WD My Passport: Small, fast, and reliable portable external hard drives

The WD My Passport line of external portable hard drives is one of the most popular on the market.

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They all support Windows and Mac* and come with a 2 year limited warranty.

Below is a comparison chart of the models currently available with online retailers. It gives a quick overview of each drive:

WD My Passport Models
Drive	Capacity	Interface	Dimensions	Weight
WD My Passport Essential	500 GB	USB 2.0/3.0	4.3”W x 0.60”H x 3.2”D	0.31 Pounds
WD My Passport Essential AV	320 GB	USB 2.0	3.1”W x 0.6”H x 5”D	0.39 Pounds
WD My Passport Essential SE	750 GB 1 TB	USB 2.0/3.0	3.2”W x 0.7”H x 4.3”D	0.45 Pounds
WD My Passport for Mac	500 GB	USB 2.0	4.35”W x 0.6”H x 3.23”D	0.31 Pounds
	750 GB	USB 2.0	4.36”W x 0.7”H x 3.24”D	0.43 Pounds
	1 TB	USB 2.0	4.36”W x 0.8”H x 3.24”D	0.52 Pounds
WD My Passport Studio	500 GB (Newer)	FireWire 800, USB 2.0	3.2”W x 0.6”H x 4.3”D	0.3 Pounds
	500 GB (Older)	FireWire 800, USB 2.0	3.3”W x 0.7”H x 5.0”D	0.56 Pounds
	1 TB	FireWire 800, USB 2.0	3.3”W x 0.9”H x 5.0”D	0.68 Pounds

* Both My Passport for Mac and My Passport Studio are formatted out-of-the-box for Mac and must be reformatted to support Windows. The other non-AV drives in the WD My Passport line are formatted out-of-the-box for Windows.

It’s important to keep in mind that both compatibility and the data transfer speed (performance) may vary a bit depending on your particular hardware and operating software configuration.

I’m not sure where the “passport” in the WD My Passport name came from, but it could be because the drives are about the size of a passport. Or it could be that they are portable drives made for travel.

My Passport Essential

The WD My Passport’s Passport Essential is light and portable – not much bigger than a deck of cards. It is powered from the USB port, which is a nice feature if you already have a web of cables to contend with. It has the automatic and continuous backup. Just be sure to check periodically to ensure it’s working as expected. It does come with backup and configuration utilities, but you have the option to use them or not. The drive also has security features (password protection and encryption).

Model #s:

Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 3.0/2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBACY5000ABK-NESN – Midnight Black
• WDBACY5000ABL-NESN – Pacific Blue
• WDBACY5000ASL-NESN – Cool Silver
• WDBACY5000ARD-NESN – Real Red

WD My Passport Essential AV

The WD My Passport line doesn’t just cater to PCs and Macs. The Passport Essential AV is an external drive for camcorders that allows you to directly transfer (without a computer) and play back videos on your TV or camcorder. You can also play music and display photos on your TV through your Blu-ray or game console. It is powered through the USB cable. This hard drive only works with certain TVs and devices, so check the compatibility list before you buy.

Model #s:

Western Digital My Passport AV 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Media Drive

• WDBABS3200ABK – Black

WD My Passport Essential SE

The Passport Essential SE model in the WD My Passport line has automatic continuous backup capability. In plain English, this means that whenever you add or update a file, it is automatically backed up to your external hard drive. It also is powered from the USB cable, so you don’t have to worry about an extra power cord. Unfortunately, the drive comes with firmware that cannot be removed. Most people find this annoying, but you do have the option of using it or not.

Model #s:

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBACX0010BBK-NESN – Black
• WDBACX0010BBL-NESN – Metallic Blue
• WDBACX0010BRD-NESN – Metallic Red
• WDBACX0010BSL-NESN – Silver

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 750 GB USB 3.0/2.0 Ultra Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBACX7500ABK-NESN – Black
• WDBACX7500ARD-NESN – Metallic Red
• WDBACX7500ASL-NESN – Silver
• WDBACX7500ABL-NESN – Metallic Blue

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 750 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBABM7500ABK-NESN – Midnight Black

WD My Passport for Mac

Although all the WD My Passport models can be used with both PC and Mac, the My Passport for Mac is made especially for the MacBook or MacBook Air. It has been around for several years, although the 1 TB model is fairly new.

