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We have hundreds of photos and videos that are too precious to lose, along with crucial documents, music, and films. At some point, all of this data starts to slow down your PC or laptop. External hard drives are a quick, easy solution.
We are going to look at two series from Western Digital, the WD Elements vs My Passport. We will go over all of the specifications such as design storage capacity and software. You will be able to find a side-by-side chart to review the features and some pros and cons will help us with the final decision on the better buy.
The WD Elements and the WD My Passport are quite different with just a couple of things in common. We will cover these first.
WD Elements vs My Passport – Similarities
Quick Glance
The comparison chart below gives a quick recap of the WD Elements and the WD My Passport.
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WD Elements |
WD My Passport |
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| Image |  |
 |
| Size | 4.35 x 3.23 x 0.59 inches (500GB-1TB) | 4.33 x 3.21 x 0.64 inches (1TB) |
| Weight | 4.64oz (500GB-1TB) | 5.92oz (1TB) |
| Size | 4.4 x 3.2 x 0.82 inches (1.5TB- 4TB) | 4.33 x 3.21 x 0.85 inches (2TB-4TB) |
| Weight | 4.8oz (1.5TB- 4TB) | 8.64oz (2TB-4TB) |
| Color | Black | Black, black and gray, red, white, blue, orange, yellow |
| Storage Capacities | 500GB, 750GB, 1TB, 1.5TB, 2TB, 3TB, 4TB | 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, 4TB |
| USB | 3.0 Type A and 2.0 | 3.0 Type A and 2.0 |
| Compatibility | Formatted NTFS for Windows 7, 8 and 10, Vista and XP (64-bit), reformatting required for other OS. | Formatted NTFS for Windows 7, 8 and 10, Vista and XP (64-bit), reformatting required for other OS. |
| Plug and Play | Yes | Yes |
| WD Backup Software | No | Yes |
| Password Protection | No | Yes |
| Hardware Encryption | No | 256-bit AES |
| What’s Included | USB cable, quick installation guide | 3.0 USB cable, quick installation guide, software |
| Warranty | 2 years limited worldwide/ 3 years China | 2 years limited worldwide |
| Price |
Compatibility
The WD Elements and the WD My Passport are NTFS formatted (New Technology Files System), so they are formatted for Windows 7, 8, 10 and Windows Vista. You can use them with Windows XP, but it has to be Windows XP 64-bit. For other operating systems, the hard drives can easily be formatted.
Plug and Play
It’s very simple to use the WD Elements and the WD My Passport. All you need to do is plug the hard drives into your device with the included USB cable. Data is transferred via a 3.0 USB connection. They are also compatible with USB 2.0.
Warranty
There is a 2-year limited worldwide warranty with the WD Elements and the WD My Passport. The WD Elements series has a 3-year limited warranty in China.
We will now move on to how the WD Elements and the WD My Passport are different.
Differences Between WD Elements and WD My Passport
Appearance
There are quite a few different models of hard drive and two different sizes within each range.
WD Elements
From 500GB to 1TB, the hard drive is 4.35 x 3.23 x 0.59 inches and weighs 4.64 ounces. The hard drives that are 1TB to 4TB are 4.4 x 3.2 x 0.82 inches and weigh 4.8 ounces. This range comes in black.
WD My Passport
The 1TB hard drive is 4.33 x 3.21 x 0.64 inches and weighs 5.92 ounces. The 2TB to 4TB drives are similar in size at 4.33 x 3.21 x 0.85 inches but weighs more at 8.64 ounces. You can get them in black, black and grey, red, white, blue, orange or yellow.
The Winner Is- The WD My Passport
Read next – WD Elements vs WD Easystore: Which External Portable Drives are Better?
Storage Capacities
The maximum storage capacity with both series is 4TB, which is certainly enough for most people’s needs.
WD Elements
There is a great range of storage capacities from 500GB, 750GB, 1TB, 1.5TB, 2TB, 3TB, and 4TB.
WD My Passport
The range is more limited at 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, and 4TB.
The Winner Is- The WD Elements
Read next – WD Elements vs WD My Book: Which External Portable Drives are Better?
WD Back Up Software
The WD Back-Up software lets you schedule automatic backups to make sure you never lose a file.
WD Elements
This hard drive doesn’t come with WD Back-Up software.
WD My Passport
You will be able to automatically back up your files with the WD Back-Up software.
The Winner Is- The WD My Passport
Read next – WD Easystore vs WD My Passport: Which External Portable Drives are Better?
Hard Drive Security
Considering you will have so much personal information and images; you want to make sure your hard drive is safe.
WD Elements
There are no additional security features with this hard drive.
WD My Passport
It comes with password protection and 256-bit AES hardware encryption for added peace of mind.
The Winner Is- The WD My Passport
Read next – WD My Book vs WD My Passport: Which External Portable Drives are Better?
What’s Included
There isn’t much of a difference, but the one extra detail makes one hard drive more superior.
WD Elements
It comes with a USB cable and a quick installation guide. The guide also helps with reformatting for other operating systems.
WD My Passport
You will receive the same as with the WD Elements plus the necessary software.
The Winner Is- The WD My Passport
Pros and Cons
To get a complete picture of the WD Elements and the WD My Passport, we have some pros and cons.
WD Elements
Pros:
- It works very well with gaming consoles
- It’s incredibly easy to use
- Great value for money
Cons:
- There are questions about the durability
WD My Passport
Pros:
- Good read and write speeds
- The backup software is easy to use
- It works really well with Mac (once reformatted)
Cons:
- It’s quite a bit more expensive
The Final Verdict
What we loved about the WD Elements and the WD My Passport is the portability of the hard drives and the ease of setup and use. They are ideal for those who aren’t so tech-savvy because even the reformatting is straightforward. The real decision came down to the intended use. If you aren’t planning to use the hard drive for any valuable files or information, you can save yourself quite a bit and go for the WD Elements. However, we found that the extra cost of the WD My Passport was worth it for the software, auto backup and security.