When it comes to increasing the storage space on your laptop or desktop, one of the easiest tools you have at your disposal is an external solid-state drive (SSD) or hard disk drive (HDD). There are plenty of pros and cons to both options (you can dive into these in more depth in our SSD vs HDD guide ), but HDDs typically cost less while still offering a large amount of storage for you to use. This makes them an especially good choice for those who want a lot of storage without spending a lot.
Western Digital recently upgraded its highest-capacity My Passport Ultra HDD to 6TB. I had the chance to review this new option this past week. Let’s take a look at what makes this little device so useful.
This review was made possible with a review sample from Western Digital. The company did not see the content of the review before it was published.
My Passport Ultra: Price, Availability and Specifications
Specifications
• Price: From $64.99 at Best Buy
• Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TB
• Port: USB-C
• Couple: USB-A 3.2 Gen1
• Sequential reading: Up to 120 MB/s
• Transfer rate: Up to 5 Gbps
• Dimensions: 4.22 x 2.95 x 0.81 inches
• Weight: 0.46 pounds (0.21 kg)
Western Digital is a well-known manufacturer of data storage devices and drives. As such, their products, including the My Passport Ultra, are available at various retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Newegg, and more. You can also purchase the My Passport Ultra directly from Western Digital’s website. This device comes in a variety of colors, with the most common options being black, blue, silver, or gold. However, some color choices are only available at specific retailers.
This hard drive currently comes in five capacities, and each has a different value: 1TB has an MSRP of $69.99, 2TB has an MSRP of $89.99, 4TB has an MSRP of $129.99, 5TB has an MSRP of $139.99, and the 6TB has an MSRP of $204.99. These are good prices compared to other HDD competitors.
It is also possible that some or all of these capacities will be sold at lower prices during retailer clearance events.
My Passport Ultra: Design and Compatibility
While it’s not the thinnest HDD on the market, the My Passport Ultra looks good and fits in my hand. At less than an inch thick, it’s compact enough to easily carry around when I travel. I also like that it’s sturdy enough that I can confidently throw it in my laptop bag or backpack without worrying about it breaking in transit. You don’t want to intentionally toss it around, but it does need to be able to handle the rigors of travel.
Depending on the capacity you choose, there are several color options, and each has rubber feet on the bottom to prevent the device from sliding around on a desk. The 6TB HDD I received has an attractive blue casing on the front that changes to a matte black casing on the back. It looks good in both formal and casual environments, making it a great option for work or personal use.
Out of the box, the My Passport Ultra works with Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices. However, Western Digital’s website also explains that it can be used with macOS 11+ if you reformat the device and download the appropriate NTFS driver.
After doing some research online, I discovered that there are two versions of this HDD: one with the outdated micro-B USB port and one with the much more modern USB-C port. The version I received has the latter, and I would recommend anyone looking to purchase this HDD to definitely get the USB-C version. This makes the HDD compatible with more modern devices right out of the box.
The My Passport Ultra I received also comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A adapter, so I can plug it into any computer I want. Once it’s plugged in, a small white light will turn on and the HDD is ready to use. It’s very convenient and works well.
In terms of security, this HDD offers 256-bit AES hardware encryption and also comes with a five-year license for Acronis True Image, a program that not only protects against ransomware attacks but also allows you to backup and restore files. In short, this adds an extra level of security and peace of mind to My Passport Ultra that some other HDDs on the market lack.
To activate Acronis, all I had to do was connect the My Passport Ultra to my computer, open the drive, and click on the pre-installed program labeled “Install Western Digital Software for Windows.” That program then brought up a page that took me to the Acronis download. Once installed, I was able to use the program to clone the drive, clean the drive, and adjust any active protections.
My Passport Ultra: Transfer Speed Tests
During my time with the My Passport Ultra, I loaded a lot of data onto it and also used it with a few different laptops and desktops. Every time I plugged it in, the My Passport Ultra was ready to go and I never had any major issues with performance.
I ran a CystalDiskMark test on the My Passport Ultra, which showed a read speed of 118 MB/s and a write speed of 116 MB/s. It’s not the fastest HDD out there, but it’s solid and stable.
In addition to the CrystalDiskMark test, I also transferred about 4GB of data (consisting of a few small games, several large PSD files with digital drawings, and large wedding photos) to the HDD at once and monitored the speed of the HDD. As is usually the case, the HDD started out very fast, but then slowed down a bit as the minutes went by. There were a few stretches where the read speed dropped and got as low as 20.7 MB/s, but the HDD recovered and picked up again. Overall, the read speed usually stayed between 119 MB/s and 91 MB/s, which is good.
My Passport Ultra: Competition
When considering other external storage devices, you can choose between the best external SSDs or the best external HDDs. In general, SSDs are faster, but they tend to cost more. So it really depends on what you want from your storage device.
When it comes to SSDs, I recommend checking out our Samsung T7 Shield review . This SSD comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities with your choice of a black, beige, or blue rugged enclosure. It can reach read speeds of up to 1050MB/s, making it significantly faster than the My Passport Ultra HDD. The 1TB retails for $99.00 on Amazon, while the 4TB retails for $318.39 on Amazon.
If you’re specifically looking for a good Xbox gaming HDD, then you should check out our WD_BLACK P10 review . This gaming drive supports transfers of up to 130MB/s and comes in 2TB, 4TB, 5TB, or 6TB capacities. It is compatible with both Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. The 2TB model costs $94.99 at Best Buy, while the largest 6TB option retails for $189.99 at Amazon.
My Passport Ultra: Should I Buy It?
You should buy it if…
✅ You want to expand your storage without having to open your laptop or desktop
External HDDs like the My Passport Ultra require you to simply plug them into your laptop or desktop computer and you’ll have more space for files and programs. There are no extra steps required to upgrade your computer to get more storage.
You shouldn’t buy it if…
❌ You would really prefer an external SSD over an external HDD
HDDs and SSDs are both useful storage devices. However, there is no denying that SSDs are much faster, as long as you are willing to pay more for them.
If you need some extra storage space on your laptop or desktop, this external HDD is a great choice. The My Passport Ultra has plenty of storage capacities to choose from to suit your needs, and they’re all priced right and within a reasonable range. Plus, this HDD offers solid performance to handle all the files you’ll throw at it. Of course, getting a five-year Acronis True Image license with this purchase also adds to the security of this device and makes maintenance easier.
It’s not the sleekest or thinnest HDD out there, but it’s sturdy and should travel well without getting damaged too quickly. If you do decide to purchase the My Passport Ultra, make sure you get one with a USB-C port instead of the outdated micro-USB.
Western Digital My Passport Ultra HDD
Available in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 5TB, and 6TB capacities, the Western Digital My Passport Ultra HDD is a great external storage accessory for any desktop or laptop user.