About five years ago, it was convenient to think that with the maximum amount of storage you would definitely not experience problems.
But now it’s easy to get confused about how much you need. The step between options varies from 5,000 ₽ to 18,000 ₽. And the 512 GB option seems unnecessary.
In recent years, 4K video has appeared, which will beat any maximum, and system optimization tools that quietly save space.
Below we will look at the volume of different data: who will need how much memory and whether it is realistic to get by with the basic model, say, iPhone 11 with 64 GB, in 2022.
For convenience, under each item we will consider the total volume.
Basic functionality requires an average of 20 GB
Current screenshot from my iPhone
No matter how much the developers optimize the weight of the operating system, it requires at least the same amount on top for it to work.
Those whose storage was filled to capacity at least once noticed how their device began to slow down mercilessly. This happens because the system does not have enough space to store temporary files.
iOS 13 takes up 7 GB on average, and you should allocate between 10 GB and 30 GB for work. This also includes the 10% free space required for the drive to operate as efficiently as possible. Let's take the average.
Used: 20 GB
What is RAM in iPhone
RAM is a resource that depends directly on the energy of the device. Required for current work with information data. It can be not only texts, tables. The list of such data includes applications, letters received by email, and the code of the active page in the browser.
When choosing an iPhone, it is important to know the amount of RAM
For your information! Random Access Memory (RAM for short) is the link between the processor, the operating system and, of course, the applications installed on the device.
What RAM does an iPhone have?
The main advantage of the iPhone in comparison with Android-based devices is its rational use of resources. The iOS platform is aimed at the maximum possible and efficient use of the gadget, which makes it comfortable. Despite this, time passes, and the requirements for gadgets are increasing, including for RAM. Over time, the device becomes slower and slower.
When buying a new iPhone, you should pay attention first of all to the amount of RAM, especially since they do not have additional slots for a memory card. This means that the number of gigabytes currently available cannot be increased. Therefore, this is a particularly important characteristic when purchasing gadgets from Apple.
Difference between iOS and Android
iOS doesn't require as much memory as Android because it has much more control over the entire system. It works exclusively with the Apple brand. And there are many advantages that make it competitive:
- Apple knows the specifics of each of its devices perfectly, so new decisions on projects are made in accordance with them. A virtual machine, which is present in Android, is not required to translate a program that the device can understand. Apple apps are compiled into native code on the smartphone;
- iOS has a completely different approach to memory management. It is processed by applications. Memory is freed and allocated automatically when the need arises. In Android, all this is controlled by the operating system.
Note! Less RAM on the iPhone does not mean worse performance at all. The system uses operating memory more efficiently and economically. It's just a different approach to memory management. That's all. There is no virtual machine used here.
iOS vs Android
Popular apps weigh more than they seem
It happens
Applications like VK, Instagram and Telegram with WhatsApp themselves take up about 100 MB of memory. This is not enough, even if you install a dozen of them.
But that's not all: the more often you use them, the more temporary data accumulates. Space is taken up by files, voice messages and videos that you receive in chats.
Some programs delete their cache immediately, while others store it until you erase it yourself.
For example, a couple of days ago a friend came up with a problem: 64 GB were full, of which 40 GB were occupied by Telegram . An extreme case, but real.
Let's say you have a set of 20 applications ranging from 100 MB to 300 MB. There will be instant messengers, social networks, banks, government services and store applications. We will get about 4 GB and add another 5 GB for cache.
Will be used: 29 GB
Forget about cool modern games
Despite the obvious stagnation of the App Store in terms of quality toys, I still sometimes launch several cool options - Iesabel, Titan Quest, Implosion, and so on. But I do this not on the small iPhone screen, but on a 9.7-inch iPad.
If you are an inveterate gamer, then I don’t see any point in iOS games at all. It’s better to save the same 200 bucks on the purchase, save a little and buy a PS4 - it will be more useful.
Videos and photos can take up the most space
Even if you're not a video shooter, the wrong settings will quickly fill up your space. See for yourself, the video takes a minute:
- 400 MB at 4K, 60 fps
- 270 MB at 4K, 24 fps
- 175 MB at 1080p, 60 fps
At maximum, one birthday party will turn into a nightmare for your 64GB iPhone. Ten minutes of excerpts add up to almost 4 GB, and we haven't touched the photos yet.
