Question about WD Passport

RhysAndrews

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Hey guys.
I'm interested in getting an external hard-drive. The Western Digital Passport has caught my attention, despite it's small buffer (2mb). However, I'm getting a bit confused about the various versions around.

It seems that there are 3 types... "Passport", "Passport Essentials", and "Passport Elite". I don't want passport elite, no need. But what is the difference between these two models?

http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Passport-Essential-WDME2500TN/dp/B0012GK3MQ/ref=dp_ob_title
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digit...t-Portable/dp/B000RY2PLQ/ref=pd_sim_e_title_2

With over a $30 difference, yet seemingly the same specifications. However, the "Passport Portable" has a very slight difference in design (a blue circle light instead of a white-usb-light, WD is in the centre not the corner). I thought the Passport Essential was a new model, but it's cheaper? Could you explain this?

Thankyou
Rhys Andrews

PS: Is the passport a really bad idea for a purchase? The 250GB meets my budget, it looks beautiful, and most of the reviews are praising it. However, some people are whining about data corruption. I don't plan on using the sync/backup/encryption software it has available. Just using it like a flash disk.
 
btw I bought one, as soon as you plug it in a blue light ring comes on which makes it look nice and cool, anyhow, its black shiny color is slick, i think their good, just plug in and your off, you can sync the data and what not, its easy backup and all around easy, just plug in and your off.

You can either use the software it comes with or copy/paste programs onto the hdd or even back it up via the xp/vista option as thats what I did.

Its cheaper because its maybe got newer firmware on the harddrive.
 
Thanks antdemo.
How long have you hard the drive? How fast is it?

This seems like the older model, with the blue light, not the white usb light (passport essential and elite) , which are cheaper but look newer.

-Rhys
 
Hey Rhys, check out this link:

http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/index.asp?cat=9&language=en

If you look on the bottom of the page, there is a comparison between the Elite and the Essentials version. The Elite has more features.


FYI, WD has other great external hard drives like the My Book. The Home Edition MyBook will cost you less and give you more storage than the Passport, but it won't be as portable.

Chris
 
mum has 2 , there tiny (well for 250GB hdd)
there great , she hasnt had a problem with either
 
I understand the differences between essentials and elite, but is that more expensive item actually elite? It doesn't say so, it just says its a "Passport Portable". And the WD logo is in a different spot as well as the light is different.
 
I had a My Book, it was good while the USB connector worked. It developed positional tendencies and I just decided to rip the drive out of the enclosure. It's now in my main PC since my HDD just went.
 
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