by 110 reviews.
WD 2TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive Review: A Reliable Storage Solution with a Few Caveats
The WD 2TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive is a sleek, compact, and reliable storage solution designed for professionals, students, and creatives alike. With its 2TB capacity, 256-bit AES hardware encryption, and USB 3.1/USB 3.0 compatibility, this external hard drive promises to keep your data secure, organized, and easily accessible. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into the pros and cons based on real customer experiences.
Pros and Cons of the WD 2TB My Passport
1. Design and Portability
Pros:
- Compact and Lightweight: Customers love the slim, pocket-friendly design of the WD My Passport. Its small size makes it easy to carry around, whether you're traveling or commuting to work.
- Durable Build: The hard drive is built to withstand daily wear and tear, with many users praising its robust construction. One reviewer even mentioned using a UGREEN 2.5-inch External Hard Drive Case Cover for added protection, which fits perfectly with the drive.
Cons:
- Shipping Concerns: Some customers reported that the drive was shipped in a plastic bag without proper padding, causing the tabs on the WD box to loosen. While the drive itself survived, this raised concerns about Amazon’s packaging practices for delicate items.
2. Performance and Usability
Pros:
- Plug-and-Play Simplicity: The WD My Passport is incredibly easy to use. Customers highlighted its Plug-and-Play functionality, with the drive being recognized immediately upon connection.
- Fast Data Transfer Speeds: Thanks to its USB 3.1/USB 3.0 compatibility, users experienced fast and seamless data transfers. One reviewer noted that it works perfectly with their Amazon Fire TV Recast DVR, providing ample storage for recordings.
- Partitioning Flexibility: Many users appreciated the ability to partition the drive into multiple virtual drives. One customer partitioned their 2TB drive into two sections—one for backups and another for file storage—without any issues.
Cons:
- Formatting Challenges: A few users encountered difficulties when trying to format the drive. One IT professional reported sector errors and had to use third-party software (Mini Tool Partition) to resolve the issue. While the drive eventually worked, this hiccup was a cause for concern.
3. Security and Backup Features
Pros:
- Advanced Security: The 256-bit AES hardware encryption and password protection features were highly praised for keeping sensitive data secure.
- Ransomware Defense: The inclusion of Acronis True Image for Western Digital software was seen as a valuable addition, offering an extra layer of protection against ransomware attacks.
Cons:
- Acronis Software Issues: Unfortunately, the Acronis software didn’t work as expected for many users. One reviewer shared a frustrating experience where the software claimed to create a successful backup, but the backup files were later found to be empty. This left them without a usable backup when their system crashed.
- Trial Version Limitations: The Acronis software is only a 30-day free trial, which means users must purchase the full version to restore their backups. This was seen as a deceptive practice by some, who compared it to "ransomware."
4. Durability and Longevity
Pros:
- Reliable Performance: Most customers reported that the WD My Passport performed flawlessly over time, even after years of use. One user mentioned owning the drive since August 2021 and still being satisfied with its performance.
- Eco-Friendly Design: The use of over 50% post-consumer recycled plastic was a welcome feature for environmentally conscious buyers.
Cons:
- Potential Long-Term Issues: While the drive is generally durable, some users experienced sector errors after prolonged use. However, these issues were resolved with third-party tools, suggesting that the drive remains functional with a bit of troubleshooting.
Conclusion
The WD 2TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive is a solid choice for anyone in need of reliable, portable storage. Its compact design, fast performance, and advanced security features make it a standout product in its category. However, the Acronis software issues and occasional formatting challenges are notable drawbacks that potential buyers should be aware of.
Final Verdict:
If you’re looking for a dependable external hard drive with ample storage and robust security, the WD My Passport is an excellent option. Just be cautious with the included Acronis software and consider using third-party backup solutions for added peace of mind.
Rating: 4/5
Specification WD 2TB My Passport, Portable External Hard Drive, Black, backup software with defense against ransomware, and password protection, USB 3.1/USB 3.0 compatible - WDBYVG0020BBK-WESN:
Comments from Amazon:
Works great with my laptop. Now that most laptops do not come with CD/DVD platers this is a nice addition to my laptop. It allows me to use my art files and keep data files on one unit without using all the space on my laptop.
