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This video focus on the various types of storage devices

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Computer storage devices is a tool used to store digital information .This content depicts the various types of storage devices

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There is not much sense in talking about the importance of storage devices of computers . Almost everyone knows that computer storage devices are used to store virtually all the data available on a computer, such as photos, videos, text files, music, programs for a computer, etc.

Computer data storage devices is a tool used to store digital information. These serve to temporarily or permanently store any data as per the user's needs. There are types of Storage Devices that can hold the data more data than Primary memory .

It is transferable, but the speed of accessing data is slower than Primary Memory.

Let's see what the computer storage devices or types of storage devices of the computer are.

What are computer storage devices?

The storage devices are useful technology, created to save or archive digital information according to the user's requirements. This data and files are stored in an organized way to access it more easily.

Without computer storage devices in the computer system, laptops and smartphones would not be very helpful. Well, every device needs a storage unit to work. The information or data can be text files, videos, programs, documents, images, and applications.

Characteristics of Secondary Storage Devices:

The secondary memory is also called external or permanent memory.

It is non-volatile memory but also a backup memory for the computer.

Secondary memory stores the data permanently. Even if you have switched off the power, it doesn't lose the data.

The processing speed is than the primary memory.

A computer can work without a secondary memory but not without a primary one.

Storage Devices of Computer

A USB drive is a small, light, ultra-portable storage device compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.

The , also known as a USB memory device, memory stick, USB flash drive, memory unit, data stick, pen drive, kitchen drive, thumb drive, USB keychain, USB stick, or a portable data storage unit .

The pen drive replaced floppy drives and became one of the most popular portable data storage devices on the market. It is small, lightweight, practical , and can be easily carried anywhere instead of an optical drive or a traditional hard disk drive.

These types of computer storage devices are used to store documents, photos, music files, and videos . Its range is from 2 GB to 1 TB.
The main components of USB flash drives are:
Standard USB plug - This part connects the flash drive to a device.
USB Mass Storage Controller - This is a microcontroller for USB. It has a small amount of RAM and ROM.
NAND flash memory chip - The data stores in this component.
Crystal Oscillator - The output data is controlled by this component.
Related: Transfer Files From PC to PC With USB. Step-by-Step Guide
The short form of the hard disk drive is . A hard drive is a computer-accessible storage device based on the made of magnetic recording technology . They are used in the vast majority to store all types of small or big files or data of computers, storing backup copies of data, like file storage, etc., on our digital computer or Laptop.

A round-shaped disk consists inside the hard disk; the disk rotates inside the hard disk. The faster the speed of turns, the faster it can store or read data.

The speed of the hard disk is measured in terms of RPM, i.e., Revolution Per Minute . Most hard disks are of 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM ; obviously, the hard disk of is much faster than the 5400 RPM.

An IBM company created the first hard disk in the 1st generation of computers (1953). Initially, storage capacity was just 5 MB and weighed around 250 KG. Later, many changes were made, which is today's modern Hard Disk with increased storage capacity.

There are four types of Hard Disk Drive.
1. PATA (Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment)
2. SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment)
3. SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)

SSD stands for " Solid State Drive ," are computer storage devices bit similar like a hard disk drive., but it has storage capacity more than a hard disk and more sophisticated device.

It neither has a motor nor a spinning disk as a hard disk has. It uses the integrated circuit memory made of semiconductor technology like RAM, but it is used to store data permanently.

Hard Disk read/ write the data with the help of a mechanical arm. In contrast, an SSD does not have a mechanical arm, so an embedded processor, also known as a Controller, is used to read and write data. This difference makes SSD faster than HDD.

The better quality of the controller will be of a good SSD for the computers. Like flash and USB drive, and memory card store the data, SSD stores the data in the same way.

Related: Types of Power Supply Unit and CPU Fans For Computer

A memory card is also known as a flash memory card or (Secure Digital Card), is an external storage medium that allows us to save and delete information. We use memory cards as secondary storage for our device to store data such as , etc.

A memory card is considered a small storage medium that is commonly used for temporary storage. A memory card is a type of storage media often used to store photos, videos, or other data in electronic devices.

Optical devices are nothing but CD and DVD we were used to watching videos and many more. Both are storage devices of computer are still used to store data.

They are made to replace the floppy disks used to store files and programs from the computer. CDs eventually made floppy disks obsolete.

There are two sides of Compact Disc; one side contains the data, while on the other side, there is a label made for reading data is in the disc. It is an optical medium that saves our digital data.

