Choose at least three devices and list the following information about

each of them:
Method (optical, magnetic or solid state?)
Capacity (how much can it store?)
Speed
Portability
Durability and Reliability

List of devices:
CD
DVD
Blu-ray Disc
Floppy Disk
Internal Hard Disk
External Hard Disk
Flash drive (USB stick or memory card)
Solid State Drive (Internal)

1 answer

Here's a breakdown of the devices you mentioned, covering their method, capacity, speed, portability, and durability and reliability:

1. CD (Compact Disc)

  • Method: Optical
  • Capacity: 700 MB (standard CD)
  • Speed: Generally 150 KB/s (up to 1.2 MB/s with high-speed drives)
  • Portability: Highly portable, lightweight, and easy to carry
  • Durability and Reliability: Susceptible to scratches and environmental factors; relatively reliable if stored properly compared to magnetic storage.

2. DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)

  • Method: Optical
  • Capacity: 4.7 GB (single-layer), 8.5 GB (dual-layer)
  • Speed: Up to 11 MB/s (varies depending on the format and drive)
  • Portability: Highly portable and similar in size to CDs
  • Durability and Reliability: More durable than CDs in terms of data integrity, but still vulnerable to scratches and physical damage.

3. Blu-ray Disc

  • Method: Optical
  • Capacity: 25 GB (single-layer), 50 GB (dual-layer)
  • Speed: Up to 36 MB/s (standard Blu-ray)
  • Portability: Highly portable, similar in size to CDs and DVDs
  • Durability and Reliability: Improved durability due to a protective coating; still somewhat vulnerable to scratches, but better storage life compared to CDs and DVDs.

4. Floppy Disk

  • Method: Magnetic
  • Capacity: 1.44 MB (3.5" floppy)
  • Speed: Approximately 500 KB/s
  • Portability: Portable, but larger and less durable than modern options
  • Durability and Reliability: Prone to magnetic interference, environmental damage, and wear over time; generally considered less reliable.

5. Internal Hard Disk (HDD)

  • Method: Magnetic
  • Capacity: Ranges from hundreds of GB to several TB (1 TB = 1000 GB)
  • Speed: 80-160 MB/s (varies based on RPM and technology)
  • Portability: Not portable unless it's removed and placed in an external enclosure
  • Durability and Reliability: Mechanical components make it prone to failure; reliability improves with proper usage and care.

6. External Hard Disk

  • Method: Magnetic
  • Capacity: Ranges from hundreds of GB to several TB
  • Speed: 80-160 MB/s (USB 3.0 or higher)
  • Portability: Highly portable, designed for ease of transport
  • Durability and Reliability: Similar to internal HDDs; more susceptible to physical shocks due to movement while connected.

7. Flash Drive (USB Stick or Memory Card)

  • Method: Solid State
  • Capacity: Ranges from a few GB to several TB
  • Speed: 5-400 MB/s (varies based on USB version and type of flash memory)
  • Portability: Extremely portable; small and lightweight
  • Durability and Reliability: Generally very durable; resistant to physical shocks and environmental conditions when compared to HDDs.

8. Solid State Drive (Internal SSD)

  • Method: Solid State
  • Capacity: Ranges from 120 GB to several TB
  • Speed: 200-5000 MB/s (depends on PCIe and NVMe technology)
  • Portability: Not portable unless removed; smaller form factor than HDD
  • Durability and Reliability: More reliable than HDDs due to no moving parts; lower risk of mechanical failure and generally better lifespan.

This comparison covers a range of storage technologies, highlighting their differences in various aspects.