There are several different types of mass storage devices, including hard drives, solid-state drives, optical discs, floppy disks, flash drives, and other pieces of technology such as MP3 players and Secure Digital (SD) cards. Most types of storage devices can be used to store any type of file, but MP3 players can only display certain types of files if they are not connected to a computer. All mass storage devices require a computer to function properly, because a computer is needed to move files to and from storage devices.
An SD card.
Hard drives are among the most common types of mass storage devices. Most computers already have a built-in hard drive and can provide a large amount of memory that is easily accessible by the user. Universal Serial Bus (USB) portable hard drives are also available, offering hard drive storage in a more portable form. Most hard drives use magnetic disks that store data as a magnetic pattern. Solid state drives are essentially an alternative type of hard drive that runs faster, quieter, and lasts longer.
A large capacity USB flash drive can store a large amount of data.
Optical discs are another of the most used storage devices. An optical disc is better known to most people as a compact disc (CD) or digital versatile disc (DVD), which has data “written” by a laser. Most computers come equipped with a CD/DVD drive that can also write data to optical storage devices. This functionality has made optical discs a common type of mass storage device, and the data can be read by a variety of devices. For example, most stereo systems can play music stored on a CD, depending on the file format.
A hard drive is considered a mass storage device.
Floppy disks are an older class of mass storage devices, and although some computers can still play them, optical disks are much more popular. The memory in floppy disks is considerably less than that found in optical disks and hard drives, but they are generally much cheaper to buy and easier to transport. Another advantage of floppy disks is that they are universal, but unfortunately they work very slowly, especially when compared to other devices.
An MP3 player is a type of mass storage device used to store digital files.
Other technologies, such as MP3 players and digital cameras, can be used as mass storage devices. Most digital cameras use SD cards, which can offer a large amount of storage space, at least exceeding that of a CD or DVD. SD cards can often display photos and videos when connected to a digital camera. MP3 players usually have a lot of memory and can play music files without the help of a PC after transferring.
Floppy disks are an older class of mass storage devices.
Massive data storage can be done using CDs.
