How many GB of storage is good for a phone?
There is no single right number, but a common comfort range exists. Samsung's UK buying guide suggests 64GB suits most casual users, while many people prefer 128GB to 256GB, and heavy users consider 512GB or 1TB. Your own habits decide which end of that range fits.
Storage is the space your phone uses to keep apps, photos, videos and files. It is different from RAM, which holds the system and apps currently in use. RAM affects how smoothly you switch between apps; storage is simply about how much you can keep on the device before you run out of room.
[2]The rough tiers
Samsung's buying guide lays out a simple ladder. Casual users can get by with 64GB. Many buyers choose between 128GB and 256GB. People who push a phone hard, with lots of photos, videos and large games, are pointed towards 512GB and 1TB. Note this is a manufacturer's guide, so treat its figures as estimates rather than guarantees, and file sizes always vary by device and camera.
[2]To make 128GB concrete, the same guide estimates it can hold around 900 photos, 60 minutes of UHD video, 1,000 songs, 100+ apps and games, and 20 movies. It also offers a rule of thumb for planning: add roughly 10GB for extra files and software updates, then add a 20% buffer on top of your expected usage.
[2]A worked example
Suppose you mostly message, browse and take occasional photos. This is a hypothetical illustration, not a prediction. On Samsung's estimate of about 5MB per photo, 1GB covers roughly 200 photos. A light app user needs only about 5GB for apps, since individual apps typically use between 40MB and 1GB. Add the 10GB update allowance and the 20% buffer, and 128GB leaves generous headroom. Now suppose you record lots of video instead. Samsung estimates 4K recording uses around 300MB per minute and 8K around 600MB per minute, so heavy video work pushes you towards 256GB or beyond.
[2]Check what you actually use before deciding
Your current phone is the best evidence. On an iPhone, Apple says you can open Settings, tap General, then tap device Storage to see a list of apps with their usage, plus recommendations for freeing space. Tapping an app shows more detail, and options like offloading an app free its storage while keeping its documents and data. If you see a 'Storage Almost Full' alert, that is a strong signal your next phone needs more room, not less.
[1]- Check your current phone's storage breakdown and note how full it is.
- Estimate your photo, video, app and game habits over the next two or three years.
- Add roughly 10GB for updates and a 20% buffer to your estimate.
- Pick the tier above your number if you record lots of 4K or 8K video.
- Check whether the model supports a microSD card, which Samsung notes can expand media storage but not apps.
Storage affects price and matching
Storage capacity is one of the exact variant details worth matching when comparing phones. On the catalogue here, the same generation of phone appears in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB versions at different recorded prices, so a storage decision is also a price decision. Compare like-for-like variants and confirm with the retailer that the price is SIM-free and what the final total is.
[3]A practical next step: open the storage settings on your phone today, note which categories are biggest, and use that real number, plus the update allowance and buffer, to choose the capacity that gives you room to grow.
[1][2]Sources and dates
- https://support.apple.com/en-gb/108429 · accessed 2026-10-18
- https://www.samsung.com/uk/mobile-phone-buying-guide/how-much-memory/ · accessed 2026-10-18
- https://mobilesandtabletscompared.com/ · accessed 2026-10-18