Western Digital Passport 1tb Review
Western Digital My Passport Essential 1 TB USB 3.0/2.0
After a painful and costly lesson in retrieving lost data in the past, I have since learnt the importance of keeping data safe. It is with this in mind that the Western Digital Passport 1tb has been selected in our best portable hard drive review. It ticks all the boxes that users look for (ie: Speed of Data-Transfer, Reliability of Unit, Size and Capacity); and carry features that go beyond the basic.
So what gives this device the leading edge among portable hard drives? For one, this pocket-sized gadget works with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 for when you are ready to upgrade your PC, making this device future-proof. With USB 3.0, data-transfer speeds rise to at least 3x faster than with a USB 2.0 connection.
The Western Digital Passport 1tb is available at Amazon at 30% off the retail price. Click here to avail of the discount.
The compact and sleek device has 5-star performance, and it is a bonus is that it looks 5-star too.
More about the Western Digital Passport 1tb
Here are some of the features at a glance:
- Connects to your USDB2.0; and has a 3x faster download speed with USB3.0 (A 2-hour HD movie will transfer in 5 mins instead of 15 mins)
- Data password protected from unauthorized access.
- Powered by the 1 USB connection, so there is no need for an external power cord.
- Compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
- Protects your data with automatic, continuous backup (enclosed optional software)
- Carries a 2-year warranty.
What Makes this Device Stand Out
The fact that the Western Digital Passport 1tb allows for both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectivity is a big plus. This feature alone makes this device good value for money as it can cost up to $30 to buy the adapter for 3.0 on other devices.
Please note: Regardless of whether your PC uses USB2.0 or USB3.0, it is not necessary to acquire any other devices externally to achieve optimal performance. The USB3.0 connectivity just makes it future-proof for a time when users are ready to upgrade their PCs.
Some owners have found issues with the backup software that resides on the hard disk of the drive. The fact that the device carries a 4 instead of a 5-star rating is down purely to the less intuitive back-up software.
However, it is important to note that the software relates to the backup function and not the storage function, which most users purchase the Western Digital Passport for. So if the aim is to use it for its primary function – as a plain-old storage drive; and not as a backup device, then this device is ideal.
Overall
Overall, the Western Digital Passport is a stable, reliable, quiet and high-speed device built for today and for future upgrades. With the high 1tb capacity & USB3.0 connection, it will hold large volumes of media and be in use for a long time to come.
Here is what one of the owners had to say about the Western Digital Passport
Having purchased the Western Digital Passport 1tb in the past, I was blown away by its size. Very portable. You have the option of using the backup functionality or simply to use it as a storage device – which is how I use it – specifically for media, which I have a lot of (music, videos, photos) … I would recommend this to anyone without reservation. (Carol T)
Check Latest Sale Price – Western Digital Passport 1tb
Related Posts:
See the other devices voted as the Best Portable Hard Drive
Here’s another customer review:
My husband has always used Western Digital hard-drives, so it was a natural choice to upgrade to the Western Digital Passport recently. Having used a few portable hard-drives,in his opinion, this is the best portable hard drive to date. Not only is the data transfer speed a lot faster; even with USB2.0, it is hard to believe that a device of that size can hold up to 1tb of data. He finds his new gadget quite amazing!
Seagate Freeagent Go 500gb Review
Seagate FreeAgent Go 500GB USB 2.0
Having used the Seagate FreeAgent Go 250GB previously, I had no hesitation in getting the Seagate FreeAgent Go 500GB when I needed another device for my large video, photo, and movie library. With its sleek design and huge capacity, this device is smaller, slimmer and better looking that many similar makes I have used.
This device was the winner of the CNET’s editor’s choice. But it is not the design alone that makes stand out. The other winning features include its speed of transfer, easy-to-use backup software that allows for automatic backup, encryption of files and the reliability of the device (It comes with a 5-warranty).
Whereas other leading makes may have some issues with backup functionality, this device on the other hand makes both storage and backup effortless.
The Seagate FreeAgent Go 500gb is available at Amazon at 12-15% off the retail price. Click here to avail of the discount.
More about the Seagate Freeagent Go 500gb
- Built-in, user-friendly backup software that easily protects your data with automatic backup.
- Maintains privacy for important files and folders with software encryption.
- Fast data transfer with a USB 2.0 (4 mins to store 5G worth of files).
