Is a 64GB iPad Enough for Students? A Comprehensive Guide

Choosing the right iPad for school can be tricky, especially when it comes to storage. The 64GB iPad is often the base model, making it a tempting option for budget-conscious students. But is it truly enough for your academic needs? This guide explores the pros and cons of a 64GB iPad for student use, helping you make an informed decision.

Introduction: Storage Dilemmas in the Digital Age

In today's digital learning environment, iPads have become valuable tools for students. From note-taking and research to accessing textbooks and creating presentations, these devices offer a wealth of possibilities. However, the amount of storage your iPad has can significantly impact its usability. While a 64GB iPad may seem like a lot, it's essential to consider how quickly that space can fill up with apps, files, and media.

Understanding iPad Storage Capacity

It's important to understand how much usable storage you actually get on a 64GB iPad. After initial internal flash drive formatting, a 64 GBs storage iPad starts out with approximately 60 GBs. Subtracting the space taken up by iOS/iPadOS (around 6.5 GBs) leaves you with roughly 53-54 GBs. In addition, the iOS/iPadOS requires a system operational reserve of 3-6 GBs, which MUST BE MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES, to ensure normal, expected operation. This leaves approximately between 48-50 GBs of actual, usable data storage space.

To provide context, let's consider the storage available on other iPad models:

128GB iPad: Starts with approximately 119 GBs after formatting. After subtracting space for iOS/iPadOS and the system reserve, you get between 107-109 GBs of usable storage.
256GB iPad: Starts with approximately 238.5GBs after formatting. After subtracting space for iOS/iPadOS and the system reserve, you get between 226-229 GBs of usable storage.

The Case for 64GB: When It Might Be Enough

A 64GB iPad can be sufficient for students with light to moderate usage needs. This typically includes students who primarily use their iPad for:

Read also: Savings on iPads for Students

Basic note-taking: Apps like Apple Notes, Microsoft OneNote, and Google Keep don't take up much space.
Document creation and editing: Creating power points and some documents.
Web browsing and research: Accessing online resources and conducting research.
Email and communication: Staying connected with classmates and professors.
Streaming video content: Watching online lectures or entertainment (provided you have a reliable internet connection).

In these scenarios, a 64GB iPad can be a cost-effective and practical choice.

One student shared their experience: "An iPad would be a great addition for school. 64GB Should be enough for doing PowerPoint and some documents, even enough space for some games and music too and alongside other apps. My iPad is 32gb And I am nearly out and it has most the Microsoft Office apps on it, games and many other apps so yeah I think it will be enough for you."

The Limitations of 64GB: When You Might Need More

While 64GB might suffice for some, it can quickly become limiting for students with more demanding needs. You might need more storage if:

You're a creative professional: Graphic designers, photographers, and video editors working with large, high-resolution files will quickly exhaust 64GB of storage.
You're an avid gamer: Modern games often require several gigabytes of storage space.
You store a large media library: High-definition movies, TV shows, and music can consume significant storage. If you only ever intend to stream video content - and have no intention of saving material to playback while offline, you might get away with 64GB.
You need offline access to textbooks and research papers: Large PDF files and other academic materials can accumulate quickly.
You plan to use your iPad for professional purposes: Presentations, client meetings, and field work may require storing documents, spreadsheets, and other business-related files.
You are planning on using your iPad for taking lots of pictures and videos.

Factors to Consider

Several factors can influence your storage needs:

App sizes: Games, especially those with high-end graphics, can be HUGE. Creative tools and productivity suites can also take up significant space.
Media files: Photos and videos add up FAST, especially if you shoot in high resolution. Music libraries can also consume a considerable amount of storage.
System files: The iPad's operating system itself takes up storage space.
Future needs: Consider how your storage requirements might change over time. Will you be downloading more apps, taking more photos and videos, or working with larger files?
Reliance on cloud storage: Cloud storage solutions like iCloud, Google Drive, and Dropbox can help offload some of your files, but relying solely on the cloud isn’t always practical, especially when you’re in areas with limited or no internet connectivity.

Alternatives to 64GB

If you determine that 64GB isn't enough, here are some alternatives:

Upgrade to a higher storage capacity: Apple offers iPads with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and even 1TB of storage.
Utilize cloud storage: Store your files in the cloud using services like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox.
Use external storage devices: Connect USB-C flash drives or portable hard drives to your iPad for extra storage. The iPad 10th generation features a USB-C port, allowing you to connect external storage devices and transfer files to and from your iPad. This can be a useful option for backing up your data or for storing large files that you don’t need to access frequently.

Practical Tips for Managing Storage

Regardless of the storage capacity you choose, here are some tips for managing your iPad's storage:

Regularly delete unnecessary files and apps: Get rid of apps you no longer use and delete old files that you don't need.
Compress photos and videos: Reduce the file size of your media files without sacrificing too much quality.
Clear your browser cache: Clear your browser's cache and cookies to free up storage space.
Back up your data to the cloud: Regularly back up your iPad to iCloud or another cloud service to prevent data loss and free up storage space.

WiFi Only vs. WiFi + Cellular Models

Consider also the functional differences between WiFi Only and WiFi+Cellular models of iPad. Only WiFi+Cellular models include GPS capabilities - which may impact any Apps or features that require accurate and consistent location data, such as Mapping.

A Word of Caution

It is generally true that you will never regret buying too much storage but will always regret buying too little. If storage is in your budget, go for it.

You would be well advised to purchase as much internal storage as your budget might reasonably allow - as internal storage (and other hardware) cannot be changed, upgraded or extended. The available internal storage is fixed for the entire life of the device. If you run out of internal storage for your documents, photos and other data, you will forever struggle and become a source of frustration. It is far better to have more storage than you need, than to need more storage than you have.

Within the Apple Support Communities we see regular tales of woe and disappointment when storage requirements are exceeded, necessitating replacement of the device; by contrast, we never see complaint of having too much available storage. It is relatively easy to fill limited internal storage space; perhaps consider higher tiers of storage as providing room for growth as your needs develop or mature - potentially extending the useful usable life of the device.

Read also: Choosing an iPad for Education

Making the Right Choice

So, is a 64GB iPad enough for students? The answer depends on your individual needs and usage patterns. If you're a light user who primarily relies on cloud storage, it can be a cost-effective option. However, if you're a power user who needs a lot of storage for games, creative projects, or media files, you'll likely want to consider upgrading to a higher storage model.

A good rule of thumb is to quantify how much data storage you will need - add a healthy margin - then double it. If you are unable to quantify your data storage needs, it becomes more difficult. While definitive recommendations for your personal needs cannot be made, objectively it is wise to consider an iPad with no less than 256GB storage, with 512GB and higher having a greater margin for growth.

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