[magicaxeman]

Hi, I'm planning on purchasing a 15" macbook pro retina in the next few weeks but I'm stuck on what size SSD to get.

On my current windows laptop the OS/documents/video/photo's & all programs take up 91GB of the hard drive, all my media files such as music/films/books etc are stored in itunes with the media files themselves stored externally on a NAS drive.
The most intensive applications used are handbrake & photoshop but I'm planning on ditching photoshop as I hardly use it these days and dont do masses of processing when I do.

So the decision I have to make is 256GB or 512GB?

[Bigeric23]

If you have the extra money, go for the bigger SSD. I think you'll thank yourself later.

[kch50428]

I always buy the device with the most storage I can afford...

[HankAZ]

I have several "half" cards that I use in the SD scard slot. I have several brands, as well. PNY makes the StoreEDGE cards in multiple storage sizes (64GB and 128GB). The other brands - Nifty and TheMiniDrive use MicroSD cards, and the ones that I have currently support up to 128GB MicroSD cards.

I use them for storing work projects - photos that I am working on, documents related to other projects, and one that I use to store movies. The StorEdge has a small lip that sticks out just enough to allow you to grab it to eject the drive. The other versions sit completely flush with the rMPB, and have little slots where you can "hook" them with the provided tool to eject them.

Over all, very handy - especially on a rMBP with the limitation of the SSD drive storage.

PNY Technologies | SD Cards, USB Flash Drives, Memory Modules, SSDs, Graphics Cards
Simple, Seamless Storage For Your MacBook | The Nifty MiniDrive
TheMiniDrive | Seamless MacBook Storage ? TheMiniDrive.com

[amaiter]

I don't think you need to get more than 256GB for now. You will eventually be able to upgrade your SSD. I have the 2012 rMBP and upgraded to 1TB for a fraction of the cost of an initial upgrade. As a result, I was also able to use the OEM 512GB a USB 3 enclosure that came with the new drive. Go to macsales.com for more info.

[circlez]

Always go for more memory or storage if you can afford it. My 15" rMPB has 256gb of solid state. I wish I would've gone for the bigger one. I've got quite a substantial iTunes library (70 gb and counting....) so that combined with all of my other work and school related files leaves me right now with about 30gigs of elbow room. To me, that's not much free space. A single Steam game could eat into most of that if im not careful. If anything it's made me more conscientious of storage space management.

[Scatabrain]

Go with the biggest you can afford. Generally macs last me a lot longer then PCs but with such a small SSD it could lesson the length of usefulness IMO.

Upgrades will be possible with 3rd party components soon but will void warranty and Apple won't take it in for paid service either if 3rd party components are in laptop.

I could be wrong but I don't think Apple upgrades this kind of thing after purchase.

I had to get a faulty video component fixed by Apple in my home upgraded MBP and had to swap everything out back to stock before they would touch it. It was a PITA to comply.

[HankAZ]

Never pass up an opportunity to get as much storage as you can afford.

[magicaxeman]

Thanks all, I went for a 512 gb drive in the end