How Much Storage Do I Need on My Laptop?

Whenever people go out to buy a new laptop, there are always a ton of questions that goes inside their head. One of the main questions is how much storage do I need on my laptop? Well, it might sound like a simple question to answer but it's not. There are a lot of factors that go inside selecting the right storage. Especially now when laptops are not that modular and tightly packed. There is often not much scope to upgrade your storage like in earlier times.

In this guide, you will understand the basics of selecting the storage for your laptop. Hopefully, these pointers will help you determine how much storage do I need on my laptop question for good.

The SSD vs HDD Debate

It is 2024 and you will find a lot of articles listing the same old HDD vs SSD comparison. Here is something you need to know: If you are buying a MacBook, you will only have the SSD option. And if you are buying a Windows PC with Windows 11 pre-installed, that will have SSD as well.

So the HDD vs SSD debate is not relevant anymore. Moreover, even Windows 10 is more well-optimized for SSDs. So buying a laptop with a hard disk at this time will not be a good idea.

If you want a laptop that can serve you in the long run, make sure that you buy the one with an SSD. Do not fall for the affordability of hard disks trick. Modern laptops will have SSDs or hybrid drives.

SSDs have a lot of benefits:

• Faster: SSDs have physical chips instead of moving parts and that is why the data transmission is a lot faster than hard disks. This enables faster boot times, better loading of games and applications, and faster data transfer overall.
• Quieter: Since SSDs do not have any moving parts inside them, they are much quieter compared to hard disks which can make a sound when operating at a high-performance level.
• Consumes Less Battery: SSDs are more power-efficient than hard disks and that is why your laptop will have better battery life when you use an SSD.
• Shock Proof: If you accidentally drop your laptop, your SSD will not be damaged by it. On the other hand, hard disks can have permanent damage if dropped.

How Much Storage Do I Need on My Laptop?

Now we come to the million-dollar question which is: How much storage do I need on my laptop? Well, here your usage matters a lot. If you are just an average user who uses a laptop to watch videos, use Google Docs, Microsoft Office, and some other minor software, even 256GB of storage on your laptop will be more than enough.

If You are a Student

If you are a student who uses a bunch of software and has a lot of files and data to handle on a daily basis then you will need more than 256GB of storage in the long run.

Just calculate the software you will be using and its size, and for most students, 512GB of storage on a laptop is more than enough.

Many students also take 256GB of SSD and 512GB or 1TB of the hybrid hard drive.

If You Are a Working Professional

Here the type of work you do matters a lot. Most companies these days use cloud platforms for workflow so you do not need to install heavy software on your laptop. If you have normal use of a laptop for workflow and most of your work is done through the cloud then 256GB or 512GB of storage will be good for you.

With 512GB of storage, you can use external storage for taking backup of data that you might only need in the long run or rarely.

If You Are a Creator

This is where things change a bit. For creators who handle image, video editing, VFX, graphics, etc. There is always a need for more storage and a good rig. If you are a creator, chances are that you already have top of a lined laptop which will have a good amount of storage. Still, you will need at least 512GB to 1TB of storage on your laptop. You can go further but that totally depends on your budget and use case.

If You Are a Gamer

Pretty much all the pointers for creators apply to the gamers. An average AAA title can easily take around 100TB of storage on your laptop. That is why you will need a minimum of 1TB storage on your laptop and it should be SSD if you want a complete gaming experience.

Also Read: Are Gaming Laptops Worth It?

If You Are an Average User

If you are an average user who stores photos on your laptop, watches movies, plays small games occasionally, and browses the web then anywhere between 256GB to 512GB of storage will be more than enough for you. Using this storage, you can backup most of your files and photos from your mobile phone on your laptop and keep some movies and games as well.

Where to Keep Backup/Extra Data?

Oftentimes, we have data on our laptops that we rarely use but we still need to keep it. Now with modern innovations, such data can be stored elsewhere so that you can save space on your laptop to keep active and essential data.

To do that, you can either opt for Cloud Services or you can get an external hard drive and make a backup of your data.

Usually, the cloud services are more than enough to keep some of your crucial files and other media backed up on the cloud. Google Drive, iCloud, One Drive, and some other reliable cloud services provide some free storage when you sign up with them. So you can definitely look into it.

Also Read: 13-Inch VS 15-Inch Laptops

Conclusion

So that was all about how much storage do I need on my laptop. For most normal users 256GB or 512GB storage is ample. If you are a student then you should get a laptop with 512GB of storage and if you are a heavy user who handles a lot of data and runs heavy software and games, you should get at least 1TB of storage. We hope this guide helps you in getting some clarity about the storage you want on your laptop.

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