DVDs are similar to CDs and are also optical storage devices. Before this, videos and films were recorded on a Video CD (VCD), while some DVDs are used to store software and computer files.

Also, DVDs can be double-layer and double-sided, which significantly increases the size of the drive. This allowed users to store data up to on a dual-layer, double-sided disc. A single-layer, the single-sided disc contains approximately 4.7 GB of data.

DVDs are in greater demand than CDs; they are used to record and store all data formats ( audio, video, images, and photos), images (img, iso ). However, after the DVD's arrival, the market saw a massive reduction in CDs' demand.

Recommended Post: Difference between CD and DVDs Explained.

These magnetic disks are fragile and flexible enclosed in a square or rectangular plastic casing. That's why they are called floppy disks as well as diskettes.

In the 70-90s, floppy disks played a much more critical role in computers, but they lost the competition to CDs because the information capacity and lifespan of optical discs were higher.

The floppy disk was the primary portable storage medium for data and programs before the CDs' rise in popularity.

Magnetic tape is made of a thin and long plastic strip. A magnetic layer is applied to it, and the data is saved to the layer which is needed to send the tape to a coil to read, which by a process decodes the data present on that tape.

The above are the seven types of storage devices of computer. These computer storage devices in computers have increased demand in today's digital market. So, share with your friends also and aware of them by the info.

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7 Storage Devices of Computer " Computer storage devices

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There is not much sense in talking about the importance of storage devices of computers . Almost everyone knows that computer storage devices are used to store virtually all the data available on a computer, such as photos, videos, text files, music, programs for a computer, etc.

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The primary storage devices stores data Temporary while the secondary storage stores data Permanently.This content both the primary and secondary storage devices

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The storage device is used to keep a copy of data or information temporally when it is being processed, or permanently for future references. They store the data which is used by the computer and the user. The storage capacity is calculated in terms of bytes where 1byte is made up of 8bits (0s and or 1s).

The main categories of storage devices are RAM, ROM, cache, magnetic, optical, cloud, and solid-state storage methods. Primary storage, they are volatile while secondary stores data permanently.

The table below shows the most common unit to measure storage memory.

Memory units in a computer

Representation (Notation)

Memory unit description

0 OR 1 | bit
4 bits | nibble
8 bits | byte
1 KiloByte (KB) | 1024bytes (2^10)
1 MegaByte (MB) | 1024KB
1 GigaByte (GB) | 1024MB
1 TeraByte (TB) | 1024GB
1 PetaBtye (PT) | 1024GB
NB: Most of today ordinary user devices reach a TB capacity but memory size is increasing every day for future devices.

Storage devices are categorized into two main classes: primary and secondary storage hardware.

They are also known as the main memory of a computer system. Mostly they store data temporally or semi-permanent.

Mostly they are characterized by low memory space, and high cost but high speed of data transfer. They stores data that is being processed at the moment by the computer. This reduces the time to fetch the information from secondary storage like the hard disk and hence increasing the processing speed.

Characteristics of Main memory

1. They are volatile (they store data only when they are powered, specifically RAM)

2. Data is stored temporarily (RAM) and semi-permanently for ROM

3. They have high access speed compared to secondary storage.

4. Main memories have a small storage capacity compared to secondary storage.

Primary storage is classified again into 2: Random Access Memory (RAM) and Read-Only Memory (ROM)

Random Access Memory (RAM):

They are the working memory of the device and they are used to store data that is being processed. RAM stores information temporally until it is stored in secondary storage like a hard disk or flash disk.

RAMs are volatile memory since they only store data where they are supplied with power. When power is switched off the data is lost.

There are 2 types of RAMs.

1. Dynamic RAM (DRAM): for this memory to keep data they need to refresh many times hence the term dynamic. They require extra circuits to enable frequent refreshing. DRAM is commonly used in computers since they are cheaper although they are slower. They leak data which necessitates refreshing.

2. Static RAM (SRAM): they can store data without refreshing. They are more expensive than DRAM and hence not commonly used in most computers. SRAM is also faster than DRAM since they don’t lose data refreshing.

Read-Only Memory (ROM)

They only allow reading of data in the memory but no addition during the normal computer operation.  Mostly they store data semi-permanently or permanently. They are used to store firmware software from the manufacturer of the computer, like the BIOS information.

ROM can be divided again into 3:

1. Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM): It is a type of ROM that can be programmed to change the content of the information only once.

2. Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM): They can be programmed by exposing them to ultraviolet light. When you programming you need to delete all data to add more.

3. Electrical Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM): The content can be deleted by use of electrical means. Users can delete only a portion of the memory and leave the data in other parts. they can be reprogrammed many times without a problem.

What are cache memory and its importance?

A cache is a special type of memory that is sometimes inbuilt within the CPU. The computer processor operates at a very high speed hence it requires to access data faster. RAM is the main memory where processors access data for processing, but compared to processor speed it is slow.

To increase the access speed cache memory is used. It is faster than the RAM and that the first place processor looks for data, if it misses in the cache then it moves to RAM.

There are two Levels of cache depending on the proximity of the memory to the processor.

1. Level 1 Cache memory: This is the closest to the processor and the first place where it checks data. It is inbuilt within the processor.

2. Level 2 cache memory: It is a chip close to the processor and it is the second place where the processor checks for data after Level 1.

Characteristics of cache memory

1. It is the fastest type of memory

2. It stores data temporally

3. The technology used to manufacture is expensive.

4. Inbuilt within the CPU or motherboard

5. Stores data that is frequently required.

Types of secondary storage devices

They are used for bulky permanent storage of data. Secondary storage is characterized by high storage capacity, relatively low cost, and low transfer speed when compared with primary storage.

Characteristics of secondary storage devices

1. They have a high storage capacity. They can be used for bulky storage of backup.

2. Devices are relatively cheap compared to main memory.

3. Secondary storage devices have low data transfer speed when compared with primary storage.

4. Data is stored permanently or until the user decides to delete it.

Secondary storage is classified into 4 types:

Magnetic storage devices

They store data in terms of magnetic fields like in hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic tape, etc. Hard disk is the main storage in today`s computer. It is made of platters that are divided into tracks and sectors for data storage and a head which reads data from the platters. It retrieves data faster that other magnetic devices and it can hold more data.

Some latest computers mostly portable computers are using a solid-state storage device. This offer even fast data access since there are no moving parts like on a hard disk.

Optical storage devices

They stores information on a reflective surface which requires a beam of laser light to read or write on it. Compact Disks were the first optical disk but are being replaced by DVDs which has higher storage capacity.

Blu-rays are the latest optical disk and they use blue laser light rather than red used on CDs and DVDs to read and write. They also have a higher capacity than the earlier two.

Optical disk requires an optical disk drive installed into the computer or external drive to read and write on them.

Solid-state storage devices

They have no movable parts, unlike magnetic disks. They are small in size and have low storage space but are relatively cheap and convenient for the storage of a small amount of information. Most of them have flash memory. Examples include memory stick, flash disk smart memory, etc.

They don’t consume a lot of power hence they are powered by simply connecting them to a computer via USB.

Cloud storage

With fast internet speed, most organizations are moving operations to the cloud where all data is stored and accessed. The storage is sourced from companies that offer the storage space online for a different purposes.

The main advantage of this technology is that data can be accessed from any location. It is also very simple to expand the storage capacity since you don’t need to buy any hardware just to pay for extra space. Google cloud is an example of cloud storage.

It should be noted that still, the cloud storage providers use physical storage where their data centers are located.

Comparison between primary and secondary storage devices

S/No | Primary memory | Secondary storage
1 | Fast data access speed. | Low access speed.
2 | Volatile. | Non-volatile.
3 | Data is stored temporally. | Data is stored permanently or until deleted by the user.
4 | Working memory of the computer. | Backup storage of the computer.
5 | Low storage capacity. | High storage capacity.
6 | Examples RAM, and ROM. | Hard disk Tape disk, Flash memory, DVD/CD, SD card.
7 | They are expensive. | Relatively cheap.

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Types of storage devices and their characteristics - Know Computing

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Storage devices are used to store data when it’s being processed or for future use. They includes, Magnetic, Optical, RAM, ROM, Solid state.

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This is a review on the various types of output devices

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A storage unit is a part of the computer system which is employed to store the information and instructions to be processed. A storage device is an integral part of the computer hardware which stores information/data to process the result of any computational work. Without a storage device, a computer would not be able to run or even boot up. Or in other words, we can say that a storage device is hardware that is used for storing, porting, or extracting data files. It can also store information/data both temporarily and permanently. Computer storage is of two types:

Primary Storage Devices: It is also known as internal memory and main memory. This is a section of the CPU that holds program instructions, input data, and intermediate results. It is generally smaller in size. RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory) are examples of primary storage.