It is powered through the USB port, so a separate power cord is not necessary. It offers password protection and hardware encryption. You can choose to use Apple Time Machine to back up your files. It has utilities to register and configure the drive.

Model #s:

Western Digital My Passport for Mac 1 TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

• WDBBXV0010BBK-NESN – Silver and Black

Western Digital My Passport for Mac 750 GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

• WDBBXV7500ABK-NESN – Silver and Black

Western Digital My Passport for Mac 500 GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive

• WDBL1D5000ABK-NESN – Silver and Black
• WDBAAB5000ACH-NESN – Charcoal

My Passport Studio

The WD My Passport Studio is a relatively recent offering in the WD My Passport series. It has a full-metal (aluminum) case, which makes it more rugged and durable. It has 2 FireWire ports so you can daisy chain another external device if needed. It’s also powered through the FireWire or USB port, so an additional power adapter is not needed. From a security perspective, it offers both hardware encryption and password protection. It allows you to use Apple Time Machine to back up your files. It comes with a set of utilities to register and configure the drive. The newer model (WDBAAE5000ASL) has a display window on the outside that allows you to show what’s stored on the drive, how much storage is still available, and the security status.

Model #s:

Western Digital My Passport Studio 1 TB FireWire 800 External Hard Drive

• WDBK8A0010BBK-NESN – Black

Western Digital My Passport Studio 500 GB FireWire 800 External Hard Drive

• WDBALG5000ABK-NESN – Black

Western Digital My Passport Studio 500 GB FireWire 800/400 USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBAAE5000ASL-NESN – Silver

Western Digital My Passport Studio 500 GB FireWire 800/400 USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDMT5000TN – Silver

 WD My Passport – Discontinued Drives

Several WD My Passport lines have been discontinued, but you can still find a smattering of new, used, and refurbished ones for purchase online. Here’s a list of some of the more popular models:

My Passport Essential

Western Digital My Passport Essential 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBAAA3200ABK – Midnight Black
• WDBAAA3200ARD – Real Red
• WDBAAA3200ASL – Cool Silver
• WDBAAA3200ABL – Pacific Blue

Western Digital My Passport Essential 250 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDME2500TN – Midnight Black
• WDMERC2500TN – Cherry Red
• WDMEP2500TN – Viola

Western Digital My Passport Essential 160 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDMEP2500TN – Cherry Red
• WDMEB1600TN – Intense Blue

Western Digital My Passport Essential 250 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBAAA2500ABK – Midnight Black

Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBAAA5000ABK – Midnight Black
• WDBAAA5000ABL – Pacific Blue

500 GB Portable Hard Drive by Western Digital

• WDME5000TN – Midnight Black

Western Digital My Passport Essential 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDMES3200TN – Cool Silver
• WDMER3200TN – (Real Red)
• WDMEP3200TN – (Viola)

Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBAAA5000AD6 – Limited Edition Robot Design

My Passport Essential SE

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBABM0010BBK – Midnight Black
• WDBABM0010BSL – Silver

WD My Passport Elite

The entire Passport Elite line has been discontinued.

Western Digital My Passport Elite 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDML5000TN – Titanium

Western Digital My Passport Elite 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBAAC5000ABL – Metallic Blue

Western Digital My Passport Elite 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDML3200TN – Titanium

Western Digital My Passport Elite 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDBAAC3200ABL – Metallic Blue
• WDBAAC3200ACH – Charcoal
• WDBAAC3200ARD – Metallic Red

Western Digital My Passport Elite 250 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive

• WDML2500TN – Titanium

Support

If you’re looking for WD My Passport support, you can click below:

http://support.wdc.com/ ==> (support for WD My Passport)

Western Digital has great online and phone support. Depending on the terms of your warranty package, you may be eligible for one month of free phone support. Email support is generally free throughout the warranty period.

The Final Word

In canvassing the reviews on different sites across the net, the feedback is positive. The majority of purchasers seem happy with their WD My Passport external hard drive.