Western Digital intros My Passport Essential external HDD

WD's Passport portable drive a bit too clunky for your tastes? We dig your style, and if you're always looking for something sleeker and sexier, the new My Passport Essential is likely to satisfy -- if only for a moment. Reportedly, these were tweaked to look more like the firm's popular My Book family, and each one weighs in at less than five ounces. Available now in 160GB, 250GB and 320GB flavors, these USB-powered drives cap out at $199.99 and (for now at least) only arrive in the glossy black finish you see above.

[sarnzzle @ Jan 30th 2008 10:33AM]

These things are damn sexy.. no need for external power is hawt.

[Kamalot @ Jan 30th 2008 3:44PM]

Yes, no need for external power is hawt, but their other passport drives pull more power from a single USB port than many laptops provide. This renders them useless, and worse... can corrupt data. The WD passport series draws more power from the USB port than is officially supported by USB standards.

[windz @ Jan 30th 2008 9:34PM]

i use mine on a fujitsu lifebook, asus notebook, and a dell pc without any problem.

[windz @ Jan 30th 2008 9:34PM]

i use mine on a fujitsu lifebook, asus notebook, and a dell pc without any problem.

[ScOObyDoo @ Jan 30th 2008 10:38AM]

I've gotta be missing something. But don't these look almost exactly the SAME as the Passport drives?

How are they "less clunky" than something that looks the same?

The only difference I see is that one end is rounded off a little more. The 320Gb passport I have here is also bus powered and also comes in shiny black.

[Colin @ Jan 30th 2008 11:19AM]

I agree, it's basically the same damn thing! But I have to admit, that annoying rubber flap has been making me toss and turn at night!

[R0B3RT @ Jan 30th 2008 1:02PM]

I dont under stand them all of their devices look the same just a different color and name???

[error2k2 @ Jan 30th 2008 10:39AM]

Thank God they removed the annoying rubber flap.

[Colin @ Jan 30th 2008 11:17AM]

I gotta say I love the little device. Extremely small and light, extremely fast and it's great for portability. I'm completely satisfied.

[deslock @ Jan 31st 2008 12:02AM]

I have a 250GB version, which I find works well as an external hdd but I wouldn't use it for my system drive as it has 2MB cache. I've read that the 320GB version also has 2MB cache... can you confirm that the 320 comes with 8?

[deslock @ Jan 31st 2008 12:08AM]

ignore my post (i'm having browser issues)

[Chet @ Jan 30th 2008 10:43AM]

Do these need a USB Y adapter cable to get enough power to run? My experience with these is that a single USB port doesn't provide enough power to spin the drives at times.

[Ty @ Jan 30th 2008 11:57AM]

Any high-power USB port should work.

[Carl @ Jan 30th 2008 1:24PM]

Mine runs without a hitch on my EeePC...which is good, because I need the extra storage!

[Itchy Pajamas @ Jan 30th 2008 10:45AM]

According to WD's specs, the only difference in dimensions is that this one is 3mm less in length than the regular Passport. The other dimensions are the same and the weight is the same.

Why do they make two such similar models?

[Itchy Pajamas @ Jan 30th 2008 10:46AM]

I have the "old" (like, a couple of months ago) 320GB model, and it runs fine off one USB port on my MacBook Pro, Sony TX, and Toshiba Portege.

[Airton @ Jan 30th 2008 3:54PM]

Stop calling electronics "sexy"

[TC @ Jan 30th 2008 11:04AM]

No Mac support.. arrrrgghh.

[eddie @ Jan 30th 2008 11:07AM]

why wouldnt it work in a mac? its just a standard usb hard drive.

[SpoonDogSVT @ Jan 30th 2008 11:10AM]

From the website:
"Compatible - Use with Windows® and Macintosh® computers"

Likely just functions as a regular external drive; first thing I'd do is reformat the thing anyway.

[ChillyWilly @ Jan 30th 2008 12:14PM]

I think TC was referring to the included software for the Mac, which there is none.

If you are running this under Leopard, there is Time Machine, which the 320gb model would make an excellent portable companion.

[Mike Cohen @ Jan 30th 2008 1:56PM]

I have two WD Passport drives (160G & 200G) that I use with my MacBook Pro.

[windz @ Jan 30th 2008 9:34PM]

i think that's the software. the drive works with mac.

[Joey @ Feb 29th 2008 1:39PM]

I actually like the rubber flap. It makes me safer knowing that liquids won't get into the slot that's plugged into the hard drive.

[ScOObyDoo @ Jan 30th 2008 11:29AM]

The best thing about these drives? They are easy to rip open and take the drive out. After coupons I got my 320Gb for $140, which went right into my Dell XPS notebook.

For some reason they charge more for the internal drive than for the external one, despite the drives themselves being identical. In the 320 it's just a 5400rpm 8Mb cache sata drive.

[Orlando @ Jan 30th 2008 12:47PM]

How exactly do you get one of this opened. I am trying to swap the one inside my Macbook Pro. Plus, where do you get such a great sweet deal.

