Is 16GB really that bad?

[joeblow7777]

I mentioned a little while back about a coworker of mine who bought an SE. I expressed some surprise when he mentioned that he got the 16GB model, but he just kind of shrugged and said that it's fine (he had replaced a 16GB iPhone 5). He said he streams his music and he transfers photos and videos to his computer rather than keeping them on his phone.

Everyone has different needs so 16GB really is sufficient for some.

 

[viperGTS]

16GB isn't terrible, and I hoard pictures and videos I shoot on it. Here are my stats currently:
• 2.7 GB of mostly useless Photos and Videos
• 1.6 GB of Messages and attachments
• 977 MB of Music
• Infinity Blade installed, which takes 945 MB
• Snapchat, currently eating up 302 MB (though the app cleans itself regularly)
• Twitter with nearly 267 MB used (it cleans itself too)
• A bunch of other apps that take up about 1.5 GB combined

I currently have 553 MB left, which isn't bad. Once I rid of Infinity Blade (I need to figure out a solution for backing up app data since apps are sandboxed even more now) and clear my useless photos/videos, I'll be well over 2GB again. 16GB is totally usable.

 

[Savor]

It was actually my Nexus One's internal storage limitations that taught me how to be frugal with storage. It had an sd slot but not all apps could be moved to it and Nexus One had less than 200mb internally. Limitations taught me to be creative and frugal, which led to being efficient with storage space, RAM, battery life, and price value. Thanks, Android. Being kinda sucky back in the Gingerbread era made me wiser. We learn more from mistakes than successes.

I really only use about 40 apps with Android. Same ones I have used for 3+ years. With iOS, maybe less than that since it doesn't have the system or maintenance apps I need. With that said coming from someone like me who is very efficient with storage space and would even list the videos on my phone depending on its size, avoid 16gb like a plague. Imagine recording an HD video but you ran out of space when the special moment happened?

My personal bare minimum is 32gb if I don't store 30 of my favorite movies and most are in 720p. My phones with 64gb have about 9gb left if I store my 30 fav films since it eats over 20gb. But if I don't store much HD movies, 32gb is sufficient enough to store all my photos and music with about 15gb for other stuff. Impossible for me to store all my videos since I can reach 2tb if I really wanted to. But I am picky with the videos stored in my phones.

If you aren't a gamer, videos is the biggest culprit in taking up the most storage. Photos and music are starting to have similar sizes too now that the default megapixel count goes up. Taking over 250 photos can eat up as much as 1gb. You take 1000 photos, that's 4gb! Think ahead since in the next few years, you may take alot of photos. It is possible to live with 16gb if you clear out most of your media, only text and browse on it, and only store very little media and apps, but I wouldn't try it again.

Sucks when you want to show a random video or photo to someone but it is on my "other" phone with an sd slot at home. Internal storage ONLY sucks monkey balls but you got to live by Apple's rule. Always get more than what you need right now because the future software and media can get bigger later. Be forward thinking with your storage space. Never be short-sighted or you will regret it later.

 

[SweetApples]

I feel like if Apple is finally ditching the 16GB model, users who bought an Iphone 6s or plus with a 16GB model should get a discount of the iPhone 7 32GB base model. It's so unfair, apple should be smart enough to know 16GB is a rip off Based on all you guys comments, 64 GB is in my future. I have a cheap HTC desire 626s and I only have 8GB and I don't have hardly anything on my phone and I have to keep on deleting stuff on my phone. Most annoying thing ever.

 

[Cole Slaw]

Don't buy a 16 GB iOS device.
IF you could use an SD card it might be acceptable, but I wouldn't want a phone with only 16 GB internal and no expandability.

 

[C DM]

I feel like if Apple is finally ditching the 16GB model, users who bought an Iphone 6s or plus with a 16GB model should get a discount of the iPhone 7 32GB base model. It's so unfair, apple should be smart enough to know 16GB is a rip off Based on all you guys comments, 64 GB is in my future. I have a cheap HTC desire 626s and I only have 8GB and I don't have hardly anything on my phone and I have to keep on deleting stuff on my phone. Most annoying thing ever.

Well, people can oftentrade their device in for a discount if they want.