Secondary Storage Devices: Secondary storage is a memory that is stored external to the computer. It is mainly used for the permanent and long-term storage of programs and data. Hard Disk, CD, DVD, Pen/Flash drive, SSD, etc, are examples of secondary storage.

Storage Devices

Now we will discuss different types of storage devices available in the market. These storage devices have their own specification and use. Some of the commonly used storage devices are:
1. Primary storage devices
(i) RAM: It stands for Random Access Memory. It is used to store information that is used immediately or we can say that it is a temporary memory. Computers bring the software installed on a hard disk to RAM to process it and to be used by the user. Once, the computer is turned off, the data is deleted. With the help of RAM, computers can perform multiple tasks like loading applications, browsing the web, editing a spreadsheet, experiencing the newest game, etc. It allows you to modify quickly among these tasks, remembering where you're in one task once you switch to a different task. It is also used to load and run applications, like your spreadsheet program, answer commands, like all edits you made within the spreadsheet, or toggle between multiple programs, like once you left the spreadsheet to see the email. Memory is nearly always being actively employed by your computer. It ranges from 1GB - 32GB/64GB depending upon the specifications. There are different types of RAM, although they all serve the same purpose, the most common ones are :

SRAM: It stands for Static Random Access Memory. It consists of circuits that retain stored information as long as the power is supply is on. It is also known as volatile memory. It is used to build Cache memory. The access time of SRAM is lower and it is much faster as compared to DRAM but in terms of cost, it is costly as compared to DRAM.

DRAM: It stands for Dynamic Random Access Memory. It is used to stores binary bits in the form of electrical charges that are applied to capacitors. The access time of DRAM is slower as compare to SRAM but it is cheaper than SRAM and has a high packaging density.

SDRAM: It stands for Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory. It is faster than DRAM. It is widely used in computers and others. After SDRAM was introduced, the upgraded version of double data rate RAM, i.e., DDR1, DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4 was entered into the market and widely used in home/office desktops and laptops.

(ii) ROM: It stands for Read-Only Memory. The data written or stored in these devices are non-volatile, i.e, once the data is stored in the memory cannot be modified or deleted. The memory from which will only read but cannot write it. This type of memory is non-volatile. The information is stored permanently during manufacture only once. ROM stores instructions that are used to start a computer. This operation is referred to as bootstrap. It is also used in other electronic items like washers and microwaves. ROM chips can only store few megabytes (MB) of data, which ranges between 4 and 8 MB per ROM chip. There are two types of ROM:

PROM: PROM is Programmable Read-Only Memory. These are ROMs that can be programmed. A special PROM programmer is employed to enter the program on the PROM. Once the chip has been programmed, information on the PROM can't be altered. PROM is non-volatile, that is data is not lost when power is switched off.

EPROM: Another sort of memory is that the Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory. It is possible to erase the info which has been previously stored on an EPROM and write new data onto the chip.

2. Magnetic Storage Devices
(i) Floppy Disk: It is also known as a floppy diskette. It is generally used on a personal computer to store data externally. A Floppy disk is made up of a plastic cartridge and secures with a protective case. Nowadays floppy disk is replaced by new and effective storage devices like USB, etc.

(ii) Hard Disk: It is a storage device (HDD) that stores and retrieves data using magnetic storage. It is a non-volatile storage device that can be modified or deleted n number of times without any problem. Most of the computers and laptops have HDDs as their secondary storage device. It is actually a set of stacked disks, just like phonograph records. In every hard disk, the data is recorded electromagnetically in the concentric circles or we can say track present on the hard disk, and with the help of a head just like a phonograph arm(but fixed in a position) to read the information present on the track. The read-write speed of HDDs is not so fast but decent. It ranges from a few GBs to a few and more TB.

(iii) Magnetic Card: It is a card in which data is stored by modifying or rearranging the magnetism of tiny iron-based magnetic particles present on the band of the card. It is also known as a swipe card. It is used like a passcode(to enter into house or hotel room), credit card, identity card, etc.

(iv) Tape Cassette: It is also known as a music cassette. It is a rectangular flat container in which the data is stored in an analog magnetic tape. It is generally used to store audio recordings.

