Poll: How much storage do you use on your smartphone?

Your smartphone storage is often a very personal thing. It not only reflects your phone needs, but your priorities in life — you may want gobs of storage to record memorable moments, or just a little for something you see as just a communications tool.

That makes for a very, very wide range of demands, which led us to wonder: how much storage do you use, regardless of your smartphone’s capacity? Would a 64GB phone like the OnePlus Nord N100 be overkill for your needs, or is your 512GB Galaxy Note 20 Ultra bursting at the seams until you get a microSD card? Let us know in our poll below.

How much storage do you use on your smartphone?

It’s easier to make a case for using relatively little storage on your phone these days. Between streaming music, streaming video, and cloud storage services, you don’t need much on-device space to get a lot done as long as you have a reasonably fast internet connection. And given that you’re likely spending much more time at home during the pandemic, you might not be in a rush to load up on games and other content when your console or PC is within reach.

There’s also the question of minimalism. It’s all too easy to clutter up a phone with apps you never use, or “just in case” offline media that never gets touched. If you force yourself to use only the apps and content you really care about, you can simplify your home screens, reduce distractions, and even save yourself a bit of money by buying lower-capacity devices.

Related: Phone storage showdown

At the same time, there’s little doubt that using a lot of storage has its advantages. You might never worry about having the right app, or whether playing your favorite TV show will eat into a data cap (even on so-called unlimited plans). You can carry a giant game library with you.

Of course, smartphone storage is particularly important if you’re an avid photographer or video creator — it can be reassuring to know that you recorded your child’s first steps or have snapshots from a much-loved vacation. Until internet access and backups are completely reliable (and we’re not counting on that any time soon), there’s a good chance you’ll appreciate having at least some files close at hand.