 

[Phonefanman]

I have the 16gig and it's fine for what I do. I don't save a bunch of stuff on my phone, as soon as I upload a YouTube video I delete the video off my phone.

Anything I need to save picture or video wise I transfer it on my laptop. I'm not a big fan of having a bunch of apps on my phone either way, maybe a few that are must have for me and that is it.

I don't do the music thing because I'm not paying to download music nor do I want a bunch of music on my phone. I stream everything I have unlimted non throttled data and Wi-Fi all around me including my home.

Keep in mind I only have the iPhone 6 so I don't need any extra storage for those 4k videos, but would delete as soon as I upload them anyway.

 

[Reno Raines]

I use a 16 gb SE for work and it suits my needs as well. I have an iPod touch for music, games etc.

 

[AmazingTechGeek]

Yes it is.

Though if you don't use your phone for a lot you can probably survive. But just don't plan on the following:

- Shooting 4k video
- Taking lots of pictures or saving a lot of wallpapers
- Downloading more than a few games
- Saving music or movies for offline
- Having the piece of mind that you won't run out of space.

Right. So what would even be the point of having an iPhone 6s for that matter?

 

[William Wales]

Yes, you should go for the 64 GB. As you know, a well-structured game with nice graphic will take up more than 1 GB space, so 16 GB is really not enough.

 

[LenaY]

Well, it depends on different people. If you like to take photos, download music for listening or even download movies, it can easily run out of space. I have one 16 GB iPhone 6, it just meet the basic needs.

 

[alexmarchuk]

 

[masands]

It's like a 50cc engine on a Bugatti

More like a Bugatti in a city where the maximum speed is 50km/h

If you intend to use your iPhone like that Nexbit Robin Cloud phone, 16gb ~11gb actual space is fine.

 

[cdmoore74]

16GB is horrible. I actually hit the limit on my 64GB iPhone 6S and been hit that limit on my 32GB Samsung S7 even with 128GB SD card. The issue with my S7 is that the Oculus Apps want to install to the primary storage. Regardless the case you should not buy a phone with 16GB let alone 32GB even. 32GB has to be the very bare minimum in a high end iPhone.
I pray that the size options are 32GB, 128GB and 256GB but I'm not even positive I will be getting a iPhone 6SE/iPhone 7. It may be a Nexus year.

 

[techigramps]

buying a 16gb phone is like buying a new car with 3 tires to save a few bucks

 

[C DM]

buying a 16gb phone is like buying a new car with 3 tires to save a few bucks

Except it's not really for many people based on their usage of the phone, as described in various earlier posts.

 

[Shirasaki]

This is mine.
And here are storage reports:

So 128GB is enough? NO. I want my entire library on device, which is 100GB in total. But now i need to switch between playlists and sync different playlists each time.
I wholeheartedly hate streaming so everything should be local.
My case is extreme indeed, but 16GB is just laughable when you pay $600+ for a phone.

 

[rui no onna]

My case is extreme indeed, but 16GB is just laughable when you pay $600+ for a phone.

This pretty much. The iPhone is a premium device (at least as far as smartphones are concerned). At this point in time (with apps, pics, etc all taking up so much more space), having just 16GB minimum is understable for lower end phone models but not on flagship devices.

 

[CTHarrryH]

My wife has no music, no videos, very few apps etc. So it is fine for her. I was a 16 GB for a long time but this last 6s got bigger because it was only available when I bought and I did get a little tired of managing storage. I think it is time to get rid of it because it meets so few people's needs and it will be one fewer threats on the iPhone 7 forums.

 

[cynics]

I could use 16gb but I found myself micro managing my storage space so for the 6S I got 64gb which suits me well. If Apple went 32gb, I'd still probably buy 64gb.

Be nice if it wasnt a 100 dollar upgrade since it will only be a 32gb (vs 48gb) increase but that is probably unlikely.

 

[mwhals]

It depends on the purpose. The iphone I bought for work is only a 16 GB iphone SE (I got it free due to $399 discount from company contract). I will not keep pictures or music on it and no personal apps. 16 GB is plenty for my use.

My personal Galaxy S7 Edge has all my photos, apps and music.

 

[Phone Junky]

...16GB is just laughable when you pay $600+ for a phone.

$100 for the memory upgrade is even more laughable.