(v) SuperDisk: It is also called LS-240 and LS-120. It is introduced by Imation corporation and it is popular with OEM computers. It can store data up to 240 MB.
3. Flash memory Devices
It is a cheaper and portable storage device. It is the most commonly used device to store data because is more reliable and efficient as compare to other storage devices. Some of the commonly used flash memory devices are:

(i) Pen Drive: It is also known as a USB flash drive that includes flash memory with an integrated USB interface. We can directly connect these devices to our computers and laptops and read/write data into them in a much faster and efficient way. These devices are very portable. It ranges from 1GB to 256GB generally.

(ii) SSD: It stands for Solid State Drive, a mass storage device like HDDs. It is more durable because it does not contain optical disks inside like hard disks. It needs less power as compared to hard disks, is lightweight, and has 10x faster read and write speed as compared to hard disks. But, these are costly as well. While SSDs serve an equivalent function as hard drives, their internal components are much different. Unlike hard drives, SSDs don't have any moving parts and thus they're called solid-state drives. Instead of storing data on magnetic platters, SSDs store data using non-volatile storage. Since SSDs haven't any moving parts, they do not need to "spin up". It ranges from 150GB to a few and more TB.

(iii) SD Card: It is known as a Secure Digital Card. It is generally used with electronic devices like phones, digital cameras, etc. to store larger data. It is portable and the size of the SD card is also small so that it can easily fit into electronic devices. It is available in different sizes like 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, etc.

(iv) Memory Card: It is generally used in digital cameras. printers, game consoles, etc. It is also used to store large amounts of data and is available in different sizes. To run a memory card on a computer you require a separate memory card reader.

(v) Multimedia Card: It is also known as MMC. It is an integrated circuit that is generally used in-car radios, digital cameras, etc. It is an external device to store data/information.
4. Optical Storage Devices
Optical Storage Devices is also a secondary storage device. It is a removable storage device. Following are some optical storage devices:

(i) CD: It is known asCompact Disc. It contains tracks and sectors on its surface to store data. It is made up of polycarbonate plastic and is circular in shape. CD can store data up to 700MB. It is of two types:

CD-R: It stands for Compact Disc read-only. In this type of CD, once the data is written can not be erased. It is read-only.

CD-RW: It stands for Compact Disc read Write. In this type of CD, you can easily write or erase data multiple times.

(ii) DVD: It is known as Digital Versatile Disc. DVDs are circular flat optical discs used to store data. It comes in two different sizes one is 4.7GB single-layer discs and another one is 8.5GB double-layer discs. DVDs look like CDs but the storage capacity of DVDs is more than as compared to CDs. It is of two types:

DVD-R: It stands for Digital Versatile Disc read-only. In this type of DVD, once the data is written can not be erased. It is read-only. It is generally used to write movies, etc.

DVD-RW: It stands for Digital Versatile Disc read Write. In this type of DVD, you can easily write or erase data multiple times.

(iii) Blu-ray Disc: It is just like CD and DVD but the storage capacity of blu ray is up to 25GB. To run a Blu-ray disc you need a separate Blu-ray reader. This Blu-ray technology is used to read a disc from a blue-violet laser due to which the information is stored in greater density with a longer wavelength.
5. Cloud and Virtual Storage
Nowadays, secondary memory has been upgraded to virtual or cloud storage devices. We can store our files and other stuff in the cloud and the data is stored for as long as we pay for the cloud storage. There are many companies that provide cloud services largely Google, Amazon, Microsoft, etc. We can pay the rent for the amount of space we need and we get multiple benefits out of it. Though it is actually being stored in a physical device located in the data centers of the service provider, the user doesn't interact with the physical device and its maintenance. For example, Amazon Web Services offers AWS S3 as a type of storage where users can store data virtually instead of being stored in physical hard drive devices. These sorts of innovations represent the frontier of where storage media goes.

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What is a Storage Device? Definition, Types, Examples - GeeksforGeeks

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A storage unit is a part of the computer system which is employed to store the information and instructions to be processed. A storage device is an integral part of the computer hardware which stores information/data to process the result of any computational work.

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This tutorial depicts the various types of storage devices and their utility

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You are here: Home / Computers / 13 Different Types of Storage Devices and Disk Drives Used in Computer Systems

Computers utilize a variety of storage devices and media in order to read and write data. Without permanent or temporary storage, a computer wouldn’t function as expected.

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Most machines would be completely useless without a place to store digital data. Everything from the operating system to programs and individual files exist on storage after all.

The early days of computer memory featured magnetic tape and floppy disks. Now things like hard drives, solid state drives, cloud storage services etc are used more often.

