2TB iPhone storage is costly and often unnecessary

The iPhone 17 Pro Max 2TB option is priced at $1,999, and the article notes many users will not need that capacity; external SSDs and cloud plans are presented as lower-cost alternatives.

Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max offers a 2TB internal storage option, listed at $1,999. The phone's base 256GB model starts at $1,199. The article argues most users are unlikely to need 2TB and highlights the large premium for internal storage. It compares that premium to the lower per‑gigabyte cost of external drives and cloud storage. Notable details: - The iPhone 17 Pro Max 2TB model is listed at $1,999, while the 256GB base model starts at $1,199. - The article notes Apple charges a steep premium for higher internal storage and that per‑gigabyte pricing for iPhone storage does not follow the typical declining cost curve seen with SSDs. - External options cited include the CORSAIR EX300U portable SSD, with the 2TB around $173 and the 4TB around $322, and many external SSDs offer transfer speeds above 1,000 MB/s. - The PNY Duo Link V3 flash drive is mentioned as available in sizes up to 2TB with advertised read speeds up to 1,000 MB/s and write speeds up to 800 MB/s. - The article also references iCloud’s 2TB plan at $9.99 per month as a lower‑cost cloud alternative. Summary: The article concludes the 2TB internal option represents a significant premium and that users who need large capacity may find comparable storage through external SSDs or cloud plans for less money. It also notes SSD prices could be affected by supply factors such as a DRAM shortage. Undetermined at this time.