- Optional dock for the hard-drive allows files to be accessed without a cable.
- 5-year warranty.
What Makes it Stand Out
There are several things I like about the Seagate Freeagent Go portable hard drives. For one, this device does not freeze like other devices are known to do occasionally. It also has optional docking station allowing files to be accessed by placing it in the dock. As such, files can be accessed with convenience, without any need for additional cables – a big plus for many owners.
As aesthetics go, the built-in lighting in the hard-drive is a flashy addition. When accessing files, there is a stylish, futuristic feel about the device with its rolling led-lights. Nifty!
The only negative aspect of the device is that it uses 2 USB ports, instead of 1 USB like in other device, like the Western Digital Passport or the Toshiba Canvio Plus. While this is not an issue for most users, it is worth noting depending on the type of PC/laptop you use.
Overall
The Seagate Freeagent Go is a plug-and-play device that makes storage and backup fast and easy. The functionality works like a dream. While this alone is that one can ask for in a storage device, its sleek and thin design is a welcome bonus. It is for this reason that this stylish device wins hands-down for portable hard drives. It is no doubt that Seagate is recognised as one of the worldwide leaders in storage solutions.
Here is what one of the owners had to say about the Seagate Freeagent Go 500gb
I did a lot of research … before I decided to buy this particular one. On one occasion, I accidentally knocked it off a table. When I plugged it into my computer, it worked perfectly. Recommend this product…… My research paid off. (William B)
Check latest Discount for: Seagate Freeagent Go 500gb
Related Posts:
See why these 3 were voted as the Best Portable Hard Drive in the market today
Toshiba Canvio Plus Video
This is a succint, clearly outlined piece on the benefits of the Toshiba Canvio Plus best portable hard drive.
When you see it live, its amazing to note how a small device is. The 1tb drive can hold up to: 165K of songs, 265K photos, 820 movies. That’s a whole lot for a device that fits neatly into a jean pocket!
Also, you will see how user friendly the backup interface is, offering: schedule backups, passport protection, disk space alert.
Watch the video here on youtube to appreciate the full benefits of the Toshiba Canvio Plus.
What Happens if your Portable Hard Drive Fails
This is one of the worst fears for anyone. After spending lots of time searching for the best portable hard drive to store our favourite photographs, videos, files, we expect our memories to be safe and intact. Unfortunately in rare circumstances, despite best efforts, even the best portable hard drive may fail.
This can happen out of human error (dropping the device), or for reasons beyond our understanding. So the question is, is there a way to recover your data when it starts showing signs of failing. In this Linked In Q&A here, users outline:
- Ways to determine if a portable hard drive is failing;
- Methods of recovering them through both FreeWare and Paid Data Recovery Services.
Snippets of the Article follows:
Signs to look for:
… The usual signs that the hard drive is broken beyond repair is… it will make periodic clicking/scraping noises…
… if you only hear the usual “hum” of the internals spinning then all may not have been lost.
1. Find the hard drive manufacturer diagnostics tool and run the quick test against it.
a) if it passes the test (ie: data can be read), then attempt to access the data and backup immediately!
b) If no data is present you’ll have to use data recovery software…
One free soft tool that you can use is: Ultimate Boot Cd
We all hope this doesn’t ever happen. But if it does, do not panic – just like data from a crashed computer can be recovered, there’s hope for our other storage devices too.
Best Portable Hard Drive: Tech Reviews
A Tech Perspective on 3 of the Best Portable Hard Drive
In this tech review, the presenters review several portable hard drives. While they give their top votes to several devices, like the Seagate and Verbatim, and the Western Digital makes of portable hard drives. They outline what makes these devices stand out, why they like each one and discuss the ones that excel for its speed and performance. See the video to find out why these 3 makes were chosen as the best portable hard drive.
Best Portable Hard Drive: Key Features
To see why customers like the Western Digital Passport, take a look at this video. What I like about this video is that it succinctly summaries the key features of this best portable hard drive.
Although the device displayed in the video is the 500gb unit, the features in the 1tb unit are the same; the only difference being its capacity. It comes in the same number of colour (green, blue, black and red). The video clearly outlines why it is one of the best-selling portable storage devices to date.