In general, storage device types can be separated into two broad categories:

Permanent

Temporary

Nearly a dozen types of permanent storage are available for computers. On the other hand, temporary memory is often limited to Random Access Memory (RAM) and cache memory.

Each type of storage or memory comes with its own benefits and disadvantages. It’s important to understand what options are available on the market today and decide which solutions make sense for a given computer.

Consider the following storage devices used in computer systems starting from permanent storage devices:

Table of Contents

Types of Permanent Storage Devices

Magnetic Storage Types

1. Hard Disk Drive

2. Magnetic Tape Device

3. Floppy Disks

Flash Storage Types

4. SSD (Solid State Drive)

5. USB Flash Drive

6. SD Card

Optical Storage Types

7. CD

8. DVD

9. BluRay Disks

Online Storage

10. Cloud Storage

Types of Temporary Storage

11. RAM (Random Access Memory)

12. ROM (Read Only Memory)

13. Cache Memory

What Types of Storage Devices Are Commonly Used Today?

Primary Vs Secondary Storage Devices

Types of Permanent Storage Devices

Magnetic Storage Types

1. Hard Disk Drive

A hard disk drive (HDD) is a non-volatile storage medium. Non-volatile data remains on a given device unless rewritten or deleted.

In hard drives, an electromagnet creates positive or negative charges on the disk surface. The charges create binary code read as the rotating disk and actuator arm work in conjunction.

Data is read along concentric circles, known as tracks, and sectors, known as wedges. Currently, hard disks remain in regular use but their popularity is diminishing.

HDDs come with a variety of benefits, including high storage capacities and overall low cost, that’s why they are mostly used for backup and archiving purposes.

Alternative forms of storage often cost more for similar storage capacities. These days, a two-terabyte hard drive might cost $50.00 or less.

Hard drives include mechanical parts, though, so they wear down over time and are susceptible to sudden data loss from impact damage. Many hard drives feature fast read/write speeds, but other faster storage types are available today.

Mechanical HDDs have a rotating head, that is why you will see specs like 7.5K RPM or 10K RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) on HDD devices.

Typical Storage Capacity: 500 GB to 4+ TB

2. Magnetic Tape Device

The Eckert-Mauchly UNIVAC I system originally used magnetic storage device tapes back in 1951. Surprisingly enough, magnetic tape is still used today and sees regular improvements.

Data is written onto magnetic tape through various means, which is outside the scope of this description.

It’s possible to write data onto magnetic tape along its length or width, though. At this point, magnetic tape is used in academic fields and countless other situations such as backup storage systems. Specialized equipment is required to read magnetic tape.

For ordinary consumers, magnetic tape might seem like an outdated technology. Researchers continue to develop magnetic tape for commercial use.

Tape features higher storage capacities than hard drives, and they’re more reliable than HDDs.

They feature a similar overall cost compared to similar hard disks as well. In fact, some analysts predict that the use of magnetic tape will continue to grow and expand. Tape could replace hard drives in commercial settings moving forward.

3. Floppy Disks

Generally speaking, floppy disks existed as storage devices from 1971 to 1999. The disk drives required to read floppy disks are no longer included in mainstream computers.

Finding a working floppy disk drive outside of industrial settings can prove challenging in some cases.

Nonetheless, floppy disks relied on a magnetic disk that could be read and written via read/write heads. Various motors and the floppy disk drive are required in order to access data on floppy disks.

In the past, floppy disks came with the benefit of being affordable and relatively fast. They supplemented a computer’s main storage device well and usually they were used to boot-up a computer (e.g older computers using MSDOS operating system could boot-up using a floppy disk).

Most floppy disks held less than two megabytes of data. Unfortunately, floppy disks maxed out at 240 MB of storage space.

Although floppy disks are used in industrial settings, consumers often consider them extinct and obsolete compared to hard drives. Floppy disks were manufactured in various sizes over the years.

Flash Storage Types

4. SSD (Solid State Drive)

Solid state drives rely upon NAND flash memory to deliver blistering read/write speeds. Transistors are wired in series on a given circuit board, meaning SSDs lack moving parts. For that reason, data can be accessed immediately and without much noise or heat.

A computer’s operating system accesses the storage drive, and SSDs come in both internal and external configurations. Faster read/write speeds lead to better load times, a faster operating system, and other benefits.

Typically, SSDs cost more money than HDDs with similar storage capacities. They cannot be beaten on read/write speeds or longevity, though.

Solid State Drives degrade in memory quality over millions of write operations, but they’re not susceptible to damage like hard drives.

