Should you buy this – WD My Passport Vs My Passport Ultra Vs Elements? These external hard drives are documented as great value and low cost options for data storage. An external disk drive allows you to extend the available space for storing of your device.
If your main drive is large enough for everything you would like , an auxiliary storage device allows you to copy important files and documents. Partnered with Western Digital’s backup software: SmartWare, your new drive will contain copies of your data you’ll recover within the event your main drive fails.
Compare WD My Passport Vs My Passport Ultra Vs Elements
WD Elements
Western Digital produces WD elements. And this WD Elements comes with three different variants, depending upon their storage capacity (1TB, 2TB, 3TB). Also, these hard drives are quite compact with the size .
1 TB: 111x82x15mm (4.35×3.23×0.59in).
2 and three TB: 111x82x21mm (4.35×3.23×0.28).
Source – itechhacks
Due to their lightweight, these hard drives are easy to hold .
Pros:
Lightweight.
Higher storage capacity.
Quick transfer of files/data.
Cost is affordable.
Cons:
Simple look
WD My Passport
These are simple, fast, and portable.
WD Elements portable hard drives provide reliable, high-capacity storage to travel , fast data transfer rates, universal connectivity. It comes with an aesthetic look, and you’ve got the selection for colour. My Passport comes in four different variants supported their capacity(1TB, 2TB,3TB,4TB).
The colour options are available for these hard drives are-
Black.
Blue.
White.
Yellow.
Orange.
Red.
White-Gold.
Black-Gray.
It also comes with the lightweight.
Pros:
Easy to hold everywhere.
Compact in size.
Attractive exterior.
Cons:
WD My Passport Vs My Passport Ultra Vs Elements comparison chart
| Western Digital Elements | Western Digital My Passport | |
| Storage capacity options (Current sizes available from Amazon) | · 1 TB· 2 TB· 3 TB· 4 TB· 5 TB | · 1 TB· 2 TB· 4 TB· 5 TB |
| Physical Dimensions | 4.4 in x 3.2 in x 0.8 in (11.2 cm x 8.1 cm x 2.0 cm) | 4.33 in x 3.21 in x 0.64 in (11.1 cm x 8.2 cm x 1.6 cm) |
| Available security features | · No encryption· No password protection | · 256-bit AES Encryption· Password Protection |
| Type of Drive | · Spinning Disk | · Spinning Disk |
| Cloud Storage | No cloud storage included | No cloud storage included |
| Automatic Backup Software | No automatic backup software included with drive | SmartWare automatic backup software included with drive |
| Shape | Rectangular with round corners | Rectangular with square corners |
| Design | · Smooth surface with matte finish | · Half smooth surface with glossy finish.· Half textured surface with matte finish. |
| Operating Temperature | · 41 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit· 5 to 35 degrees Celsius | · 41 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit· 5 to 35 degrees Celsius |
| Non-Operating Temperature | · -4 to 149 degrees Fahrenheit· -20 to 65 degrees Celsius | · -4 to 149 degrees Fahrenheit· -20 to 65 degrees Celsius |
| Maximum Serial Transfer Rate over USB 2.0 | 480 Mb per second | 480 Mb per second |
| Maximum Serial Transfer Rate over USB 3.0 | 5 Gb per second | 5 Gb per second |
| Power Source | USB cable to computer | USB cable to computer |
| Connector Type | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Available colors | · Black | · Black· Blue (2 TB and 4 TB sizes only)· Red (2 TB and 4 TB sizes only) |
Customer reviews – WD My Passport Vs My Passport Ultra Vs Elements
Many external hard drives exist on the market today, and this post examines the similarities and differences in specifications, pricing, and features between these two offerings from Western Digital: Elements and My Passport.
Western Digital Elements
Advantages of the Western Digital Elements Drive:
Inexpensive
Small form-factor ideal for portability
Simple design
Many different sizes of storage capacity available
Compatible with USB 3.0
Disadvantages of the Western Digital Elements Drive:
Warranty is merely for 1 year
No pre-installed backup software
No security measures
Spinning disk, not solid state
Drive is slow, especially with the larger sizes
Price:
WD Elements may be a compact, high-capacity drive available at an accessible price point. the value per GB of storage is merely four cents. it’s one among the smallest amount expensive portable storage devices on the market today.
