64 or 128 GB in a smartphone Xiaomi: which is better to choose in 2026?

Choosing between 64GB and 128GB of memory in a Xiaomi smartphone is a classic dilemma faced by every second buyer. On the one hand, the difference in price between modifications can reach 2,000-4 thousand rubles, and on the other hand, no one wants to face eternal shortage of space and the message “Memory is full.”

Many users mistakenly believe that 128 GB is a “pro of inventory” that will never come in handy. Others, on the contrary, believe that 64 GB is only enough for calls and instant messengers. Where is the middle ground? In this article, we will analyze real-world use cases, performance tests, pricing and even prospects for 2026 so that you make an informed choice without overpaying and disappointments.

Spoiler: The answer depends not only on your habits, but also on the specific Xiaomi model.+ With 128GB, you’ll get faster memory. UFS 3.1, than in the base version with 64 GB (UFS This is not only a matter of volume, but also of the speed of the phone.

1. Who will be enough 64 GB in a Xiaomi smartphone?

Let's see who really needs 64GB, and where that figure becomes critical. According to Xiaomi statistics for 2023, 78% of smartphone users under 25,000 rubles choose this particular modification. But why?

If you:

• 📱 You use your phone mainly for social media (VK, Telegram, WhatsApp and calls;
• 🎵 Listen to music through streaming (Yandex Music, Spotify, YouTube Music);
• 📷 Take photos in the cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) and do not store them RAW-snapshot;
• 🎮 Don't install heavy games (Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG).

64 GB is enough for you to last 2-3 years, but there are nuances!

The main catch: the system MIUI «It eats 10 to 12 GB out of the box (depending on version), and another 5 to 8 GB will go to updates and app cache, so a clean 45 to 50 GB is your real limit?

Let's do a simple calculation.

• 📸 1000 photos of high quality (~3 MB each) = 3GB;
• 🎥 10 videos for 1 minute in Full HD (~150 MB each) = 1.5 GB;
• 🎵 500 songs in format MP3 (~5 MB each) = 2.5 GB;
• 📱 20 applications (average weight) ~100MB) = 2GB;
• 🎮 2-3 games of medium weight (~1 GB each) = 3GB.

So, 12GB -- and that's not counting cache, temporary files, backups -- 33GB to 38GB for everything else. Is that enough?

2.When does 64GB become a bottleneck? 5 wake-up calls

There are users who think 64GB is a ticking time bomb, and if you have one of these, you should take 128GB (or think of a memory card if the model supports microSD):

• 🎮 You play Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail or others. AAA-projects (weight of one game – 10-15 GB, plus updates);
• 📸 You're filming in 4K or 8K (1 minute = 400-800 MB);
• 🎬 Mount videos on your phone (CapCut, KineMaster – temporary files “weigh” tens of gigabytes);
• 📥 Frequently download movies/series for offline viewing (one movie in Full) HD = 4-8GB);
• 📁 Store archives of documents, presentations or large databases on your phone.

Critical moment: if you see in settings (Settings) → Storage less than 10% of free space, the phone starts to slow down by 15-20% (tests Geekbench confirms a drop in performance due to memory fragmentation).

Example from life: a user of Redmi Note 12 Pro with 64 GB installed Genshin Impact (12 GB), downloaded 5 movies (25 GB), took 2000 photos (6 GB) - and six months later received 0 free gigabytes. Had to delete data or buy microSD (which is not always saving, because not all games support installation on the card).

3.128GB: Is overpayment justified? Price and benefit analysis

The price difference between 64GB and 128GB in Xiaomi’s lineup ranges from 1,500 to 4,000 rubles depending on the model. Let’s see if the game is worth the candle.

Conclusion: in budget models (Redmi, POCO) Overpayment is minimal, and in flagships (Xiaomi) 13/14) It's better to take it straight. 256 GB - the difference is there already 5–7 Thousands of rubles, but enough for 5+ years.

Interesting fact: in Xiaomi 13T 128GB version with faster memory UFS 3.1 than 64 GB (UFS This means that applications are launched 20-30% faster – and this is a strong argument in favor of overpayment.

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In the flagship models of Xiaomi (series) 13/14) difference 64 GB and 128 GB includes not only the volume, but also the type of memory (UFS 2.2 vs UFS 3.1), What directly affects productivity.

