Pre-Purchase Question

[LTCSZ]

Well, I have decided to purchase an I-Pad...Got a quick question...I have studied the device for some time and I know it is what I need...My question: What capacity should I purchase? Will the 16gb be sufficient? I will not be a "power user", nor will I be using the unit for high utilization apps...Just some notes at school, some of the cooler apps, a few e books at a time and web browsing...Will I kick myself in three months and wish I had the higher capacity unit? Thanks for your assistance...

Steve in Kansas

 

[nateccnn]

Get the biggest one you can afford. There is no way to add ram later. No one can tell you how much ram you need but I can tell you I have used 34 gb. I have three kindle books, about 200 pictures, 10 games and some documents for work. Ok...a bunch of documents from work. Mostly PDFs, word docs and spreadsheets. Everyone uses the iPad differently and only you can tell how much you will use but I can say I was surprised how fast I got to 34 gb. I'm sure glad I did not get the 32 gb model.

Nate

 

[zrb0529]

I currently have no music, 13 television episodes, 858 pictures, 31 applications and 27 books and have 6.9 gigs free of an available 14 (I have the 16 gig version, but 2 gigs of it are taken up by OS and what not, so you actually have 14 gigs that you can use)

So, as far as I'm concerned 16 gigs are more than enough.

 

[MattIM]

I have the 64Gig/3G iPad. I have just reached 13 Gigs of space used. I use my iPad for all kinds of activities. I have had this iPad since June 2010. I'm glad I have this size only because I do not have to think about my space requirements.

Nateccnn advised above to get what you can afford. That is very good advice.

 

[Berghammer]

You can ease the financial pain

You can ease the financial pain of more memory by buying a refurbished iPad at the Apple Store.

There are posts to be found here from people far more experienced than I attesting to the value of refurbished iPads. They have a new battery, same warranty as new iPads, etc. (you can read the details on the Apple page).

What this means is that you can buy a 32GB refurbished iPad for the same cost as a new 16GB, or a refurbished 64GB for the same cost as a new 32GB iPad.

Hope this eases the pain of considering a larger capacity iPad In my experience, going back to the Apple II days, you can never have too much memory.

 

[LTCSZ]

Thanks for the advice...I think I will go with a refurbished 32gb model...I'm sure I will be back with plenty of questions when it arrives!

Steve

 

[kc2ped]

Well, I have decided to purchase an I-Pad...Got a quick question...I have studied the device for some time and I know it is what I need...My question: What capacity should I purchase? Will the 16gb be sufficient? I will not be a "power user", nor will I be using the unit for high utilization apps...Just some notes at school, some of the cooler apps, a few e books at a time and web browsing...Will I kick myself in three months and wish I had the higher capacity unit? Thanks for your assistance...

Steve in Kansas

You only get to do it once. There is no SD card slot to use to expand memory after the fact.
I got a 64GB unit and used little of it. But since upgrading to the new iOS with folders I can install more apps and am now watching the utilization bar crowd the right end with every sync. I am going to have to start deleting apps to free up memory.
If you can afford it I would buy at least one size larger than you think you will need.

 

[DaveSt]

Go with the smallest one available. That way you can more easily justify the upgrade to the iPad2 when it comes out.

 

[deckyon]

Go with the smallest one available. That way you can more easily justify the upgrade to the iPad2 when it comes out.

Or just wait... Use the extra few months to save up for the next higher step up.

 

[Wakawaka]

I think 16gb is pretty much good for everyone. Movies take up a lot of space..so if you can say you will always have 10 movies on your ipad and always watch them, then get the bigger versions.

Other uses, 16gb should be good enough. Apps are fairly small. I have 2,000 something photos, and about 1,000 something songs. I don't really ever use my ipad for music. I do stream pandora from time to time.. ipad is a little too big for an ipod use IMHO.

 

[deckyon]

I think 16gb is pretty much good for everyone.

Not even close. Without audio or video I sit at 21GB full. Yes, I have a lot of apps, documents, photos, and work-related files that are in the 500-600MB range each. I also keep 5 sets of maps for different areas that are about 500mb each.

Generalizations are terrible. Change "Everyone" to "a lot of people."

 

[kc2ped]

Other uses, 16gb should be good enough.

I have a 64GB iPad and it is nearly full.

Change "Everyone" to "a lot of people."

Make that "some people".

 

[deckyon]

Make that "some people".

I would bet that the 16gb model is the best selling one, simply on price point alone. Besides, considering how many people have purchased an iPad, "a lot" would cover any of the 6 versions.

 

[DaveSt]

It all comes down to how you use the device, and only the person purchasing knows what they need. I have the 16GB version and honestly I could easily get by with a 8GB version if they had one. I almost went with the 32GB model and I am glad I didn't because it would have been wasted money. On the other hand, I do have a 32GB Ipod Touch and I really, really wish it was a 64GB version. Of course they didn't have a 64GB version when I purchased, but I sure would like to upgrade.

 

[gordonk]

I went with the 32 GB one. I had an 8 GB Touch and filled it pretty quick, so when I got my next Touch, I went 32 GB there and it settled at around 20GB (I have a classic for my music and have about 50 GB there...). With my iPad I'm trying to use it for both work and "away from work", and in the month I've had it, I'm sitting at about 14GB free. No music, a few documentaries, few hundred pics, but the rest is apps/data. I feel I'm in pretty good shape for what I want to do with it at this point.

As mentioned, personal taste. Definitely changes how I used to do things