32GB model as opposed to waiting a month for a 16GB model. Lol.
 
I went with the 32 because my 16 kept filling up. However, I believe 6 GB's of that was music, so you should be okay with just 16 GB.

I think if I were in your postion though, being able to get it sooner and not having to worry about storage would be worth the extra $100.
 
Ultimately, only you can decide whether you have the need or not. I have a feeling you will opt for the 32gb model. ;)

ETA: If the extra $100.00 is of no significance to you, I would choose the 32.
 
i use about 4gb for apps on mine, but i have light app usage and almost no games. if you like games, each is 0.5 to 1+gb.

most of my space goes towards music(32gb), photos(10gb), and free space to take more photos/videos(10gb)
there's also an "other" section that is taking between 1.5 and 2.5gb - i have no idea why.

keep in mind a 16gb iPhone will have 14gb available.
 
If you do a lot of pics & videos I would def choose higher capacity as the HD video eats up space. Also consider your resell down the road will be a little more as it will appeal to people wanting more space.

Plus like you said NO waiting!
 
Get the 32 gig model.

I would definitely recommend the 32 gig model as the lowest internal hard drive storage size.

The 16 gig model is way to low. I have to keep removing apps in order to make room for more pictures or family videos.

I've had 16 gigs for two iPhones (4 years) now and I am deciding on either the 32 or 64 gig models for my next cell.
 
Alx9876 said:
I would definitely recommend the 32 gig model as the lowest internal hard drive storage size.

The 16 gig model is way to low. I have to keep removing apps in order to make room for more pictures or family videos.

I've had 16 gigs for two iPhones (4 years) now and I am deciding on either the 32 or 64 gig models for my next cell.
Click to expand...

What takes up so much space on your phone?
 
The iP5 takes 1080p video. Having plenty of free space for shooting and storing HD video is nice.
 
lookn4wifi said:
The iP5 takes 1080p video. Having plenty of free space for shooting and storing HD video is nice.
Click to expand...
Yes if for example you have a family and take videos a short vacation without your laptop can eat up the memory.

i went 32 on our IP5s because I like to watch films I have ripped from my blu rays while traveling.I have them on my home server in 1080 and 720. I can reduce them but the amount of my time setting up renecoding would add up to $100 easily pretty quickly. If you are coming from anything but apple their pa 3x as much for memory and you dont get to wait to scale schme feels like highway robbery. But you do know that absurd premium going into your purchase.

I just bought a sandisk ultra high speed 64gb micro sd for $40 for one of our s3's (free shipping no tax to boot) and paying $100 for 16GB extra on an iphone hurts like heck.

So an 80 GB s3 just cost me $140 (I bought an s3 when amazon had them for $99) , and cost $240 today. a 64 Gb IP5 costs $400. or or put it another way:
64 extra gig on a samsung =$40
48 extra gig on an IP5=$200
 
id say 100%

I had originally preordered a 16G iphone 5 black. Before that I had a 16G iphone 4. I was so worried that i made the wrong decision that I even made this thread:https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1442920/

I guess i started to feel comforted by all the responses about using itunes match and services like dropbox and google drive.... But still the whole situation made me feel unsure.

So i was waiting in line outside my cellular provider store on they day of the launch and all I could think about was would 16g be enough.. Sure i didn't play that many games and sure I didnt store that many videos on my phone and sure I didn't need THAT much of my music on my phone all the time... Then the store opened and they told us they had only the preorders. I was happy because mine was one of them. Then out of nowhere I was compelled to just leave the store. I walked through the mall, stumbled upon a small telecommunications store, walked in and asked if they had any 32g iphone 5 left. Amazingly they said yes and that i could still upgrade through my provider.WOW! I was shocked! And through impulse i did it! and i'm soo happy i did. I would NEVER go back to the 16g unless i was using my iphone as a CELL PHONE. You wouldn't believe the world of a difference the extra 16g's makes. I don't have to constantly worry about deleting apps or managing my music daily. It has truley become my go to device. My advice is that you do the same. You'll be happy you did!:D
 
I didn't think so, so I saved a hundred bucks and went with the 16GB (plus more availability of that size too)
 
