Western Digital Elements vs My Passport: Which is better in 2022?

Technological advancements have increased the amounts of data tremendously. To store such a high amount of data, we need large storage space. But our computers come in limited storage typically in between 128GB to 500GB.

Western Digital is a company that manufactures external hard drives. These hard drives can be connected externally with a computer using a USB cable. They have different models but in this article, we will compare WD Elements with WD My Passport.

Now, if you are a more data person, then you need some extra hard drives to save your work. But lets suppose you have two hard drives and you are currently using one hard drive on the computer. Now, you have your tour photos on another hard drive and you want to see them now.

As most of the computers have only a single slot for the hard drive. So, in this case, you have to replace your first hard drive with the second one on the computer to access your vacation photos. To avoid such situations, the concept of external storage devices arose.

Differences between My Passport and Elements: Western Digital Elements vs My Passport

Western Digital Elements

Price

The Western Digital Elements is an entry-level hard drive at having a low price. Also, the increasing demand for SSD has reduced the price of spinning hard drives.

Although the price of WD Element varies with storage sizes. But generally, it costs 5 cents per GB. So, a 1 TB Element hard drive will cost you around 50 dollars.

Size

WD Element hard drive has a very compact size and can easily fit into your pocket. The dimensions of the hard drive are 11.2 cm x 8.1 cm x 2.0 cm.

Available Storage Sizes

The available storage sizes for Element hard drive are 500 GB, 750 GB, 1 TB, 1.5 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB, 5 TB. You can also buy 1 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB and 5 TB directly from Amazon.

Data Transfer Speed

WD Elements hard drives work on a spinning mechanism, so their data transfer speed depends upon revolutions of spindle disks inside them. This also reduces its cost because SSD works on pure electrical mechanisms and hence provides greater speeds.

The spindle disks in WD Element hard drive has a speed of 5400 rpm (revolutions per minute) and it can transfer data at the rate of 100 MB/sec.

However, this speed is less than that of modern hard drives. Because modern hard drives have 7200 rpm and can transfer data up to the rate of 120MB/s.

Durability

Unlike SSD, the hard drives follow a spindle mechanism and have spindle disks inside it that rotate for its function. Our data is stored on these disks and when these disks rotate it provides our data.

These disks rotate in a particular manner to function normally. If their rotation pattern gets disturbed, then data stored on the hard disk can get damaged. This mostly happens when the hard disk faces impact or drops to the ground.

So, you need to take care of your Element Hard drive to prevent it from sudden shocks. Therefore, you should get a case to protect it. Also, after using it, disconnect it from the computer and keep it in a safe place. In this respect, Western Digital Elements vs My Passport are more or less the same.

Security Features

WD Element hard drive does not come with any dedicated password-protected system. It does not have the ability to encrypt the data stored in it. Subsequently, data on the Element hard drive can be accessed directly without any password by just plugging it into the computer.

So, you should not keep your private data, like bank account details and passwords, on this hard drive. This type of hard drive is suitable for people who want to store their general data like documents and media.

So, keep in mind, anyone having your hard drive can access your data easily.

Design

WD Elements hard drive has a very compact and appealing design. It can easily come in your pocket. It has rounded corners and a smooth surface. Its design resembles high-end external hard drives.

It has a USB port on one side through which it can be easily connected to the computer. It can be used either as an added storage or a backup device for a PC or game console.

Summary

If you are planning to buy an economical external hard drive, for storing your general data, then WD Elements is a very good option to consider. It can be used with both computers or game console.

Western Digital My Passport

Price

The WD My Passport is a mid-range hard drive having a moderate price. Also, it works on the spinning mechanism which keeps its price low. Additionally, because the high speeds and reliability of SSD have attracted the attention of many users.

Although, the price of My Passport varies with storage sizes. But generally, it costs around 6 cents per GB. So, a 1TB hard drive will cost you around 60 dollars.

Size

WD My Passport has a very compact size and can be easily come into your pocket. Its dimensions are 11.1 cm x 8.2 cm x 1.6 cm.

Storage Sizes

The available storage sizes for Element hard drive are 500 GB, 750 GB, 1 TB, 1.5 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB, 4 TB, 5 TB. You can also buy 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB and 5 TB directly from Amazon.

Data Transfer Speeds

WD My Passport hard drives work on a spinning mechanism, so their data transfer speed depends upon revolutions of spindle disks inside them. This also reduces its cost because SSD works on pure electrical mechanisms and hence provides greater speeds but are expensive.

The spindle disks in My Passport hard drive has a speed of 5400 rpm (revolutions per minute) and it can transfer data at the rate of 100 MB/sec.

However, this speed is less than that of modern hard drives. Because modern hard drives have 7200 rpm and can transfer data up to the rate of 120MB/s.

Durability

In contrast to SSD, the hard drives follow an axle system and have shaft disks inside it that turn for its capacity. Our information is put away on these disks and when these disks pivot it reads the information.

These disks turn in a specific way to work regularly. Assuming their revolution design gets upset, information put away on the hard drive can get harmed. This for the most part happens when the hard drive faces a physical crash or drops to the ground.