Physical Size and Storage size
The physical size of the drive is 4.4 inches x 3.2 inches x 0.8 inches (11.2 cm x 8.1 cm x 2.0 cm), sufficiently small to suit during a pocket.
Available storage sizes for the weather drive are 500 GB, 750 GB, 1 TB, 1.5 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB, and 5TB. 1 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB, and 5 TB are available from Amazon.
Disk Type and Speed:
The Western Digital Elements may be a spinning disc drive . This lowers its relative cost on the market thanks to the rising popularity of solid state drives. It spins at the speed of a mean , low-power laptop drive, around 5400 revolutions per minute. This revolution speed dictates how briskly your data are often accessed by the pc , and this may have a slower rate of recall than a drive spinning at 7200 rpm.
Resilience:
The spinning disk design means sudden shocks from hard handling or dropping can damage the disk inside the drive. confirm once you take this drive with you that it’s secured well inside your bag to stop this damage.
Security Features:
The Western Digital Elements disk drive doesn’t have the power to feature disk encryption, password protection, or other security. confirm you don’t store anything like passwords, banking information or your Social Security number on the drive. Anyone who has access to the drive can plug it in and consider what’s thereon .
Design:
Simple and streamlined, the shroud of the Western Digital Elements resembles that of upper quality drives also available from Western Digital. it’s rounded corners and a smooth surface for a clean, modern appearance.
The simple, plug and play design of the Western Digital Elements means it works well with both computers and gaming consoles as either added storage or a backup device.
Bottom Line for Western Digital Elements:
If you’re checking out a simple thanks to carry your (not sensitive) data on the go, the weather may be a good selection for you. If you would like to extend the storage of your gaming console like the Xbox One, the weather may be a good selection for you.
Western Digital My Passport
Advantages of the Western Digital My Passport Drive
Inexpensive
Compact and simply portable
Many different sizes of storage capacity available
Compatible with USB 3.0
256-Bit AES Encryption and Password Protection available
SSD version available at higher cost
Comes with SmartWare backup software
Disadvantages of the Western Digital My Passport Drive:
Spinning Disk technology, not a solid state drive
More expensive than the Western Digital Elements external disk drive competitor product from an equivalent line.
Design aesthetics won’t appeal to everyone
Price:
WD My Passport may be a small drive with an outsized storage capacity at a price the typical consumer can easily afford. the value per GB of storage is merely five cents. it’s one among the smallest amount expensive portable storage devices on the market today.
Physical Size and Storage Size
The physical size of the drive is 4.33 inches x 3.21 inches x 0.64 inches (11.1 cm x 8.2 cm x 1.6 cm), which is little enough to suit in your hand and great for portability.
Available storage sizes for the My Passport drive are 500 GB, 750 GB, 1 TB, 1.5 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB, and 5TB. 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB, and 5 TB are available from Amazon.
Disk Type and Speed:
The Western Digital My Passport may be a spinning disc drive . This lowers its relative cost on the market thanks to the rising popularity of solid state drives and makes the hard disc comparison between the 2 similar as they’re both spinning disk.
It spins at the speed of a mean low power laptop drive, around 5400 revolutions per minute.
This revolution speed dictates how briskly your data are often accessed by the pc , will affect the transfer rate of your data to the drive from your computer, and this may have a slower rate of recall than many modern drives which spin at 7200 rpm.
Resilience:
The spinning disk design means sudden shocks from hard handling or dropping can damage the disk inside the drive.
Anti shock cases are available for purchase for the My Passport and other Western Digital drives which may help mitigate a number of the damage from accidental bumping and jarring.
The Western Digital My Passport has additional models with added features. they are doing have an offering with a solid state drive inside, but that adds $100 to the value .
If you would like the speed offered by a drive that doesn’t believe revolutions per minute for read and write speed, you’ll want to think about the solid state version of the My Passport drive.
Installed Software on the Device:
The WD My Passport drive comes with Western Digital’s automatic backup software: SmartWare. If you’re using the drive to copy your main disk drive , you’ll schedule SmartWare to automatically make copies of your data.