Plus, they’re quieter than hard drives and come in smaller form factors. Portable devices achieve better battery life due to the non-mechanical function, which is always a desirable result.

Typical Storage Capacity: 120 GB to 1+ TB

5. USB Flash Drive

Like SSDs, USB Flash Drives rely upon NAND flash memory. These devices are designed to be portable, pocketable storage solutions.

They plug into a computer’s USB port and feature fast read/write speeds. In simple terms, flash drives are best used as ultraportable storage devices.

Flash drives provide an excellent solution for moving files from one device to another quickly. They’re often used as backup devices for large amounts of data as well.

The benefits of USB flash drives speak for themselves. These devices are extremely portable and feature no moving parts, so the data is secure.

Also, a variety of storage capacities are available on the market, although capacities over 256 GB are uncommon.

It doesn’t help that flash drives are expensive compared to HDDs, which feature much higher capacities at lower prices. Such memory sticks serve a variety of purposes, and it never hurts to keep one lying around.

Typical Storage Capacity: 8 GB to 256GB (Maximum 2 TB)

6. SD Card

SD Cards rely upon flash memory and are designed for portable devices such as cameras, smartphones etc. Most laptops and many smartphones feature SD Card readers.

For sizing options, manufacturers offer full-size SD, miniSD, and microSD cards with various capacities.

Full-size SD cards often slot into desktop PCs and laptops. Cameras and smartphones or tablets often accommodate miniSD or microSD cards.

SD cards are categorized by their read/write speed, which can vary 12.5 megabytes per second to 3,938 MB/s.

Like USB flash drives, SD Cards are portable and easy to pocket. Smaller capacities are available at competitive pricing compared to flash drives and other memory.

They’re best used as portable device storage or for transferring files between devices. Otherwise, higher capacity cards cost a far more amount of money, and they’re not suitable for running programs or operating systems on computers. A better solution for portable devices and storage might not be available.

Typical Storage Capacity: 2 GB to 32 GB and Beyond

Optical Storage Types

7. CD

Compact Disks (CDs) are known as optical storage devices. The disks feature microscopic pits and bumps that disk drives read as binary data.

While running in an optical disk drive, CDs rotate at a constant speed. A laser glides over the surface of the disk to read the binary data.

An optical lens reads this data and sends it to the computer or laptop being used. Depending on the disk type, CDs can be read only or read/write capable.

CDs typically contain audio and other small amounts of data. Storage capacity is limited to 700 MB, so they’re not suitable for high definition video storage.

Luckily, CDs cost very little money and take up very little space. They’re prone to scratches that render the disk unreadable, which leads to reliability problems.

Not all computers and laptops feature an optical disk drive today, either. Better disk-based storage options are available.

Typical Storage Capacity: 700 MB

8. DVD

Of course, DVDs look like CDs because they’re identical in size. All DVDs feature a spiral track with more data capacity than a CD, though.

The DVD drive utilizes a finer laser to read data due to the higher density. In essence, DVDs work exactly like CDs but with higher storage capacities. Dual layering is a process with DVDs that further increases storage capacity.

Large amounts of data, including standard definition video, can be stored on DVDs without a problem.

The average DVD features 4.7 GB of read/write data today. DVDs have been supplanted by BluRay Disks, so they’re often considered obsolete.

Regardless, DVDs are affordable and feature decent storage capacity. Computers from a decade ago typically featured a DVD drive by default. That’s not necessarily the case in 2020, so DVDs should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Typical Storage Capacity: 4.7 GB

9. BluRay Disks

The king of optical storage is the BluRay Disk. Once again, BluRay disks look like a standard CD or DVD. Even more data is packed into the spiral tracks of the disk.

An even more specialized violet laser reads the binary data on the disk’s surface. BluRay disks feature layering technology to increase capacity like DVDs.

With that in mind, a BluRay may feature storage capacity anywhere from 25 GB to 128 GB although the most popular capacity sizes are 25GB (single layer) or 50GB (double layer).

BluRay disks cost more than CDs and DVDs but should be considered the gold standard of optical media.

Multiple high definition movies and other data can be loaded onto a BluRay. Based on capacity alone, BluRay disks make more sense than other optical media solutions. BluRay disk drives don’t come standard on all computers, but they’re quite affordable to buy and install.

Typical Storage Capacity: 25 GB to 128 GB

Online Storage

10. Cloud Storage

Cloud Storage relies upon data stored on servers accessible at all times over the Internet.

