How Many Gigabytes Do I Need for My Computer?
A good starting point for the gigabytes needed for a computer is the minimum space needed to run Windows 8, which is 16 gigabytes. However, the number of gigabytes of storage needed ultimately depends on personal preferences.
While the minimum 16 gigabytes necessary to run Windows 8 is functional and also suffices for most other operating systems, it is only a minimum requirement, according to Microsoft. Computer owners need to weigh the importance of storing media against the cost of storage space. In good quality formats, a person can store approximately one movie, 200 pictures or 150 songs in a gigabyte. Meanwhile, storage space becomes increasingly less expensive with each year, As of 2014, a Seagate terabyte drive, which contains 1,024 gigabytes of storage space, costs about $65 from Newegg. With that in mind, it makes sense to overestimate one’s needs rather than purchase a new hard drive in the near future.
