With the proliferation of digital content like photos, videos, music, and documents, most computer users find themselves needing more and more storage space on their computers. But how much storage space is really necessary? And how important is hard drive size when purchasing a new computer or external hard drive?
What factors determine how much storage space you need?
There are a few key factors that determine how much storage space you need:
- The types of files you store – Photos, videos, and music take up much more space than text documents or spreadsheets.
- The quantity of files – The more content you have, the more space you’ll need.
- Future growth – You’ll likely accumulate more files over time, so it helps to buy more storage than you need right now.
Additionally, operating systems and software applications take up a significant amount of space themselves. So you need room for your files as well as the programs you use.
How many photos, songs, videos can you store?
The amount of storage space required depends on the file sizes and formats. Here are some rough estimates:
- Photos:
- JPG (10MP): 2-4MB per photo
- RAW (10MP): 15-30MB per photo
- Songs:
- MP3 format: 3-5MB per song
- Uncompressed format: 30-50MB per song
- Videos:
- 1080p: 500MB per minute
- 4K: 1-2GB per minute
So for example, a 500GB hard drive could hold:
- 125,000 to 250,000 JPG photos
- 100,000 to 166,000 MP3 songs
- 100 to 200 hours of 1080p video
Typical storage sizes
Here are some typical storage capacity sizes for devices and media:
| Device/Media | Typical Storage Size |
|---|---|
| USB Flash Drive | 8GB – 256GB |
| SD Card | 4GB – 512GB |
| External Hard Disk | 500GB – 10TB |
| Laptop Hard Disk | 256GB – 2TB |
| Desktop Hard Disk | 500GB – 6TB |
| SSD | 250GB – 4TB |
| Cloud storage | 5GB (free) – 10TB+ (paid) |
Average storage needs for general home computer use
For general home computer use, including Internet browsing, office work, modest photo and music storage, most people find 256GB to 500GB provides enough storage. Power users who store lots of photos, videos, games, and music may prefer 1TB or more.
Average storage needs for creative professionals and enthusiasts
People working with creative content like high resolution photos, 4K/8K video, 3D modeling and animation have much higher storage needs. Here are some guidelines:
- Photographers: 1-4TB
- Videographers: 2-10TB
- Graphic designers: 500GB-2TB
- Music production: 1-4TB
Media professionals may use RAID storage systems with multiple hard drives for redundancy and performance.
Average storage for office/business use
Businesses use hard drive storage for:
- Email servers
- Employee PCs and laptops
- File servers
- Database servers
- Backup storage
Here are some typical business storage needs:
- Small office (under 10 employees): 500GB – 2TB
- Mid-size office (10-100 employees): 1TB – 10TB
- Large enterprise (over 100 employees): 10TB+
Do Macs or PCs need more storage space?
There is little difference between Macs and PCs when it comes to storage needs. The operating system and pre-loaded software on Macs and PCs take up a similar amount of space. So user storage needs are driven more by the applications used and files stored than by the type of computer.
Should you buy more storage than you need?
It’s always a good idea to purchase slightly more storage capacity than you think you need. Storage requirements tend to grow over time as you accumulate more files. The relatively small difference in cost between a 250GB and 500GB hard drive, for example, is worth spending for the extra breathing room.
Buying more storage than you need right away gives you room to grow and delays the need to upgrade or replace your computer or drive. With storage being relatively inexpensive, it makes sense to buy more rather than less.
External storage vs. internal storage
Many users prefer to supplement their computer’s internal storage with external hard drives and cloud storage. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of each approach:
- External hard drive
- Pros: inexpensive, unlimited capacity, fast transfer speeds, good portability
- Cons: Can be lost/stolen/damaged, requires power source
- Cloud storage
- Pros: Accessible from anywhere, reliable, works across devices, good collaboration features
- Cons: Monthly fees, slower transfer speeds, privacy concerns, internet connection required
- Internal hard drive
- Pros: Faster access speeds, built-in protection, no monthly fees
- Cons: Limited capacity, not accessible from other devices, no off-site backup
Using a combination of both external and internal storage often provides the best experience and protects against data loss.
Hard drive sizes and computer performance
Larger hard drives can impact computer performance in a few key ways:
- Boot up speed – Computers with larger hard drives tend to boot slightly slower, as there are more files to load at startup.
- File search/access – Searching and accessing files can be slower on large drives, especially if they are highly fragmented.
- Upgrades – Upgrading to a higher capacity hard drive may require a full OS reinstall and backup/restore of files.
That said, modern computers and drives are designed to handle large capacities without major slowdowns for most routine usage. Faster solid state drives (SSDs) help offset any minor performance hits.
Tips for managing large hard drives
Here are some tips for keeping your large hard drive running smoothly:
- Defragment regularly
- Add more RAM to help index large drives
- Store rarely accessed data on external drives
- Use SSD for boot and high-performance tasks
- Organize files carefully in folders
- Clean up unneeded files periodically
How can you free up hard drive space?
If your hard drive is full, here are some tips to free up space:
- Empty the Recycle Bin
- Remove temporary files with Disk Cleanup
- Uninstall unused programs
- Store files on external drives
- Move media files to cloud storage
- Compress folders using zipping software
- Delete old system restore points and crash logs
Getting in the habit of regularly removing unneeded files is key to maintaining free space.
When is a solid state drive (SSD) worth the cost over a hard disk drive (HDD)?
SSDs provide big advantages in performance, reliability, and fragmentation resistance. But SSDs cost significantly more per gigabyte compared to traditional HDDs. Here are some cases where an SSD may be worth the premium cost:
- Boot drive – An SSD will dramatically speed up boot times and system responsiveness.
- Portable computers – SSDs are lighter and more durable in portable devices.
- Noise reduction – SSDs are silent since they have no moving parts.
- Frequent large file transfers – SSDs provide faster transfer speeds.
- Video editing – SSDs allow smoother video editing with large scratch files.
- Harsh environments – SSDs can better withstand shocks and temperature extremes.
For general computing, HDDs still offer plentiful storage for the money. But SSD prices are dropping, making them viable for more users.
Conclusion
Hard drive size needs depend largely on the types of files you store and planned future growth. For most home and office users, 250GB to 2TB provides a good storage capacity. Creative professionals working with lots of media require 2TB or higher.
Buying more storage than you need allows headroom as your needs grow. Combining internal storage with external hard drives and cloud backup provides the best experience. With storage relatively inexpensive, it makes sense to invest in larger capacities for your workflow demands.
