Choosing between the iPhone XS 64GB and iPhone XS 256GB sizes is the hardest part of switching to Apple's newest phone. There is a huge difference between the two sizes, not the 128GB iPhone xs, unfortunately.
The iPhone XS 64GB is the base model which costs $999 (£999 / AU$1,629), while going for the 256GB version you pay a hefty $1,149 (£1,149 / AU$1,879). And most people need something a little over 64GB. This is not an easy decision.
Keep this in mind: unlike choosing a color with the iPhone XS, which you can change later with the iPhone XS case, your choice of storage will stay with you forever. Sure, some Android phones include a microSD card slot so you can expand your space, but the iPhone never offered such a get-out-of-jail card. This makes choosing the right size for one day's storage all the more important.
How you decide how much storage for you will depend on how you use your phone. We are in different situations and will help you figure out which suits you and from there determine how much luggage you need to carry.
iPhone xs 256GB: if you are in it for a long time
If you're the type of phone shopper who plans to purchase a phone and use it for as long as possible, waiting until the battery eventually gives out and only lasts 30 minutes on a charge, then investing in an iPhone 256GB model might be beneficial.
Given the serious accidents, a lot of people can make their iPhones in the last few years. That is a few years that all your apps, photos and videos, can start accumulating in the phone's memory. You can't record 4K video today, but maybe in the future.
And, if your primary device these days is your phone and not your computer, then it's worth making sure you've got as much luggage as you might need. With the high quality iPhone XS camera for photos and videos, you'll probably start to see what's serious about adding data. The extra upfront bill can be worth the headache of regularly having to transfer photos and videos or uninstall apps so you can continue using your phone as usual.
iPhone xs 64 GB: if you update annually
If you like to have the latest technology and upgrade your phone every year, besides that change piece and just go with the XS 64GB iPhone model. Even if you have to offload all your photos and videos to your computer or the cloud once in a while, it's less expensive than the cost of a bunch of extra storage you can't even use.
According to some reference, your friendly writer has been using the same phone for over two years and only used 89GB of storage, and 44GB of that is a locally stored music collection that could have been half as much, being a little more picky about what was transferred over.
Just being mindful of how much 4K video you record and how much Netflix/Amazon video you download to your phone (and forgetting to tidy up) can go a long way toward accepting the latter's 64GB of storage.
Even if you are really into mobile gaming, you must be safe. We've looked at some of the most popular games on the iOS 12 and 13 platforms for iOS, and they're unlikely to exceed a few gigabytes of storage.
- Pokemon go - 287.6 MB
- Agar.io - 84.4 MB
- Sims mobile - 131.5 MB
- Candy Crush Saga - 259MB
- City BUILDIT on sim - 156MB
- Flip Master - 231.2 MB
- Subway Surfers - 222.8 MB
- Puzzles - 274.1 MB
- PUBG Mobile - 3GB
And, at the end of the year, you'll start with a new phone. Who knows, maybe iPhone 11 will have even more storage space.
iphone xs 64b: big streamer and cloud chaser
Love some Spotify? Dive deep into Netflix? Is it more fun to play AAA games through Google Stadium than mobile games installed on your phone? How to upload all your photos and videos to iCloud? Then you have a 64 GB iPhone xs.
Music, Videos, and Games are more storage hogs than even your entire text story with all your friends. 64 GB of storage is enough space for applications, and locally stored media also helps a lot.
But, with streaming, you can enjoy easy access to a lot of content without having to dedicate space on your phone to it. And, with cloud services, you can save footage shot on your phone, usually without regard to it being stored on your phone.
mobile 256 GB: standalone documentary
If you love using your phone to capture all the moments in life, with high resolution photos and 4K videos, then you may be better served with the 256GB model. 4K video, in particular, takes up a lot of space. And if you document the little things every day, it will start to seriously add.
Of course, you can transfer this content to your computer once in a while, but the extra storage space will ensure that you don't have to do it as often.
Then there is the question of travel. If you're especially fond of jet-setting for remote areas and keep capturing footage from your experience, you can't rely on iCloud to store your footage. In this case, you really need as much locally available memory as possible.
Will you need a 256 GB iPhone later?
If you're not sure which way you should go, you can always just go with the 64GB iPhone Xs and worry about the extra storage later. There are several drives that can be plugged directly into iPhones' lightning ports to offer an immediate increase in storage.
This option has several advantages. You won't be charged for extra storage if you don't end up needing it. You can upload your photos and videos to a device that you'll always have with you, so if you really want to show someone a video you took a year ago, you can show them no need to go home or connect to iCloud .
And you can expect this option to be cheaper than internal storage upgrades. Apple is already charging huge storage premiums, and paying for any technology early is a surefire way to pay more. Flash memory has a strong downward trend in price (with some short-term exceptions), and if you end up needing a 256GB iPhone for two years, it will almost certainly be a lot cheaper than it is now.
Storage capacity