WD My Passport Ultra 1TB

I wanted an external HDD because my laptop HDD was running out of space. After some research I found this WD MyPassport. Initially I was planning to buy 2 TB one but my friend discouraged me. So I bought the 1 TB version. There were 1 TB HDDs from other manufacturers but I chose this because of the 256 bit hardware encryption feature. It provides an extra layer of security without impacting on performance.

Pros:

1. USB 3.0 - This ensures maximum transfer rate in or out depending on the host you connect it to. I get around 80 MB/sec or more sequential write speed and about 40 MB/sec read speed mainly because of my hardware limitation. It’s USB 2.0 compatible so you don’t have to worry if you don’t have a USB 3.0 port.

   
   




2. 256 bit Hardware Encryption - I think this is a must-have feature for external HDDs. I don’t know whether this actually encrypt all your data or just deny access to the unencrypted data without an access key. You can secure the HDD with a password of your choice and you don’t need any additional software for it because they are pre-installed. You don’t have to enter the password each time you plug it into you PC/laptop, because you can set it to remember your frequently used devices. One downside of this feature is that it’s not compatible with Linux unless you find a workaround(I don’t know about Mac). There are some other utilities too which I find useful.

   
   




3. It has a bright white LED notification on one side which blinks rapidly while read/write operation.

   
   




4. Auto sleep mode - It’ll automatically enter into sleep/power down mode if you don’t access it for a while.

   
   




5. You get around 930 GB free space just after initial setup( 1GB= 1000 MB as per WD. But Windows interprets 1 GB as 1024 MB. So 1000000 MB / 1024 MB= about 976 GB)

   
   

Cons:

1. Overdependent on Windows platform.

   
   




2. Surface is prone to scratches and body is entirely made of plastic(caution is advised when handling).

   
   




3. No distinguishable USB 2.0/USB 3.0 indication.

   
   




4. No password recovery feature.

   
   

You should register your device as soon as you receive it to avail full warranty(I got only 1000 days). The HDD is slim, light-weight and portable and I bought it for Rs.4, 500/-(a bit high). Overall I’m satisfied with this product for now. I’ve included some screenshots here. Hope you find them useful. Thanks. Have a nice day!:)