The new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus both have options for a huge 128GB of on-board storage, but that’s not as impressive as you may think. A lot of other phones have built-in microSD slots. That means you can expand the storage capacity of your device by buying a microSD card, which will cost you a fair bit less than going the built-in storage route.
How much can you expand it? That’s up to the phone itself, but most of the newer models support cards up to – you guessed it – 128GB.
The extra storage is added on top of the phone’s built-in capacity. A 16GB phone that has a 128GB card inserted has a max capacity of 134GB.
iPhone storage cost breakdown
Both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus come in three separate storage models, but we’ll just be focusing on the difference between the lowest and the highest.
iPhone 6 Plus
The 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus has a recommended retail price (RRP) of $999 for 16GB and $1249 for 128GB. That's a difference of $250 for a 112GB increase, coming to $2.20 per GB.
iPhone 6
The 4.7-inch 16GB iPhone 6 is $869. The 128GB model is $1129. This time it's an increase of $260 for 112GB, which works out to around $2.30 per GB.
MicroSD: more storage for less money
MicroSD cards are priced differently wherever you go. So far the only ones on the market are made by SanDisk and generally run between the $170 mark. For the sake of simplicity we’ll say $160. That’s $100 less than the iPhone 6 increase and $90 less than the iPhone 6 Plus.
It’s more than just the money – remember that microSD can give you a full 128GB extra storage. The increase between iPhone models is only 112GB.
To spell it out in per-GB terms, $160 for a 128GB increase to your phone works out to $1.25 per GB. That’s only 54% the cost per-GB of the increase you get between the iPhone 6 models, and 57% that of the iPhone 6 Plus.
Compatible phone costs
The Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One (M8) and LG G3 are a few of the microSD-supporting contenders for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The S5 and G3 have 16GB on-board storage and the One (M8) has 32GB. They are also, all of them, fantastic and exciting examples of first-rate gadgetry.
The Galaxy S5 has a 5.1 inch display and will run you $899 RRP. The HTC One (M8) has a 5 inch screen and is also $899. The LG G3 has a 5.5 inch screen and is $799.
Unlike Apple, these three handset makers are hands-off when it comes to enforcing the RRP. That means you can find the phones up for quite a bit cheaper if you shop around.
The Galaxy S5 can be picked up for $827.08 from Dick Smith, the One (M8) is $788 at JB Hi-Fi and the LG G3 is just $644, also from JB. For further discounts you can check out online vendors like Kogan, where the difference in price is often in the hundreds.
Prices compared
So, how much more do you end up paying for the largest iPhone 6 and 6 Plus storage options compared to the alternatives? Here's the price comparison based on the retailer prices listed above, added to the rough price of $160 for a 128GB microSD card.
 iPhone 6 Plus |
 iPhone 6 |
 Galaxy S5 |
 HTC One (M8) |
 LG G3 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Storage | 128GB | 128GB | 134GB | 150GB | 134GB |
| Price | $1249 | $1129 | $987.08 | $948 | $804 |
| Plan options | On Plans | On Plans | On Plans | On Plans | On Plans |
The LG G3 is by far the most-affordable option. It’s also one of the best phones we’ve ever been lucky enough to get our hands on, despite its comparative affordability.
For those that prefer a smaller screen, the One (M8) and Galaxy (S5) are also superb choices, but the M8 will get you the highest capacity.
These aren’t the only Android phones with microSD slots. Be sure to have a look around and consider the alternatives before handing over your hard-earned money.
The moral of the story: if big storage is your game then iPhone isn't the only way to play.
Alex Angove-Plumb
Digital Content Editor
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