In today’s world of cloud storage, high-capacity USB drives, and streaming media, the floppy disk has become largely obsolete as a storage medium. However, some industries and applications still rely on floppy disks for data storage and transfer. This article explores who still uses floppy disks today and where you can still buy new floppy disks if you need them.
Quick Answers
Some quick answers to common questions about floppy disks today:
- Floppy disks have very low capacity by modern standards, typically 1.44 MB for 3.5″ disks.
- They have been replaced by USB flash drives, CDs, DVDs, and cloud storage solutions in most consumer applications.
- A few industries like manufacturing, industrial equipment, and aviation still use floppy disks to run legacy systems and machinery.
- Independent computer shops, office supply stores, and some online retailers still sell new floppy disks for these niche applications.
- Major electronics and big box retailers like Best Buy no longer sell floppy disks.
What are Floppy Disks?
Floppy disks are a outdated data storage medium that were widely used from the 1970s through the 1990s. The name “floppy disk” comes from the flexibility of the thin mylar film disk inside the square plastic housing. They were the primary way to store data from personal computers before being replaced by CD-ROMs and USB drives.
The most common type of floppy disk is the 3.5-inch disk, which actually measures 3.375 x 3.125 inches. It became the standard in the 1980s and stores up to 1.44 MB of data. Earlier 5.25-inch floppy disks that were common in the 1970s and early 80s stored even less data, typically up to 360 KB.
To read and write data, floppy disks are inserted into a disk drive on a computer that rotates the magnetic disc and moves the read/write head. This technology is obsolete compared to flash memory, which has no moving parts.
Floppy Disk Formats
There are several standard floppy disk formats, including:
- 8-inch floppy disk – Stores up to 1.2 MB
- 5.25-inch floppy disk – Stores up to 1.2 MB
- 3.5-inch floppy disk – Stores up to 1.44 MB
- 3-inch floppy disk – Stores up to 720 KB
Of these, the 5.25-inch and 3.5-inch formats were the most widely used in personal computers. The 8-inch format was common on older minicomputers and mainframes.
The Decline of Floppy Disks
Floppy disks were the primary storage medium for personal computers starting in the late 1970s, but began to decline in the 1990s. Some key reasons floppy disks have become obsolete:
- Low capacity – Even 3.5-inch HD disks only store 1.44 MB, not enough for today’s large file sizes.
- Unreliability – Floppy disks were prone to read/write errors and data rot.
- New storage formats – CDs and DVDs offered far more capacity. USB drives made portable storage simpler.
- Internet usage – Online file sharing and cloud storage eliminated the need for physical media.
By 2000, most new PCs were no longer being equipped with floppy disk drives. Sales of floppy disks dropped precipitously in the early 2000s. The last major manufacturer of floppy disks, Sony, discontinued production in 2011.
Who Still Uses Floppy Disks?
While floppy disks have disappeared from regular consumer use, they still have some niche applications among specific industries and machines. A few examples of who may still use floppy disks today:
- Manufacturing and industrial equipment – Older equipment like CNC machines, test equipment, and industrial control systems may require floppy disks for storing programs, settings, or output data. Upgrading can be complicated and expensive.
- Legacy business systems – Banks, insurance companies, and other businesses may have old legacy data systems still running on 1980s or 90s era hardware that requires floppy disks.
- Aviation and transportation – Restrictive certification processes can delay upgrades to avionics and other transportation systems, some of which still use floppy disks.
- Automotive – Diagnostic equipment for older car models may rely on floppy disks for storing results and test data.
- Musical instruments – Vintage synthesizers and samplers from the 80s or 90s may still require floppy disks to load voices or extra samples.
Even in these cases, floppy disk use is declining as legacy systems are eventually modernized or phased out. But a small number of businesses and applications still need access to new floppy disks today.
Where to Buy Floppy Disks Today
While most major electronics chains and department stores no longer carry floppy disks, they can still be found through some specialty retailers focused on older computer formats. Here are a few places you can potentially buy new floppy disks today:
Independent Computer Stores
Smaller independent and specialty computer shops are one of the better sources for blank floppy disks today. Stores focused on retro and legacy computer equipment may sell various floppy disk brands and formats. Models like the 3.5-inch 1.44 MB disk remain available from many suppliers.
Office Supply Stores
Some office supply stores like Staples or Office Depot/OfficeMax offer a small selection of floppy disks for purchase on their websites. However, you may need to dig around or search for “floppy disk” to find any listings, since they are no longer prominently displayed. Stock and options are very limited compared to major online retailers.
Online Retailers
Online shopping sites like Amazon and specialty retailers like Newegg have wider ranges of floppy disk brands and models available for mail order. eBay also has many listings for new “NOS” (new old stock) floppy disks from sellers. Online provides the widest floppy disk selection today.
Data Recovery Companies
Some data recovery firms and IT asset recycling companies may sell boxes of blank floppy disks, often pulled from equipment they are refurbishing. While you can sometimes find bulk disks cheaply this way, these may be lower reliability or have worn-out boot sectors.
Popular Brands of Floppy Disks
Once a thriving consumer product, only a handful of specialty companies still manufacture new floppy disks today. A few current popular brands include:
- Sony – One of the last major floppy disk makers, Sony discontinued production in 2011.
- Verbatim – Still produces floppy disks today from its parent company Mitsubishi Chemical.
- Maxell – Known for its “blown away guy” commercials, Maxell still makes floppy disks for legacy use.
- Imation – Spun off from 3M, Imation sells branded floppy disks through retailers.
Other current niche floppy disk manufacturers include Pyramid, Transcend and Mitsubishi Kagaku Media. However, many disks for sale are simply generic, unbranded product.
Floppy Disk Capacities
If you are still needing floppy disks for a legacy system, be sure to purchase the right capacity and format. Here are some of the most common floppy disk capacities available today:
| Format | Capacity |
|---|---|
| 3.5-inch DD | 720 KB |
| 3.5-inch HD | 1.44 MB |
| 5.25-inch DD | 360 KB |
| 5.25-inch HD | 1.2 MB |
| 8-inch SSDD | 256 KB |
| 8-inch DSDD | 512 KB |
DD and HD refer to double-density and high-density formats. Make sure to get HD disks if higher capacity is required – some older systems may not read DD disks.
Floppy Disk vs. Zip Disk
Another obsolete storage format that might be confused with floppy disks is the Zip disk. Zip disks look similar but are thicker and have higher capacity – up to 750 MB for the most common 100 MB model. They use a specialized Zip drive and are not interchangeable with standard floppy disk drives. While Zip drives are also obsolete today, Zip disks hold much more data than floppies.
The Future of Floppy Disks
While floppy disk usage continues to decline, they are still clinging to some applications in our digital world. But for how much longer?
Manufacturers estimate there are only thousands of customers ordering floppy disks per year today. And cutting-edge floppy replacements like cassette tapes with USB interfaces or emulators are beginning to fill even these niche legacy needs.
Within the next 5-10 years, floppy disks may disappear from the technology landscape altogether. But for now, some businesses still rely on these trusty old disks for critical data storage and retrieval needs.
Conclusion
Floppy disks are now well past their prime in a world of high-capacity digital storage. Only a handful of specialty manufacturers still produce new floppy disks today. They remain available, but often difficult to find, through some independent computer shops, niche online retailers, and office supply stores. Still, a few legacy industrial machines and vintage computer systems continue to rely on floppy disks for crucial programs and data. While floppies are nearing extinction, they persist in some applications – for now. But as more systems upgrade, this old storage format will likely fade into tech history soon.