[ScOObyDoo @ Jan 30th 2008 1:11PM]

Just stuck a knife or screwdriver between where the 2 pieces of the case come together, move the knife around the case so the plastic clips unlock, or just open one corner and pull really hard.

Once opened pull the foil off the drive and remove the small PCB. That's all there is to it.

[Shahryar @ Jan 30th 2008 2:12PM]

my 8/2007 purchased one stopped working. Makes a weird roaring sound, Both Leopard and Tiger say the disk is unreadable, and disk utility says it's a Western Digital 2 TB external drive. Very weird. I found a similar case here:
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91841

Going to see if I can get WD's warranty to either repair or replace, but I was interested in taking the internal drive out to get my data out. Any suggestions?

I was able to open up and look inside prying iwth just my hands.

[Shahryar @ Jan 30th 2008 2:17PM]

By the way, it's the 160GB Passport.

[deslock @ Jan 31st 2008 12:07AM]

I have a 250GB version, which I find works well as an external hdd but I wouldn't use it for my system drive as it has 2MB cache. I've read that the 320GB version also has 2MB cache... can you confirm that the 320 comes with 8?

[ScOObyDoo @ Jan 31st 2008 12:09AM]

Yes, I can 100% confirm that it has 8Mb cache. The drive in the 320Gb passport is the WD3200BEVT. WD currently only make one kind of 320Gb drive.

[RyanTV @ Jan 30th 2008 11:37AM]

I've had 2 different models of the older passport HDDs and both have crashed on me. WD was very good about getting them replaced, and i never keep my only copy of anything on an external HDD, but it's always annoying to loose data.

I've never plugged mine into a computer that didnt supply enough power for it to run. used it on Apple, dell, toshiba, HP, & gateway notebooks and it always worked well.

[Denver_80203 @ Jan 30th 2008 1:48PM]

same here. click of death on one. They are a mode of transport but I don't suggest keeping anything unique on there that you care about. Great little devices but, a little sketchy

[Gary J @ Jan 30th 2008 12:14PM]

I use mine on a XP SP2 formatted HFS+ for WMV-HD files on the Xbox 360. Awesome.

[Rick_Havoc @ Jan 30th 2008 1:48PM]

To bad they only let you store Western Digital approved files. DO NOT buy, send a message to these b4st4rds. We will not let you tell us what we can store!

[Mike Cohen @ Jan 30th 2008 1:58PM]

WTF are you talking about? It's a normal drive that can hold anything any other drives hold.

[Rick_Havoc @ Jan 30th 2008 2:04PM]

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/File-Sharing-Blocked-on-Western-Digital-Storage-Devices-90072

[windz @ Jan 30th 2008 9:48PM]

duh! that's the "network-connected hard drive "

foolio

[Rick_Havoc @ Jan 31st 2008 10:35AM]

Slipery Slope

[CzarCruise @ Jan 30th 2008 2:39PM]

gah. Why is it that every time I purchase something from WD they change their product. I want my passport to use 3mm less space!!! =(

[marc @ Jan 30th 2008 2:40PM]

Lookin' good, but hows bout' some 7200 RPM drives for us video guys.

[johnj2803 @ Jan 30th 2008 4:21PM]

I just bought the 250GB fro my 12" powerbook :D and works like a charm :D no need for the Y cable that most powerbooks need to make this work. Apparently the 12" have more USB power than its bigger brothers :D These are just exactly the same with what I have... so what gives?

[digi01 @ Jan 30th 2008 6:10PM]

I have one of these, but the usb cord was stolen. What are my options to draw enough power? I bought a $1.99 replacement 6' rosewill cord from newegg, but it apparently doesn't draw enough power. The OEM replace is a whopping $20+$8 shipping. Anyone found a workable replacement?

[windz @ Jan 30th 2008 9:22PM]

just make sure you don't buy any usb cable longer than the one they give you. i think the one they give is about 18 inches. thats the safest bet.

[deslock @ Jan 30th 2008 11:58PM]

I have a 250GB version, which I find works well as an external hdd but I wouldn't use it for my system drive as it has 2MB cache. I've read that the 320GB version also has 2MB cache... can you confirm that the 320 comes with 8?

[deslock @ Jan 31st 2008 12:02AM]

I have a 250GB version, which I find works well as an external hdd but I wouldn't use it for my system drive as it has 2MB cache. I've read that the 320GB version also has 2MB cache... can you confirm that the 320 comes with 8?

[deslock @ Jan 31st 2008 12:09AM]

(sorry for the duplicate posts)

[uberfu @ Feb 7th 2008 11:34AM]

test post...

[Fafunno @ Feb 9th 2008 4:52PM]

I have a 160GB passport, I guess it's the old model now. I have a 17" macbook pro and about a minute or two after I plug the drive in, it unmounts and gives me an "improper device removal" error. I'm assuming this is a problem with the power draw. But everybody is saying they use theirs with their Mac without problems. Sorry to be thick, but what is this Y cable everyone is talking about? Is this the only solution? Thanks.

[Travis @ Mar 24th 2008 7:01PM]

I've been having the exact same problem with my WD Passport. Very frustrating, esp because I can't seem to find any documentation online that would explain what's wrong.

Did you figure out how to fix it?