4. Memory Card vs In-House Memory: Which is Best for Xiaomi?

A lot of people think, "I'm going to buy Xiaomi with 64GB and I'm going to buy a 128GB microSD and the problem is solved." But that's a dangerous misconception.

• ⚠️ Not all apps support installation on the map (especially games and instant messengers);
• ⚠️ MicroSD is 3-5 times faster than internal memory (even if it is a microSD). UHS-I lose UFS 2.1);
• ⚠️ Memory cards often fail (average service life is 2-3 years with active use).

AndroBench test shows that recording on microSD (even class) A2) It occurs at a speed of 20-30 MB / s, while the internal memory UFS 2.2 gives 200-300 MB/s. The difference is noticeable when copying files or running games.

There are exceptions to this: in models that support microSDXC (for example, in the case of microSDXC, POCO M6 Pro) cards up to 1TB can be used, but even here restrictions remain:

• 📁 Photos/videos can be stored on a map, but app cache is not;
• 🎮 Games like Call of Duty Mobile refuse to work with external memory;
• 🔄 When restarting the phone, some files on the map may be “reset».

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If you still decide to use microSD, take a class card. A2 (for example, Samsung EVO Plus or SanDisk Extreme – optimized for smartphones and less brakes.

5. Test in practice: How much memory does popular apps take up?

We analyzed the weight of top-end apps and games on Xiaomi (May 2026 data).

Bottom line: Even 3 to 4 heavy games or apps can eat 20 to 30 GB, not counting cache, and if you like TikTok or Telegram, be prepared for them to bloat over time.

Example: Users have installed Genshin Impact (12 GB), PUBG Mobile (2 GB), downloaded offline maps of Google Maps for Russia (3 GB) and took 1000 photos (3 GB). Total: 20 GB — and this is without taking into account the system and updates!

Remove the cache in Settings → Warehouse → Clear the cache|

Move the photo to Google Photos (settings “Free space»)|

Disable automatic downloading in Telegram/WhatsApp|

Remove unused applications through Settings → Annexes-->

6.Prospects for 2026: Should we take 64GB today?

If you plan to use your phone for longer than 2 years, 64GB in 2026 is a risky choice.

• 📈 Games are getting heavier: in 2023, the average weight of the top mobile game increased by 40% (from 8 GB to 11-12 GB);
• 📸 Photos and videos take up more space: new smartphones are shot in the 10-bit HDR, a video in 4K@60fps weight 2 more than before;
• 📱 Updates MIUI: Each new version “weighs” 1-2 GB more than the previous one;
• 💾 Memory prices are falling: in a year, 128 GB will cost the same as 64 GB today.

Analysts Counterpoint Research predict that by 2026, the minimum comfortable amount of memory for a mid-range smartphone will be 128 GB. Already today, brands such as Samsung and Apple have abandoned 64 GB in new models – Xiaomi may follow suit.

The exception is that if you buy a phone for a year or two, or plan to sell it in 12 months, 64GB may be a valid choice. But for long-term use, 128GB is the new standard.

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Before buying, check if the Xiaomi model supports memory expansion via microSD. For example, the Redmi Note 13 Pro supports, while the Xiaomi 14 does not.

7. Hidden nuances: What else influences choice?

In addition to the volume, there are factors that few people think about:

1. Type of memory: in cheap models (Redmi) A2, POCO C55) Even 128GB can be on a slow memory eMMC 5.1, which negates the advantage of volume!
2. Version. MIUI: into MIUI 14/15 The function "Memory Extension" (Memory Extension) has been introduced, which allows you to use the 1–3 GB RAM as an additional storage, but it's a half-measure, not a solution.
3. Cloud services: Mi Cloud only gives 5GB for free, and Google Photos has stopped offering unlimited storage for high-quality photos since June 2026.

Another important point is that if you reflash your phone frequently (like putting custom firmware like the Pixel Experience), 128GB gives you more freedom to experiment, and 64GB after firmware and backups, there may not be enough space for basic data.

⚠️ Note: In some Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note 12), the 64GB version has only 3GB of RAM, and 128GB already has 6 or 8GB!

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory selection in Xiaomi