I purchased this on 08/05/2021. As an IT Professional, I owned several HDDs and SSDs, both internal and external. This was a very nice option, very elegant, portable and with 2TB of storage which was more than enough for my needs. I even purchased a UGREEN 2.5 Inch External Hard Drive Case Cover Shockproof (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072HJ4FTX/). I was about to give this product a 2-3 star review since while I was writing this (11/28/2023), I was unable to format my drive to repurpose it for some newer storage needs. I had access to the drive, I could add or delete files, but I was unable to format. It was giving me sector errors and the drive was never dropped, hit or damaged in any way. Actually it was stored in the hardcase for more than a year. Fortunately I used a tool called Mini Tool Partition (not promoting it) and after some time, it was able to format it and apparently correct the sector errors. So at this point, instead of the complaint I was writing, I decided to finish my review by saying that up until now it seems a very robust HDD in terms of functionality. Let's see if it was actually fixed or if I would need to update my review later on.
Purchased this item to extend the storage of a Amazon Fire TV Recast DVR. Works Perfectly for the application. USB powered, so no external power supply required.
Great drive, plug it in and go, very fast, but most new drives should be. You get about 3.6 TB of space after formatting. One major concern was shipping the drive. In the WD factory box. It was just throw into a plastic bag with another much bigger item and shipped. The bouncing around in the bag caused the tabs on the WD to loosen up. The drive appears to have survived w/o any problem, but I will not purchase delicate items like this drive from Amazon. NOT A GOOD WAY TO SHIP A PRODUCT LIKE THIS !
Ótimo produto, veio bem embalado e chegou super rápido.
Buen producto, esta muy delgado y no hace nada de ruido
You can't go wrong with Western Digital. Very small package for huge storage. Plug and Play - connected the USB cable, (included) and my computer immediately recognized it. The portable drive is larger than the drive on my laptop, so I partitioned it into 2 virtual drives. One partition for an Image/Backup and a second partition for file backup & storage. The partitioning process was flawless and now my computer recognizes two separate drives. I am super happy with the WD SSD portable drive. I would highly recommend to anyone wanting a portable drive. I'm even thinking about buying another larger drive and partitioning into more virtual drives for backup of other computers. My only complaint and major disappointment with WD, is that the free "WD Backup" software is no longer supported by WD and hasn't been for a few years. They offer a free version of Acronis, which doesn't work. Installed the Acronis software, created a bootable disk on a USB Flash (thumb) drive, then rebooted the computer from the thumb drive and created a full backup/ disk image to the new WD drive. The software seemed to run perfectly, and said the backup was successfully created. I felt really good that I had a full backup of my 2015 laptop, in case I ever need to replace the mechanical HDD. But it was a false peace of mind. Only 2 weeks after using the Acronis backup software, my computer was crashing shortly after bootup, which it had never done before. So I thought I would test the new drive and backup. After rebooting with the Acronis USB Boot drive, it asked for the location of the image file. The computer recognized the WD drive with all of the Acronis backup folders. But then the Acronis software said all of the folders were empty and there was No Image found. WTF?! Acronis said it successfully made a full disk copy. But then the software could not find its own image. DO NOT USE the ACRONIS software. I was fortunately able to fix the boot/crash problem using other software. But if my hard drive had completely failed, I would not have a usable backup copy to restore to a new drive. I would have been screwed. It would have been better if I never attempting to create a backup. At least I would known that I didn't have a backup copy to rely on, rather than falsely thinking I was protected. In addition, the "free" software isn't really free. It's only a 30 day free Trial version. So if you make a full backup within 30 days, and later have a critical problem, you will be forced to purchase the full version to perform the restore. The backup file versions are propitiatory, so you can't use another brand of software to do the restore. They've got you! You can make a free backup/copy (if you can even get the software to work properly). But then you have to pay for the software to actually use the Backup in order to Restore. This is akin Ransomware. I have since purchased other backup/imaging software and made a full (working) backup to my new WD drive. I'm very happy about that.