3.5 Disks

3.5 Disks

Considered one of the oldest forms of media storage devices, 3.5 disks or ‘floppy discs’ are removable data storage devices that record data on circular magnetic film encased into a square plastic jacket. These obsolete discs have since been replaced by CDs and DVDs that have larger memory capacities. They can only store up to 1.44 MB of data at most — that is, when both sides of the Mylar film are used. Single-sided floppy disks can only store half of what double sided 3.5 disks can, which is only about 744 KB. While they are no longer widely used, they are often still necessary for offices that need to retrieve information for older computers. Office Kitten still carries 3.5 Disks, along with other computer supplies like CDs and DVDs.

Types of 3.5 Disks

There are only 4 types of 3.5 disks: single sided (SS) and double sided (DS), and single density (SD) and double density (DD) disks.

Single sided discs can easily be distinguished from double sided disks by the number of it on the top corner of the jacket or case. Double sided disks have twice the capacity of singles. Very few people use floppy disks in this day and age, as the technology has been replaced by larger capacity storage devices that can typically store up to 700 MB of data (700 times more than floppy disks). CDs come in recordable and rewritable forms and are also available here at Office Kitten.