By now you probably already know whether or not you’re planning to purchase an iPhone 4S, but which size should you choose? With three different capacities to choose from, there’s a lot to consider. We’ve assembled some thoughts to help you sort it out.
Prices & value
One of the main deciding factors for many will be cost. Apple offers three different capacities of iPhone 4S ranging from $199 to $399 on a 2-year contract. The 16GB model costs $199, and each increase in capacity adds an extra $100 ($299 for 32GB & $399 for 64GB).
The value per gigabyte also depends on which model you choose. The 64GB model presents the best value at a cost of just $6.23 per GB, whereas the 32GB model runs $9.32 per GB and the 16GB model runs $6.23 per GB.
Photos & video
Considering that the iPhone 4S can take 8mp photos and shoot 1080p video, those that plan on using the camera functionality of the iPhone 4S may want to consider purchasing a larger capacity device.
The 1080p video that the iPhone 4S is capable of taking can use a significant amount of space on your device – 60 minutes of video could use up as much as 10-11GB of storage, where it would occupy less that 5GB of space on the iPhone 4.
Also, images taken with the 4S’s 8mp camera will take up a little less than twice the space as they did on the iPhone 4. Considering that photos and video could take up twice the space or more on the 4S as you’re accustomed to, those that use these features a lot would probably be happier with a larger capacity 4S.
Music, apps & other content
Music and apps can fill up your device very quickly, and games are likely to become even bigger to take advantage of the 4S’s improved graphical abilities. Those that have a lot of music, listen to a lot of podcasts or like using lots of games and apps are unlikely to be satisfied with lower storage capacities.
What if you make the wrong choice?
Don’t worry if you choose the wrong capacity the first time around. Apple Stores (and most retail stores that sell Apple products) will allow you to exchange your 4S for a different one if you don’t like it, but it’s important to return it as soon as possible, as return periods could be as short as 14 days.
Load up your new device with all the content you’ll need, be mindful of how much photo and video content you’ll be taking, and judge by how much space you have left whether the capacity you chose will be sufficient.