Data might be stored on multiple servers to ensure 100% uptime and reliability. To access cloud storage, a computer needs access to the internet and a cloud storage provider.

Companies like Amazon, Google, and others offer cloud storage solutions. Data is always accessible and synced from the server to individual devices. Cloud data is essentially always available via the internet.

Since cloud storage is, in theory, always accessible, it’s convenient. A computer with an internet connection should be able to access data within seconds.

Location doesn’t matter with cloud storage, and a fast connection means instant access.

However, cloud storage is typically offered as a service and costs more money based on overall data storage needs.

Unavailable internet connections render cloud storage useless, and the overall security of such storage is sometimes questionable (although there are cloud storage services that offer encryption of data as well).

Types of Temporary Storage

11. RAM (Random Access Memory)

Unlike the previously covered storage devices, RAM is volatile data. Data stored in RAM is constantly cycled in and out and disappears after power is removed.

A computer’s CPU accesses RAM, which acts like a middleman between the CPU and non-volatile storage devices.

Otherwise, a computer would operate too slow for comfort by relying on non-volatile storage alone. Any data stored in RAM is available to the CPU in quick fashion, acting like the working memory for the CPU.

RAM directly affects the performance of a given computer. Most computers need 8 GB of RAM in order to function fast and smooth.

Sometimes, 16 GB or more is required for intensive use cases. RAM is quite expensive compared to other storage types but serves an invaluable purpose.

A quality RAM module leads to better PC performance and faster loading speeds in various applications.

12. ROM (Read Only Memory)

As the name suggests, this type of memory can only be read from the computer but you can’t write any data to it.

Another important characteristic is that ROM does not lose its data when the power is off (i.e it is non-volatile data).

ROM is usually used to store critical and essential data that helps to power-up a computer system and to perform an initial hardware test and setup. After the computer powers up, it starts using other types of storage such as hard disk, RAM etc.

An example of ROM is the BIOS of the computer (Basic Input Output System) which initializes the hardware and helps to start-up the whole computer system.

13. Cache Memory

CPUs feature cache memory embedded in the processing chip. Cache memory is faster than RAM but features much smaller storage capacity.

In a basic summary, such memory stores program instructions and similar data a CPU needs to access immediately.

This particular setup allows a computer to run faster and process tasks more efficiently. The cache memory handles the minute compute instructions in nanoseconds.

What Types of Storage Devices Are Commonly Used Today?

In today’s world, you’ll encounter certain storage devices more often than others.

RAM and cache memory comprise core parts of a computer. Solid state drives have started to replace hard drives in many computers due to speed and reliability.

On top of that, cloud storage continues to creep into the equation, especially for enterprise uses. Regular consumers still utilize USB drives and SD Cards for portability.

Conversely, floppy disks have all but died out except for extreme industrial use cases.

CDs and even DVDs remain rare in comparison to BluRay disks. Magnetic tape existed over 50 years ago but remains popular in academic and commercial settings.

More forms of storage devices are bound to pop up as time goes on. For now, manufacturers continue to develop and refine existing storage devices to increase capacity and reliability.

Primary Vs Secondary Storage Devices

All the devices explained above are some times categorized as Primary or Secondary storage devices. At a high-level, Temporary storage can be categorized as Primary Storage and Permanent storage can be categorized as Secondary Storage.

The table below summarizes the differences between Primary vs Secondary Storage Devices.

Primary Storage | Secondary Storage
Examples: RAM, ROM, Cache | Examples: Hard Disk Drive (HDD), Solid Stade Drive (SSD), CD-Rom, DVD, Blu-Ray disks etc.
Main memory in computers used to hold data that is currently in use. | Long term storage to hold data and programs that might not be used currently but they can be used in the future.
Provides the fastest data access in computers. | Not as fast as Primary Storage.
Located on the motherboard or on the CPU. | Located on separate hardware storage devices.
Data is usually lost (except ROM) when power is off. | Data is not lost when power is off.
Limited storage size. | Larger storage size.
Example Primary Storage Size (e.g RAM): 4GB to 128GB | Example Secondary Storage Size: 512GB to 1TB

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13 Different Types of Storage Devices/Drives in Computer Systems (Guide)

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Computers utilize a variety of storage devices and media in order to read and write data. Without permanent or temporary storage, a computer wouldn’t function as expected. Most machines would be completely useless without a place to store digital data. Everything from the operating system to program…