Data was composed of 24.6 kilograms of tripolymer composites, 11.8 kilograms of molybdenum-cobalt alloys and 1.3 kilograms of bioplast sheeting. (TNG: "The Most Toys") All told, his mass was approximately one hundred kilograms. (TNG: "Inheritance") Data's upper spinal support was a polyalloy designed to withstand extreme stress. His skull was composed of cortenide and duranium. (TNG: "The Chase") His legs were exactly 87.2 centimeters in length. (Star Trek: Insurrection) Data was built with an ultimate storage capacity of eight hundred quadrillion bits (Approximately 100,000 Terabytes) and a total linear computational speed rated at sixty trillion operations per second. (TNG: "The Measure Of A Man") However, he later augmented his computational speed by converting his interlink sequencer to an asynchronous mode of operation, removing the performance constraint created by virtue of having space between his positronic links. His computational speed became virtually instantaneous after this modification.(TNG: "The Quality of Life") Data's construction also included an artificial tongue and tear ducts. (TNG: "Code of Honor", "The Bonding", "Brothers", "Phantasms", "Thine Own Self"; Star Trek Generations)

Data's physical and mental capabilities were far superior to that of virtually any organic or cybernetic humanoid, including Klingons, Humans, and even Borg drones. His strength was such that he was capable of casually holding a 1950's automobile at bay against the full force of its engine with a single hand. (TNG: "Emergence") These superhuman capabilities made him an important asset to the Enterprise-D, and the fact that he was either unaffected by or highly resistant to conditions such as disease, radiation, oxygen deprivation, mind control, and chemical imbalance was crucial to the survival of the ship on numerous occasions. (TNG: "Unnatural Selection", "The Vengeance Factor", "Hero Worship", "Clues", "Disaster", "The Game"; Star Trek: First Contact) However, he was apparently more vulnerable than either Humans or Klingons to atmospheric conditions that involved the presence of high concentrations of ions. For instance, during the Enterprise's mission to Galorndon Core in 2366, Commander Riker noted that had Data been with the away team, the crew would have been "unscrambling his circuits for a week". (TNG: "The Enemy")

As a Soong-type android, Data was incapable of alcohol intoxication, yet components in his processing systems were susceptible to disruption by polywater intoxication. (TNG: "The Outrageous Okona", "The Naked Now") He did not require sustenance, but occasionally ingested semi-organic nutrient suspension in a silicon-based liquid medium to lubricate his biofunctions. (TNG: "Deja Q") Though capable of consuming more traditional food and drink, Data had no sense of taste and therefore tended not to bother eating. (TNG: "Hero Worship") Data also did not sleep, nor apparently did he require rest of any kind. Though he had attempted sleep from time to time, presumably simply to emulate Humans more thoroughly, he appeared to have remained almost constantly active before 2369. After this date, Data suffered an accident which activated a series of circuits in his positronic net that allowed him to experience dreams. After this, he began sleeping regularly in order to experience these dreams. (TNG: "Birthright, Part I") Data also demonstrated immunity to telepathy and other psionic abilities. Deanna Troi could not sense him empathically; nor was he affected by the telepathic broadcasts of the Bendii Syndrome-afflicted Sarek. (TNG: "Night Terrors", "The Game", "Violations", "Phantasms", "Sarek") This was known to trouble him to a certain degree, as he believed that it was possible that there was simply nothing "real" in his mind for these individuals to read; that his consciousness was comprised only of "algorithms and programed responses". However, the psionically-gifted Betazoid Tam Elbrun vehemently disagreed with this possibility, believing that Data was simply "different". In fact, Tam greatly appreciated this quality in Data, as it meant that he had to talk with Data to understand his personality rather than involuntarily receiving that information telepathically, as tended to be the case when he interacted with other humanoids