256GB SSD storage is enough or not directly depending on the exact reasons to use an SSD. If you can determine them, then it will be easier to say. Entertainment files like movies, audio or video, games, and heavy software are the main hurdles in your way. Lets find out is 256GB SSD storage enough for a college student?
The storage is enough, only when you are willing to store your files on google drive/one drive and not willing to store entertainment-type files. Students can gain free access to google drive/one drive nowadays.
How to manage 256GB as a college student?
Even this short storage capacity may be suitable for you if the below-mentioned issue applies to you.
- Storage management
Proper storage management can make you feel comfortable. For your heavy files, you can use another external storage device. If you need to maintain a large amount of documentation, you can store them on remote platforms like google drive/one drive.
- Fewer interests in entertainment files
Your fewer interests in these files can make a 256GB SSD much more suitable. You will feel comfortable with the storage for 3 – 4 years easily. But you have to control your interest in storing entertainment files on your SSD strongly.
- Your major also matters
Your major in the study also determines what type of files you use or access frequently. If you are a student of a typical major, you may need to access mostly documentation. It would give you the feel of having enough storage.
- Type of files you work on
If you do not have to work with photos or videos frequently, then you may feel relaxed. You can easily use your laptop or pc with a 256GB SSD for 3-4 years. This space is huge for document-type files like Microsoft Office files, text files, word files, etc.
- Operating system matters
Your interest in the operating system also matters. Windows XP users will feel more comfortable than Windows 10/Windows 11 users with this SSD. MAC OS users also do not feel comfortable like XP users.
- Your storage habit with your files
If you justify what to store or not rather than how to keep every file needed or not in your storage device, it will help you to feel comfortable. You have to determine the needs of files to be stored.
- Not your main machine
If your device with the 256GB SSD is not your main machine, you just use this one for work purposes then it’s okay for 3 – 4 years comfortably. If you are interested in gaming, movies, and photo/video editing but you have another machine or storage device for these, then you don’t have to worry with this short SSD memory.
- Access to software in the cloud
Cloud software like google docs/iCloud will help to relax with the 256GB SSD. Because your high-resolution photos, large video files, and media files will not be needed on your local machine. If you have the internet, you can access all your files from anywhere. That will reduce the load on your local machine’s short storage SSD.
When It Is Tough To Go With A 256gb SSD?
Nowadays storage has become a huge issue in every digital device. In the primitive stage of digitalization, devices were much bigger because of electrical circuits and other instruments. But in modern days electronic chips make it possible to be in a smaller size. But digital data generation has increased. In every step of our personal life, we are generating digital data like photo files, video files, audio files, etc.
When you are a photo editor, movie maker, programmer or software engineer, electrical engineer, or student of a similar engineering subject, you have to use specialized software for your study. They are big, and the files generated by that software are also big.
Your movie collection or gaming habit will bring a challenge to be satisfied with 256GB. Also have to keep in mind that, recent windows operating systems are heavy users of storage.
Suitable RAM size with 256GB SSD
For your regular use, 8GB ram with 256GB SSD will be more suitable considering today’s mostly used applications and file types. SSD will help you to feel your local machine smoother. On boot, your local machine acts smoothly on SSD rather than HDD.
Graphics design, gaming, programming, auto cad design if these are not your arena then a minimum of 8GB RAM is suitable for you. If finance is not an issue, 16GB RAM will bring luxury for you.
Conclusion
In the end, whether 256GB is enough or not for a college student depends on the purpose of having the storage device, the type of files used by that student, and his/her habit. Without knowing these issues, it will not be justified if anyone says 256GB is enough or not. But a student having an interest in gaming and movie collection, and photo/video editing, 256GB will not be suitable as a primary machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need to use an HDD with 256GB SSD for better performance of my machine?
Answer: You can use another 1TB of 2TB HDD along with your SSD, while your SSD is being used just for a boot device. It will give relaxation to your storage management.
- The lifetime of 256GB SSD?
Answer: You can consider SSD for at least 5 years. After that, applications and large files will not allow you to use this size SSD comfortably. SSDs are becoming cheaper nowadays.
- Does 256GB SSD fail?
Answer: I should say, yes they do. Other types of storage devices also. But SSD will take a long period over HDD to fail because of the operation procedure of these devices.
- Disadvantages of 256GB SSD?
Answer: Over HDD, SSD has disadvantages. They are costly and the lifespan of SSD is shorter than HDD. But in terms of data storage reliability, SSD is much more suitable than HDD.
- Is 8GB RAM with 256GB SSD suitable?
Answer: if you are a general user like surfing the internet, emailing, documentation creation, or doing college assignments then it would be.