If you often update your files and wish them to be accessible within the event of your main drive failure, you’ll create a backup schedule hebdomadally or month, however often you would like the safety that your data won’t be lost thanks to an unexpected failure of your computer’s primary disk drive .
If you’re constantly on the go and don’t have reliable internet access to use cloud storage, you’ll back it up however often you would like to require your files and documents with you.
Security Features:
Unlike the Western Digital Elements drive, the My Passport external disk drive comes with 256 bit AES Encryption and therefore the ability to feature a password to guard the info on your drive.
You have the power to guard your device from someone just plugging it into their own computer and accessing the knowledge you’ve got by creating encrypted volumes on the drive.
This does mean, however, you’ll need to enter the password whenever you would like to access the encrypted volume. this is often not ideal for data you would like to access daily for your work or hobbies. It should be used primarily for sensitive information you don’t want to fall under the incorrect hands if your drive were to be lost or stolen.
This is merely another layer of protection for your data, it’s not a magical solution to keeping people from stepping into your drive.
Remember that encryption is merely nearly as good as its implementation. If you’ve got a weak or easily guessed password, someone who wants to urge in and access your information will have a neater time doing it than if you create sure you’ve got a posh passphrase necessary for going to the knowledge .
Any encryption you’ve got on your My Passport drive are going to be supported a software solution. it’s rare in external hard drives to seek out a tool with hardware accelerated encryption support. Software encryption support is far lower in performance than hardware encryption support, and should not be compatible with every device you plug your drive into.
Design:
The design of the My Passport won’t appeal to everyone. The Western Digital My Passport drive isn’t the straightforward rectangular shape with rounded corners the weather drive has.
The rectangle has sharp corners and half it’s smooth and glossy, while the opposite half is textured with a matte finish. counting on when the drive was made, the divide between with two finishes looks different.
The older drives are equal halves along the length of drive, while the newer ones have the divide during a diagonal pattern.
Bottom Line for Western Digital My Passport:
For $0.05 per gigabyte of storage, the Western Digital My Passport drive may be a small, easily portable drive which allows you to make password protected files and documents. If you would like how to require your data with you and use a password to access it in order that not just anyone can plug and play, then the My Passport is true for you.
The USB Cable
Both the Western Digital Elements and therefore the Western Digital My Passport drive use the three .0 version of the micro USB B cable, and therefore the cable that comes within the box are just one foot long. With either drive, you would like to stay it very on the brink of the device you’re working with thanks to the short length of the cable.
The cable itself may be a inferiority cable, and this connector specifically is of inferior construction. it’s extremely easy to wreck either the connector or the port when using this cable. When employing a USB cable to power an external device, it’s vital to form sure you employ a shielded cable.
Neither the Western Digital Elements nor the Western Digital My Passport drive uses the USB C cable which is increasing in popularity, though the costlier version of the My Passport, the My Passport: Ultra, does offer USB C capability.
Differences Between WD Elements and WD My Passport:
The design aesthetic isn’t an equivalent between the Western Digital Elements and therefore the Western Digital My Passport
WD Elements has sleek, unobtrusive design
WD My Passport features a half sleek, half textured design which will not appeal to everyone
No software already installed on the Western Digital Elements
SmartWare software comes installed on Western Digital My Passport
The biggest difference between the WD Elements and My Passport drives is that the ability to make volumes that are protected by a password. The Western Digital Elements drive won’t allow you to do that and therefore the Western Digital My Passport will.
As far because the SmartWare backup software offered by Western Digital, it comes with the acquisition of the My Passport drive and is prepared for you to use. If you buy the weather drive, you’ll still make use of this software by Western Digital, but you want to attend their website to urge a replica of the software.
Once you download SmartWare from the Western Digital website, you’ll set it up to form automatic backups just like the My Passport, but you’ve got to place within the time and therefore the effort to work out the way to use it rather than having it already there for you.
Conclusion
The prices for the 2 hard drives are very on the brink of one another for 1 TB of space for storing , and therefore the Elements is merely a repository for information. Unless you’re only curious about having an area to dump your data to form extra space, the weather drive isn’t a perfect solution for creating backups of files and documents.
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