Let's say you don't need to shoot in this resolution, so we take 1080p for calculation.
Depending on the format and compression method (JPEG or HEIF), one camera image weighs from 1 MB to 7 MB. Let's take the average 3.5 MB.
There will be the greatest variation when calculating media space. If you take the number of files and look at their volume, each will have its own combination.
Some only take photographs, others constantly make videos, and the third temporarily stores memes and snaps from TikTok, uploading everything else to the cloud. The latter need a maximum of 1 GB for the buffer.
Data close to popular usage are as follows:
? 3,000 photos? 70 Full HD videos, 0.5 minutes each? 400 media from the Internet
It will be about 15 GB, but the amount varies due to variables. Photos in the dark contain minimal data, and videos have different lengths.
↯ We’ll talk more about types of situations at the end of the material.
Used: 44 GB
Screen of the new iPhone
For the first time, a smartphone from a renowned manufacturer received an OLED matrix. It outperforms LCD screens of previous versions in such parameters as:
- sharpness;
- quality;
- power consumption;
- adaptation to external environmental conditions.
The main difference from similar displays of Samsung Galaxy smartphones is the changed shape of the subpixels in the Diamond Pixel scheme. They were placed more densely, which improved the quality of image transmission.
The iPhone X screen supports HDR technology. Now gadget owners will be able to watch videos in modern HDR10 and Dolby Vision formats.
Screen resolution
The flagship display has a diagonal of 5.8 inches. The iPhone X screen resolution is 2436x1125 pixels, with a PPI density of 463. These indicators will ensure high-quality color reproduction and smooth display of graphic animation. The quality of the picture was influenced by the original design of the screen, a feature of which is the presence of rounded corners that expand the visible area of the display.
True Tone function
The color that is commonly considered white is not always so. Under different lighting and temperatures, it turns blue or gives off a soft yellowish tint. iPhone X features True Tone technology, which compensates for color differences and adapts the screen's glow to the ambient light. With this feature, white will always remain white, no matter the lighting, outdoor or indoor.
3d touch on iPhone 10
3D Touch technology helps detect pressure on the screen and notifies the user through the Taptic Engine. The user is offered 3 levels of pressure:
- a simple tap used to open the application;
- medium – preview;
- strong – opens a context menu with additional options.
3D Touch is supported on iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X.
Not everyone is interested in games, but almost everyone has them
Another flexible article that depends on the leisure time of a particular user.
Super popular games weigh 180 MB like Subway Surfers, and 2.4 GB like Call of Duty: Mobile, and many “disposable” ones don’t reach a hundred.
Most likely, you will have titles of all varieties. If so, let's take 5 heavy games like Forza Street with The Sims Mobile and 15 smaller ones, be it BADLAND 2 or Plague Inc.
On average, about 15 GB will accumulate, which, like media, is highly dependent on your leisure time.
Used: 59 GB
Remove absolutely all unnecessary software
When the first test versions of iOS 10 were released, I was very happy about the ability to remove built-in OS applications. I simply don’t use many of them, so they immediately went home.
Unfortunately, as it became clear later, they still remain on the device and take up space in its memory. But this is not the most important thing.
On an iPhone 7 with minimal storage, you need to think about which programs have a place on the smartphone and which do not. I have been using iOS devices for a very long time, so I have a laconic set of software - you will have to choose your own.
Other tasks will dramatically expand the requirements
I take a lot of photographs.
It was easier to buy 2 TB than to disassemble it all. We found that 59 GB is strictly enough for basic needs, and this number fits closely with the basic iPhone models.
Then there may be several scenarios in which you will need more space.
Photos and videos will require a significant chunk of memory from several categories of users.
If a person leads an active life on social networks, has to take a lot of pictures for work, or simply likes to document life, his gallery risks growing to hundreds of gigabytes.
Personal example: over 8 years, I shot 74,000 media that could only be handled by the iPhone 11 Pro at maximum speed. In my case, iCloud on 2 TB was the best solution to conveniently back them up.
Add programs for processing and editing to the files themselves. Many take up around 200MB, such as Adobe Lightroom or LumaFusion. But that’s not all: many times more will be spent on media copied to the work area.
Active camera users need to add from 30 GB to 300 GB.
