I’m planning to replace my older Mojave-based Mac with a new M3 iMac and am trying to decide whether the 512GB storage option will be enough.
My current 1TB Fusion Drive has about 406GB of data on it, including a 306GB iTunes library and a 26GB Photos library. I could relocate some of the media library to external storage if needed.
How much free space should I leave on the internal SSD, and would 512GB provide enough room for future growth?
I suggest you clear up junk files on your older Mac first. The key point is not to choose a Mac with large storage space but to have the habit to clean up the storage space in routine.
Any Mac will be almost full after years of usage.
You can delete useless, outdated downloads, images, videos, audio, and other files on your Mac. These usually take up a large space on your Mac.
If you don’t know which file can be deleted and don’t want to cost much time to do this job, you can use a professional Mac cleaner to help you.
As for me, I’ve used iBoysoft Cleaner for months. This tool helps me analyze my Mac storage space, explain which file can be deleted with AI analysis, and delete unwanted files with simple clicks.
I think you should understand this: it’s not enough for your memory to simply exceed the file size. No matter how much storage you have, it won’t hold up against files accumulating over time. It’s best to manage your storage space regularly.