Also see our Top 3 choices for the: Best Portable Hard Drive
Best Portable Hard Drive: Speed of Data Transfer
Best Portable Hard Drive: Data Transfer
The Western Digital Passport is voted by users as one of their choices for the “best portable hard drive” in the market to date. But yet, time and again, we get many questions about the its distinguishing feature – the USB 3.0/ USB 2.0 functionality.
As we are aware, most PCs and laptops accomodate USB 2.0 today. The newer laptops and PCs carry the USB 3.0 functionality. Does this mean that it is less effective with the current USB2.0 functionality?
The short answer is “No”. It is only the speed of the data transfer that is different. To fully answer doubts relating to how the USB 3.0 looks and if there is a significant difference in the speed between USB2.0 & USB 3.0, take a look at this video: Data-Speed transfer – USB2.0 & USB3.0
You’ll have a good idea of how this future-proof device and be used effectively now and when you are ready to upgrade in the future.
Toshiba Canvio Plus Review
Toshiba Canvio Plus
When I travel, I like using the Toshiba Canvio Plus portable hard drive. This range of hard drives (500gb, 750gb, 1tb) is a well-known and sturdy make of hard-drives. It provides fast and effortless storage and backup of files & media (music, pictures and movies), including the OS.
People on-the-go like it for its compact size, speed of transfer and the internal shock sensor that helps keep the hard drive safe and sturdy while on the go.
The hard-drive works both as a storage and backup device. While with some other makes, the backup functionality may be somewhat complicated to use, this Toshiba range comes with an easy-to-use backup software. It is an altogether straight-forward, portable and sturdy device with storage and back-up functions all rolled into one.
The Toshiba Canvio Plus 1tb is available at Amazon at 30% off the retail price. Click this link to avail of the discount.
Here are some of the features of the Toshiba Canvio Plus 1tb
- Storage & Fast Data-Transfer – The 1TB can store up to: 285,000 digital photos, or 263,000 music files, or 820 movies. (4G data takes approximately 12 minutes to download)
- Backup – The pre-installed software backs-up files, folders and the OS easily – either automatically or according to a preferred schedule.
- Data Encryption – The data is secure with data encryption that is password driven.
- Hard-drive protection – The hard drive is protected with an Internal Shock Sensor and Ramp Loading Technology.
- 3 year warranty.
What Makes the Toshiba Canvio Plus range stand Out
The anti-shock sensors built into the hard-drive, together with the soft edged design of the unit, are built to make the device sturdy, suited for those who carry the device with them frequently either for work or travel. Additionally, as the device is light-weight and compact, it is ideal for travelling.
Another feature worth noting is the speed of data-transfer. A recurring observation is that while most portable hard drives are made to carry fast data-transfer speeds these days, users find that the Canvio Plus units work faster. As such, people who store & transfer media daily (photographers) love it.
Item to Note: It is worth noting that the device does an automatic backup the first time it is installed. Thereafter, users have the option to either continue using the automatic backup function, or to perform scheduled backups.
As most portable hard drives today come with both storage and backup facilities, the 2 functions are just part of the package. While I find the automatic backup function a plus point, some users prefer to use it purely for storage and not for backup.
In those instances, it is worth noting that the backup software can be erased in a straight-forward manner; unlike some other makes where removing the pre-installed software can be tedious.
Other point to note for just Mac users – The hard-drive has to be reformatted as Mac OS Extended (Case Sensitive Journaled). Once reformatted, it works flawlessly as an external drive or Time Machine.
Overall
The Toshiba Canvio Plus range is another plug-an-play device that works effortlessly in the background. It has a fast data-transfer speed, is light-weight and built to be sturdy, and has a nice finish. In short, it is a reliable storage and backup device that is slim, carries good quality, and comes with a good price tag. An overall product that is good value for money.
Here is what one of the owners had to say about the Toshiba Canvio Plus 1tb
As a tech person, I recommend products that are well priced, easy to use and just works. The Toshiba Canvio 1TB drive does exactly that. When the drives arrived, I performed some fairly basic scans to see if there are any bad sectors. The drives passed the test with no bad sectors. I also like the different colours … differentiating between your backups (travel, work, confidential material) can be very neat. So happy that I’ve just ordered three more drives. (Windows Blogger)
Check latest discounts on Toshiba Canvio Plus portable hard drives
Related Posts:
See why customers rate these as the 3 Best Portable Hard Drive