Movies and TV series take up significantly more space than games. The same goes for anyone who saves videos to YouTube Premium or heavy content to Pocket.
To save for later, it is advisable to have at least 30 GB in reserve.
Music and audiobooks with podcasts are not as demanding as videos. Most are subscribed to streaming, there is VK music, so the days of 5,000 songs in your pocket are over.
To ensure that the necessary tracks are quickly accessible, 8 GB will be enough for many.
Working with sound is worth considering separately. Garage Band alone takes up 1.6 GB, and Simply Piano loads video lessons for learning to play the keys and requires about 8 GB.
It is better to leave 10 GB for creating music and mastering it.
Dedicated apps on work smartphones likely won't have to share space with the tasks described above. Basic iPhones will do the trick.
How to free up memory on iPhone
One of the common questions when working with RAM is how you can free up space. There is no such possibility. Even in the latest models. For example, version 9 offers only 113 GB of 128 GB for use. After the updated installation of iOS 10, the capacity increased to 122 GB. A good growth rate of 8%, but this is not always enough.
You can free up memory:
- offline. Connect your smartphone to your computer and transfer most of your photos, videos, and movies to local storage. All unused games and applications are simply deleted. Don’t forget about investments from the same messengers that are no longer needed;
- online. iCloud cloud storage is a great help when your iPhone doesn't have enough memory. Apple allows you to listen to music, watch movies, photos, and documents without downloading them to your phone. To do this, you must have constant access to the Internet, as well as Wi-Fi, 3G/LTE. This is not the only service with similar functions. There are others: Dropbox, Google Drive or Flickr. For music we recommend Apple Music or Yandex.Music, and for photos Google Photos.
With updated iOS and macOS, it is possible to upload absolutely any files for storage in iCloud. Viewing is possible from many devices. Those who are active in photography will especially benefit from the ability to save images online and save local copies of lesser quality.
Note! A significant part of free memory is spent on music. Files can be stored in iCloud Photo Library.
However, if you want to read a book that is stored in a cloud service, you must first save it to your device. The situation is exactly the same with TV series and music. There should always be a few gigabytes of free space to download content. An Internet connection is required to access files. If you need to access offline cloud files, you should download them first.
So, RAM on any smartphone, including Apple 7 and other models, is one of the important and essential characteristics. The cost of the iPhone, its speed, and the amount of information that can be stored in the gadget depend on it. You cannot add memory to an Apple phone by purchasing a memory card. Therefore, when choosing, you should clearly understand for what purposes the device will be used, how much data will be stored on it, also taking into account the long-term nature of the purchase. In general, 128 GB will be sufficient for the average user. Enough for photos, videos, and downloading applications.
Which storage will definitely be enough for whom?
64 GB will be close. This is enough if you constantly upload photos and install a limited number of games and additional programs. Suitable for anyone who uses a smartphone for communication and entertainment.
128 GB will be the best option for many. It will be possible to store correspondence, games, programs for self-development and contain a large library of photos and videos, but not in 4K.
256 GB will not remind you of itself under almost any conditions. You will be able to install applications in full, save TV series and video tutorials. An exception will be the case when media has been accumulated over 5 years. Then you'll have to think about unloading.
512 GB is too much in most cases. This volume is suitable for those who keep a huge archive of 4K video, actively work with it in real time and store a collection of films and TV series for the year ahead.
New processor for iPhone 10
The flagship gadget, like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, received the most powerful chip on the mobile market – Apple A11 Bionic. Its performance is almost 2 times higher than similar models of competitors, such as Samsung Galaxy Note 8 or One Plus 5. As for comparison with the A10 chip integrated into the iPhone 7, the new processor demonstrates higher indicators, such as:
- efficiency – up to 75%;
- productivity – up to 25%.
The six-core chip is built on two large productive cores and four small energy-efficient ones. The secret of its performance is a completely new system for distributing the load across computing power, forcing all cores to work simultaneously. In addition to increased performance, the Apple processor is equipped with several new technologies:
- Machine learning required for Face ID, Animoji features.
- Custom ISP responsible for processing photo and video files in real time. He is responsible for separating the background, applying special effects and other options.
- Supports wireless charging via Qi protocol.
Such technologies directly affected the performance of the Apple A11 Bionic processor and the performance of devices running on it.