Got me a 64gb, but was original going for a 32, but they only had one 64 left, and 16gb was to small, for my use. I do have a lot of music, apps and pictures on mine. But what i liked about the 32, was that i didn't have to worry that much about what i put on there. But in the end, it all comes down to what you're gonna use it for. If you don't really use it for music/videos or games, a 16gb would prolly do it for you.
 
dw3bb10 said:
Im making the jump from Android (Samsung GS2) over to an iPhone 5. I have 32GB of storage currently, 16GB built in, and a 16GB SD card. The majority of my storage is allocated for apps, and pictures. Music wise, I stream everything. Pandora, iHeartRadio, and Google Music (Stream my 50GB+ Music library). So with my uses, I dont even use 16GB. A part of me is TIRED of waiting for a 16GB iPhone, but my local Sprint stores have 32GB models in stock.

If i didn't store music on my phone, would there be any reason to get the 32GB model over the 16? What are app sizes like? Pictures files? Video? More than likely, I would probably get into some jailbreaking, when eventually available, because I like to tinker. Would I benefit in the long run? Trying to justify just going tomorrow and picking up a 32GB model as opposed to waiting a month for a 16GB model. Lol.
Click to expand...

It's not worth the $100 for me at all.

I use very little space though. Mainly pics.

I stream all my music too.
 
I maxed out of the 16 years ago, and I've been bumping up against the 32 for about a year now, so for me, the 64 was a no brainer. I DON'T stream my music, though. I like to keep a lot of my music and podcasts in my phone, and only stream radio stations. I also have ~2GB of "other," which is stuff like texts and app data, and I currently have 165 apps. A couple of those are really large, like Navigon (takes up at least 1GB on its own), but it's worth it to me. I also have a LOT of pictures in my phone. Again, that works for me, but not everyone.
 
dw3bb10 said:
What takes up so much space on your phone?
Click to expand...

My apps are taking up most of my space on my cell. I had to delete lots of everything in order to keep doing everything else.

Movies and tv shows take up the 2nd most space.
 
64gb is the best way to go. It's a relatively small price to pay for the massive increase in storage.
 
lamenramen said:
64gb is the best way to go. It's a relatively small price to pay for the massive increase in storage.
Click to expand...

Well, its good space for that money, now thats true but its so unnecessary its unbelieveable. 64 gigs? Thats alot of pr0n man. Its just sick.
 
I would say yes, even if you don't load your phone with videos and have a 20GB music collection. In the past, I would recommend the 16 if you don't have much stuff to put on your phone. The reason the 5 is different is that the OS itself takes up something like 4GB. So your brand new 16 will only have 12 GB free. After loading all my apps, and 30 songs or so, I was already about halfway through.

On my new 32GB, with apps only, I have 24 GB left.

I just don't want to deal with shuffling things on and off the phone. But if you are sure you won't reach your limit, then go for the 16. Why not.
 
i opted for the 64 gig version. i've easily outgrown the 32 gig version.

music will take up the most space if you use your phone at the gym or at work to listen to music. i have 30 gigs of music and while most people don't load up all their music on their iphones i do because my my iphone serves as a music backup device. i sleep better knowing that if my laptop crashes i can always use iphone browser to get my music back off my iphone.

btw, i also have all of my pictures and i mean all of them on my iphone too. so basically for me the iphone = my time machine of sorts.
 
The last 3 iPhones I've had were 32GB and they were almost full all the time.. especially after the birth of my daughter.. then my wife and I had nearly full phones all the time with all the pictures, videos etc..

This time I think I'm going to kick in another $100 and go with 64gb..

I say always go a bit more than you think you'd use. It''s likely you won't regret it.
 
scmguru said:
I say always go a bit more than you think you'd use. It''s likely you won't regret it.
Click to expand...

This^^^
Rule of thumb: get the largest you can afford. If you don't fill it with music, videos and pics, that's fine- but you will have the room.
And if you DO get close to maxing it out, you'll understand why it's better to have the space you do,
 
I have a lot of music, so 32gb is minimum for me.

But if you stream a lot, maybe 16gb is ok - but I'd rather future proof a bit. You can't add storage afterwards!
 
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