Every individual has a different set of requirements when buying laptops. This is why there are distinct lists of best laptops for students, gamers, professionals, etc. You can check them out at Laptop Circle.
Having said that, every user, regardless of which category they fall, have one major question – how much storage they need in their laptop. As this directly impacts the price of the gadget, people are afraid of going over budget; hence, they opt for lesser storage. This, ultimately, can prove to be a bummer as later on, they may feel the need for more storage. In such a situation, they would have to resort to getting an external drive.
To prevent troubles from arising in the latter stages, why not be tactful in advance and buy a laptop that comes with sufficient storage that you actually need? To help you with this, we have compiled an all-inclusive guide that covers necessary details about storage requirements for users. Continue reading to know more:
Table of Contents
Types of Storages
Before delving deeper into the storage requirement, let’s first take a look at the types of storage you have at your disposal:
Solid State Drive (SSD)
SSD is the most common type of storage most laptops now come equipped with. It has replaced HDD (we’ve discussed it below) and has grown in popularity because of its ability to load quickly. It is a more reliable choice as data, in this storage type, is stored in flash memory. Therefore, it’s almost weightless.
Embedded MultiMedia Card (eMMC)
There are only some brands that use eMMC instead of SSD. The reason why this flash storage isn’t more commonly used is that it comes with a limitation. It cannot be upgraded as it is directly soldered into the motherboard. This makes it a more suitable option for tablets and phones.
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
A few years back, HDD was the most common storage type found in almost every computer. As stated above, it is now replaced by SDD because of the latter’s speed feature. However, if you require an external storage device, using an HDD can be a better idea.
Hybrid
Some gadgets feature a combination of both an HDD and SSD. These laptops are known as hybrid systems. This combines the perks of both these types. If you own a laptop that comes with hybrid storage, you will get the SSD speed and HDD capacity.
Cloud
Thanks to the advancement in technology, you can now store images, videos and other items online. This means – reduced burden on your storage device. An added benefit of this storage type is easy accessibility. You don’t need to be logged in to your system to access the stored items. If you have the credentials, you can access them from a remote device, such as a smartphone/gadget as well. Furthermore, it has also made data sharing convenient.
Factors to Consider When Deciding on the Right Storage
Now that you know about the types of storage, let’s take a look at the factors you should consider to know how much storage you need in your laptop:
Purpose of Buying Laptop
First of all, determine your purpose for buying a laptop. Is it for work, personal use or gaming? If it’s the first case, you may not require a lot of storage, especially with cloud storage now in the picture. However, in case you’re buying a gaming laptop, high storage is a must.
For a work laptop, the storage requirement depends on the nature of the work and the software and tools you use. Some of them can be quite heavy. Therefore, they’ll require a lot of storage. For example, if you’re a photographer or work for a digital marketing agency, you would need a lot of storage.
Budget
Needless to say, high storage devices cost more. So, it’s important that you consider your budget here. Again, cloud storage could come to your rescue here. You can store your files on the cloud for free up to a certain limit.
Existing Storage
To know how much storage you require, pay attention to the existing storage you have in your current laptop. Is it enough? Do you feel the need for more? If the answer is yes, then look for a high storage option.
We hope that the given information will help you make an informed decision vis-à-vis the storage required for your laptop.
