In October of last year, shortly before the launch of the Surface RT tablet, Microsoft revealed that the 32GB version of the device actually included just 20GB of free space for users. The tech community erupted into a fit of collective outrage, with many insinuating that Microsoft was somehow misleading users with how it was advertising its devices.

The fact remains, of course, that devices that come with operating systems, restore partitions, and pre-installed software of any kind, don't avail the full advertised storage space to users. Even so, some users may be frustrated to learn that the cheapest version of Samsung's new Galaxy S4 comes with almost half of its onboard storage consumed.

The S4 offers a range of storage options, including 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. The smallest of these is heavily impacted by the large footprint of pre-installed software, which collectively eats up around 45% of the handset's integrated storage, as Geek.com notes. Of the 16GB of space, just 8.82GB remains for users, with the rest being consumed by the Android OS, and an extensive list of pre-loaded apps, including some of Samsung's own software such as its S Voice, S Translator and S Health apps.

Let's try not to overreact here though. This is precisely why Samsung provides a choice of storage options; if that 8.82GB of onboard storage isn't enough for you, then you can always opt for one of the models with more space for your files - and don't forget that the handset offers a microSD card slot to allow you to flexibly extend your storage at a later date.

Source: Geek.com | Image via Samsung