History Main / DataCrystal

* ''Series/{{Tracker}}'' had this, they were maps stored on crystals. The first one got left behind at an alien-theme restaurant after a fight, but Cole found the second one hidden in a stored museum piece. They were maps of the Lake Michigan area to show the way to the DoomsdayDevice hidden under the Watchfire bar.

* In ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm'', the [[http://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/48507b746e356 "ultimate chip,"]] doesn't look like a single crystal and was originally intended for use as a processor for very advanced distributed computing, can also store massive amounts of data, and is made of [[http://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/464b9c37d9887 diamondoid]], which ''is'' a crystal.

* ''LightNovel/Overlord2012'': The light novel mentions data crystals as the basis for just about anything that can be modded in-game, including weapon effects or even books uploaded to share with other users.

* There do exist [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecular_memory various experimental molecular-level storage technologies]] though they look and operate nothing like a gem.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'' dragonshards, among [[PowerCrystal many other magical uses]], can be used by a Wizard as spellbook-equivalents, recording the spells they know.

* ''VideoGame/AFinalUnity'': In this ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' licensed PC game, Picard receives a Chodak data crystal maybe halfway through the game, and tries to decipher its data with the Enterprise's computer. Being nearly a million years old, there's been a lot of data corruption.* ''VideoGame/ExaPico'' has Hymn Crystals, which allows for songs (which are used as "magic" in the game) to be stored and later downloaded into Reyvateils.

* ''VideoGame/ExaPico'' has Hymn Crystals, which allows for songs (which are used as "magic" in the game) to be stored and later downloaded into Reyvateils.

* ''VideoGame/FateEXTRA'': The Moon Cell supercomputer uses [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photonic_crystal photonic crystals]] as a data storage medium. Where in real life only very small photonic crystals have been developed (and even those had hundreds of TB of storage), the Moon Cell is a mass of photonic crystals the size of... well, the Moon.

** [[http://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2016/02/5d-data-storage-update.page The University of Southampton has developed 5D data storage;]] a coin-sized glass disk that can hold ''360 TB'' for 13.8 ''billion'' years and is far more resilient than other data storage methods. Easily the closest this trope has come to TruthInTelevision.

** A plot point in [[ComicBook/SupergirlRebirth "The Killers of Krypton"]] has ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} gather differently-shaped data stones scattered all across the galaxy to discover the truth about the destruction of Krypton.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' has Spheres, which hold holographic recordings.
** The [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2 sequel]] expands upon this with the invention of the Garment Grid, which allows the party to use the skills and abilities of the person whose memories are captured on the sphere - translating into a [[JobSystem Job or Class]]. [[spoiler:This (of all things) actually becomes a major plot point when Yuna's usage of the Songstress Sphere actually awakens Lenne's dormant memories]].

SubTrope of PowerCrystal and MineralMacGuffin, often used by residents of CrystalSpiresAndTogas.

* The ''Gosroth'''s log in ''LightNovel/CrestOfTheStars'' takes the form of a data crystal, which is passed on to Lafiel and Jinto when they're ordered to flee an impending battle.

* ''Manga/Overlord2012'': The light novel mentions data crystals as the basis for just about anything that can be modded in-game, including weapon effects or even books uploaded to share with other users.

** In [[ComicBook/Supergirl2011 "Last Daughter of Krypton"]], Zor-El records his testament in a sunstone so his daughter can listen to his last words when she arrives in Earth.

[[folder: Fanfiction ]]

* A major MacGuffin in ''Manga/{{Gunnm}}: Last Order'' is an ancient computer program encoded on a crystal.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DataCrystal_8439.jpg]]]]

[[quoteright:300:[[http://www.omcdesign.com/?design=996 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DataCrystal_8439.jpg]]]]

* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', it was also a crystal that [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome grows into the Fortress of Solitude]]. The Fortress quickly becomes the resident DeusExMachina, for good or for worse. It has since displayed the ability to (sometimes with added crystals) clone kryptonians, remove or restore kryptonian powers and/or memories, imprison kryptonian-grade beings, open a portal to the Phantom Zone, create an eclipse, and holding information as stated above.

* ''VideoGame/FateEXTRA'': The Moon Cell supercomputer uses [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photonic_crystal photonic crystals]] as a data storage medium. Where in real life only very small photonic crystals have been developed (and even those had hundreds of TB of storage), the Moon Cell is a photonic crystal the size of... well, the Moon.

* A major MacGuffin in ''[[Manga/{{Gunnm}} Battle Angel Alita: Last Order]]'' is an ancient computer program encoded on a crystal.

* In post ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'' ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' stories, Superman's Fortress of Solitude uses sunstone crystals to work his computer. This was taken from the ''Superman'' films (see below).

[[folder: Tabletop RPG ]]

* ''Starblazer Adventures'', based on the 1980's British ComicBook. The Random Key Items/Target of Objective random table lists Data Crystals as a possible target for an Item Mission.

* The [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork Mega Man Battle Network]] series has these... [[PlayingWithATrope Kinda.]] Unknown data takes the form of an 8-sided crystal, in three colors, green, blue, and purple. It's unknown whether or not this is actually crystalline though.
* In ''[[VideoGame/MightAndMagic Might & Magic VI]]'', one plot stage is retrieving and installing four Memory Crystals for an ancient planetary computer. As a possible joke from developers, after you've knocked yourself out hunting for the crystals, there's a crate in the control center chock-full of the same crystals, lying around like trash.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "The Crystal Empire", Celestia displays a crystal to Twilight that, when powered by magic, shows a hologram of the Crystal Empire and of Celstia and Luna's fight against King Sombra, the antagonist of the two-part episode.

* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', it was also a crystal that [[VisualEffectsOfAwesome grows into the Fortress of Solitude]]. The Fortress quickly becomes the resident DeusExMachina, for good or for worse. It has since displayed the ability to (sometimes with added crystals) clone kryptonians, remove or restore kryptonian powers and/or memories, imprison kryptonian-grade beings, open a portal to the Phantom Zone, create an eclipse, and holding information as stated above.