In this way, you need to take care of the My Passport hard drive to protect it from abrupt shocks. Consequently, you should use a case to ensure its safety. Additionally, after utilizing it, detach it from the PC and keep it in a protected spot.

Security Features

WD My Passport hard drive comes with a built-in security feature. You can encrypt your data stored in this drive by trusting on 256-bit AES protected password. This means a password will be required to access data inside the hard drive.

You can create volumes in a hard drive. You can encrypt a single volume or more. This password thing helps in protecting your data if you have lost your hard drive or someone other than you is trying to access data.

So, if you have any private data like bank account details and passwords, then you can store them on a protected volume without fear of being theft.

Now, whenever you are plugging the hard drive into your computer, every time it will ask you for a password for accessing the protected volume. This is not an optimal solution because it affects your productivity.

So, you should only keep sensitive data on the protected volume. Therefore, you can access office files or other media files easily without wasting time on typing passwords.

You should also set a strong password which no one can predict. It should not be a simple name or number which anyone can guess. Also, remember your password or write it somewhere to save it. Because in case you forget it, you will lose data stored in it.

Software Support

Unlike WD Elements, My Passport comes with software support. The software, SmartWare, performs automatic backup for the users. It also helps in increasing productivity and save time.

If you want to make a backup of data stored on your main hard drive, then you can save it on My Passport and schedule it using SmartWare. You can schedule it daily, weekly, or monthly. So, in case your main drive crashes or failure occurs, you can access your data from an external hard drive.

Also, if you have one computer in an office and another at home and you need to synchronize large data between these computers. This automatic backup feature will also entertain you in this regard.

Additionally, if you don’t have a stable internet connection and you want to backup your data, then you can store it on the external hard drive instead of cloud storage.

Design

The WD My Passport comes in a sleek design with a lining pattern on its surface. Its surface is not smooth like Elements hard drive. The style may not be appealing to most people.

Although, its compact size makes it very easy to carry in your pocket. It has a USB port on one side through which can be easily connected to the computer. It can be used either as an added storage or a backup device for a PC or game console.

Summary

If you want to buy an external hard drive that can also encrypt your sensitive information, then My Passport will be the best option in its price category. It also offers software support for automatic data backup.

USB Cable

Both WD Elements and My Passport comes with a 3.0 micro USB cable. This cable has a length of only one foot and has inferior quality. Because of its short length, you have to keep the hard drive close to the PC.

Also, the connector of this cable is not so good. It can damage the USB port on the hard drive and once it damages you will face problems in connecting it to the computer. You may need to take it technician to replace the micro USB port for you.

So, it is recommended to separately buy a 3.0 micro USB cable of good quality to prevent data loss. There are plenty of options available in the market. You can also check it on Amazon.

Now, this is the era of Type-C USB. Every new device is coming with Type-C because it offers greater speeds and reliability. But neither of these drives have Type-C which is a drawback in the modern world. However, My Passport has Type-C in higher versions which are a bit expensive.

Differences between Elements and My Passport

Above we have discussed thoroughly the features and drawbacks of both models of Western Digital hard drives. Now, we will discuss the key differences between them:

• Both hard drives come in sleek and compact shapes. But both have different designs. The Elements hard disk has a smooth surface and rounded corners. It has also an appealing design compare to My Passport.
• My Passport comes with built-in software, SmartWare, for automatic backup. While Elements hard drive does not have it. However, you can still install this software from the Western Digital website for Elements hard drive.
• Both models also differ in security protocols. It is the major difference between them. My Passport has password protection available while Elements does not.

You can set a password on My Passport to encrypt your sensitive data. While on Elements, just plug in the hard drive and your data will be accessible.

FAQs

Is WD better than Seagate?

Western Digital (WD) and Seagate are two companies that primarily manufacture storage devices. The hard disks performance of both brands is similar. But in the case of SSD, Seagate offers greater read and write speeds than Western Digital (WD).

What is the Life span of an External Hard Drive?

If no accidental damage happened to the external hard drive, then its optimal life span should be between 3-5 years. If you are using the external hard drive for backup or added storage, then you may need to replace it after every few years.

Do hard drives go bad if not used?

Hard drives have moving parts inside them and they work on mechanical phenomena. If hard drives are not being used for a long time then the parts inside them may get rusty or damaged. So, data stored in them can get lost.

How do I unlock My Passport if I forgot my password?

If you have forgotten the password of the hard drive, then you have to reset it. After reset, your hard drive will be unlocked but data stored on it will get destroyed. To unlock your hard drive follow the given steps:

1. Try entering the password 5 times. After 5 unsuccessful attempts, it will say “There were too many password recovery attempts”.
2. Now, you will see two options. One is “Erase” and the other is “Exit“.
3. Click on “Erase”. It will format the hard disk and also unlocks it.

Conclusion

We have discussed the pros and cons of both the WD My Passport and WD Elements hard drives. You can buy either of these according to your requirement. If you want to store your data on an external drive and want to keep it password protected, then My Drive will be the better option.

Otherwise, go with Elements hard drive. The price difference between both of them is minimal.

Hope this article helps you in selecting the verdict in Western Digital Elements vs My Passport. Based on your preferences, you can get a better hard drive for your computer or game console.