A flash drive is a data storage device that includes flash memory with an integrated USB interface. A typical USB drive is removable, rewritable, and smaller than an optical disc, and usually weighs less than 30 g (1 oz). Since first offered for sale in late 2000, the storage capacities of USB drives range from 8 to 256 gigabytes (GB), 512 GB and 1 terabyte (TB). As of 2023, 2 TB flash drives were the largest currently in production. Some allow up to 100,000 write/erase cycles, depending on the exact type of memory chip used, and are thought to physically last between 10 and 100 years under normal circumstances.
A SanDisk Cruzer USB drive from 2011, with 4 GB of storage capacity
A SanDisk Ultra Flair USB drive from 2020, attached to an HP laptop
Transcend JetFlash from 2014
SanDisk 1 TB USB-C flash drive (2020 model) next to a 50 cent euro coin
A floppy disk or floppy diskette is a type of disk storage composed of a thin and flexible disk of a magnetic storage medium in a square or nearly square plastic enclosure lined with a fabric that removes dust particles from the spinning disk. Floppy disks store digital data which can be read and written when the disk is inserted into a floppy disk drive (FDD) connected to or inside a computer or other device.
8-inch, 5¼-inch, and 3½-inch floppy disks
8-inch, 5¼-inch (full height), and 3½-inch drives
A 3½-inch floppy disk removed from its housing
8-inch floppy disk, inserted in drive, (3½-inch floppy diskette, in front, shown for scale)