How Much Storage Do I Need on My Laptop: An Epic Guide

Our current situation has made the home the constant setting for many of us but not everyone is sure—or looking forward—about making this permanent. A laptop offers many of the features of a personal computer (PC) with the added benefit of portability.

It’s a sensible option just in case it’s time to head back to schools and offices, or that much-needed vacation. This guide will show you the different storage options that there are in terms of storage. By the end, you’ll get a better ballpark estimate of what’s right for you.

Ideal Laptop Storage Space According to Purpose

It is essential to think about your needs before purchasing a laptop and how much storage space you need to make an informed decision! The goal is to choose the optimum for your usage to avoid regretting your purchase decision, wasting valuable time and resources.

For Children

Games and educational programs for young kids are mostly very light, compared to other software needed for work, etc. Children would typically require only 150-250GB of laptop storage. This is because they don’t need a lot of extra space to save files like photos or videos.

They also have fewer programs on their computers and don’t necessarily call for many apps. Children’s use of gadgets, particularly anything connected to the internet, should be supervised. This prevents accessing dangerous sites, clicking malicious links, and keeping your computer kid-friendly.

For Family or Personal Use

When you’re sharing the computer with other people, have several interests, or are simply not sure of exactly what you’d need it for, your laptop should be ready for many different purposes. The person may use the machine in a professional environment.

At the same time, they’re using it to store pictures of friends, videos of the children, and various programs for school as well as work. A family/personal device needs around 500GB-1000GB of memory to store all these files properly while still accessing any program quickly enough, so there is no lag time.

For Students

A student laptop, particularly for college, needs the most storage space because these laptops are used for schoolwork and personal files and videos. Depending on how much tech is integrated into the school’s curriculum, the storage space needed varies greatly.

In addition, children would also be likely to have games on their computers that they like to play when there is free time. These machines need around 250GB-500GB of memory so students won’t run out of room while still having quick access to the programs needed for classwork, research projects, or other assignments.

For Business

Work can require a lot, and looking for alternative storage space when necessary can delay processes, creating a hassle not only for yourself but for the team.

To be safe, a business laptop needs more storage space than a Children’s, Family/Personal, or Student/College Laptop does. What’s ideal would vary depending on the demands of your profession, but around 512GB-1000GB is enough for most people.

For Gaming

Gaming laptops have the most storage space of any laptop available because of the quality and complexity of modern high FPS gaming. Hobbyists, enthusiasts, and career gamers would need a lot of storage to keep games without having to delete old ones whenever a new one comes out.

Online gaming has definitely changed how these are stored, with a lot more being kept in the cloud. However, some games are still designed to be enjoyed on your own. Between 1000-1500GB in memory would be a good range if this is one of your needs.

For Video/Photo Editing

Quality videos and images these days require high resolution, which means one file can easily take up a chunk of storage. These laptops need storage space from 2000GB-4000GB to have enough memory for all necessary programs and files.

Other Factors to Consider When Deciding the Memory Size of a Computer

Computer Memory:

The more memory a computer has, the better it can handle tasks such as running multiple programs at once without slowing down and loading webpages faster. Memory is one of the most important things in a computer because it stores all your work, pictures, and videos.

Finances

If budget constraints are preventing you from acquiring the storage space you want, you can always opt for more space at a later time. Whether you’d want to upgrade your computer storage, or use alternatives, such as external hard drives and flash drives, you’ll know best what’s right for you over time.

New Storage Needs

As life changes, our needs do, too. This can affect our current requirements in a laptop but it’s not always the time or money for another laptop to be available.

Switching up to another may not even be necessary. An external hard drive is what you use when your computer no longer has enough room for everything you want.

Other Storage Options

There is no one-size-for-all or blanket ideal storage for everyone. Your ability to better decide on what storage space and storage device depends on understanding what’s available.

External Drives

External hard drives allow you to carry a lot more extra space on you in a small, and portable item that’s easy to replace. Good quality ones are even lightweight, too.

If right now, you don’t require a lot of computer storage or are unsure, you can always purchase an external drive when you know for certain that you do need it.

Internal Drives

The internal drive is what’s in your computer. If you can invest in a lot of storage in the beginning without sacrificing portability, then do so to save yourself the hassle of not having enough later on.

These days, storage for some laptops is soldered onto the motherboard, making them unremovable, while on others, it’s not. When uncertain, it’s always best to ask.

Purchasing a laptop is a big decision, as it’s a hefty investment that can mean affect the smoothness of your workflow, while giving you easy access to entertainment, and sentimental items, like family photos. If you are having problems with your computer memory, don’t hesitate to contact us for professional advice.

Written By Callum Wright

With a background as a business owner for a company wokring with 3D animation and Visual Effects, Callum is just the person you need when you need help regarding laptops for professional use like graphics designing, photo editing, and general business administration.