WD My Passport 6TB Review: A More Affordable, Spacious Storage Solution

Although the storage capacity of today's devices has become increasingly spacious, so has the size of today's digital files. From high-resolution photos, 4K videos, to documents increasingly available in digital format, practical storage solutions are still attractive to the public. This reason could be the reason for the presence of the WD My Passport 6TB.

Yes, this type of external HDD storage has been around for a long time, and is still being launched and updated regularly. After we reviewed it in 2020, now the WD My Passport 6TB is here with the largest capacity in the history of this series. The goal? Of course, as a more affordable alternative, especially compared to external SSD storage.

Although cloud storage has become more accessible and affordable, WD's options are more popular because they don't require an internet connection, and for a number of other practical reasons. So how are the benefits and uses four years after we reviewed the previous 1TB version? Here is the full review of the WD My Passport 6TB.

Design

This is the most popular external HDD series from WD that we have known for a long time. In terms of design, the WD My Passport 6TB still has exactly the same appearance as the 2020 release. The design is very simple, available in a variety of colors, namely black, white, light blue and red. Not the most plain, but not flashy either.

When I saw it digitally, I thought it would be quite large, considering its capacity of 6TB. However, it turns out that the overall dimensions of the WD My Passport 6TB can be said to be equivalent to a modern 10,000 mAh power bank. The dimensions are not much larger than the body surface of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, only slightly thicker at 206mm. At least it is not heavy when carried, because it only weighs 210 grams.

The body material is made of plastic—perhaps intentionally so as not to make it heavier. Not only that, 50% of the body material is made from recycled plastic. Overall, the WD My Passport design is easy to “adapt” in different environments. Easy to carry, lightweight, non-slip when placed on various types of surfaces, and also not so eye-catching.

WD does not include accessories such as a pouch or special case in the sales package, meaning there is only a short manual and a short cable. I don't think it's necessary, because this isn't a device that really needs to have its exterior looked after. It is more important to keep it from falling, so that its service life lasts longer.

Feature

This is a plug and play external HDD, compatible with various types of devices and PCs, from Windows operating systems to Chrome OS. For macOS 11 and above users? It is possible, but with the addition of special drivers and it needs to be reformatted to be compatible with the NTFS system. Windows laptop users can just plug it in and use it right away.

Because it's still exactly the same as the 2020 release, the interface is arguably a bit outdated. On the side of the device, a micro-USB port is used, with the other end being USB-A. It's a bit difficult considering that now many laptops only provide USB-C ports because of their increasingly slim profile. The solution? You can use a dongle, or change the cable type.

In a number of e-commerce sites, Micro-B to USB-C cables are sold at very affordable prices, starting at around IDR 40 thousand. In my opinion, replacing this cable is mandatory and more practical than having to carry a USB-C to USB-A converter dongle. But if Gizmo friends' PC or laptop still has a USB-A port, of course “This “dizziness” is simply ignored.

Even though it can be used directly, aka plug-and-play, the WD My Passport 6TB also comes with three additional applications that can help with usage. There is WD My Security which can add a password to the device, so that the WD My Passport 6TB has an additional layer so that it is not easily accessed by anyone other than the owner.

The second application is WD Drive Utilities, which provides device diagnostic functions, sets a timer for how long the WD My Passport 6TB can stop automatically to extend its service life, performs formatting, and even deactivates the LED lights. Especially for the last point, I was confused about the placement of the LED. It turns out to be next to the WD My Passport 6TB micro-B port, it's white and hard to see when outdoors.

The last application is Acronis True Image, which can automatically perform the backup process from the computer to the WD My Passport 6TB with a previously set schedule and folder. With every purchase of a WD My Passport 6TB product, users will receive a license for the application which is valid for up to 5 years of use. It is also claimed to help prevent ransomware attacks.

Performance

Compared to SSD, the read/write speed of HDD is certainly much inferior, aka slower. When I tested using the supplied cable, the average speed was only around 120Mbps. It's fairly stable and consistent, and the WD My Passport 6TB is relatively quiet with no annoying vibrations when in operation.

Simply put, I consider using an external HDD like the WD My Passport to be the same as using a microSD card on a smartphone. It is better to use it for storing files only, not for accessing them directly. Of course, accessing media files such as photos and videos is still okay, there's no need to move them first.

However, for other types of use, such as video editing, it is better to move the video files stored on the WD My Passport 6TB first to a PC/laptop that has faster storage, so that the editing/rendering process can run faster. When finished, the final file can be saved or moved to this external HDD.

A little additional note, although the WD My Passport 6TB is compatible with cables that use the USB-C port end, that doesn't mean it can be connected to devices such as smartphones and tablets. Unlike SSD, HDD requires extra power consumption that cannot be provided by this type of gadget.

Conclusion

Why choose the WD My Passport 6TB, when there are so many external portable storage options that are SSD type? Again, the main determining factor is storage size requirements, and how you will be using the device.

The price of the WD My Passport 6TB is listed at IDR 2950 million, but on e-commerce there are quite a lot of stores that sell it for IDR 27 million. When compared to external SSD storage, the capacity obtained is only 2TB, or a third of it. Of course, the WD My Passport 6TB will look much more tempting for those who really need a large storage capacity.

Regarding HDD vs SSD durability, although SSD is claimed to be up to twice as durable, this also depends on the usage scenario; intensity of use, to operating temperature. For just a backup function, the WD My Passport 6TB is certainly very suitable for long-term use.

WD My Passport 6TB Specifications