WD 4 TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive – USB 3.0
WD 4 TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive – USB 3.0, Black
Big capacity in a small device
With up to 5TB in a lightweight design, you can take your photos, videos, music and other files wherever you go.
Improve PC performance
Free up space on your slow-moving PC by transferring files to your WD Elements drive, and get your PC moving again.
USB 3.0/2.0 compatible
With USB 3.0 connectivity, you get maximum performance when transferring your files to and from WD Elements portable drive.
 |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Up to 5TB | Up to 5TB | Up to 5TB | Up to 2TB |
| Ideal for | Basic backup and storage | Premium portable storage with auto backup | Premium portable storage with auto backup in a design that brilliantly pairs metal and matte finishes to create a sophisticated style | Portable storage with blazingly-fast transfers |
| WD Backup Software | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Interfaces | USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible) | USB 3.0/2.0 | USB-C ready with USB 3.1 adapter | USB Type-C and USB 3.1 Gen 2 ready (USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and USB-A compatible) |
| Weight: | 236 g |
| Dimensions: | 11.18 x 8.13 x 2.1 cm; 235.87 Grams |
| Brand: | Western Digital |
| Model: | WDBU6Y0040BBK-WESN |
| Colour: | Black |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | WD |
| Dimensions: | 11.18 x 8.13 x 2.1 cm; 235.87 Grams |
As it’s USB3, it doesn’t creak along, and transfers files reasonably quickly.
Not a bad price for so much storage. Recommended.
This is the cheapest and most reliable external HDD on the market in my opinion. Very compact, doesn’t heat up. Backed up my all my files on this which was scattered across different storage devices.
After doing some research on external drives for the Xbox 360, it became a “toss-up” between this and the 2TB WD My Passport. I decided to go with this as it was newer, 10 cheaper (at the time) and also USB 2.0 compatible. Hope this helps Xbox 360 owners looking for external storage!
Is it working? I can’t hear anything at all ?! Yes, it is. the small light is flashing, which shows that it is working 🙂 Data transfer speed is good as well. To give you an idea, I am transferring some video files and the speed is about 100 MB/s … if you want it quicker, you might want a SSD but to pay more.
It would be nicer if a bag or storage box is included for storing the drive – only because I do not use it frequently, so I will put it in the drawer and take it out when needed.
Good piece of kit. Plenty of capacity and small enough to sit unobtrusively on my desk. I’ll be plugging it in as extra storage on my NAS drive, when I’ve copied all I want to it. No problems and easy to use.
This sleek and lightweight device is perfect for on-the-go photographers like myself, ensuring I can carry my extensive photo library without adding bulk to my gear.
With USB 3.0 connectivity, transferring large files is lightning-fast, and its compatibility with Windows, Linux, and Chromebook makes it versatile for my workflow.
Despite being a mechanical HDD, it operates quietly, though I do miss having a small LED indicator for added reassurance.
In conclusion, Western Digital’s 2TB external hard drive is a reliable and portable storage solution that’s essential for any photographer needing to safeguard their work on the move. Highly recommended.
One more thing, I couldn’t leave stars for “Tech Support” because I didn’t need them. This is another proof of reliability!
See ya!
I purchased it to use as a TV recorder for my grandfather (on a Toshiba TV) and it worked straight out of the box.
It was well packaged.
As with all drives, it doesn’t actually have the capacity stated (you will never be able to put 1TB of items on a 1TB drive for example due to formatting and software that’s preinstalled on it), but that’s true of ALL drives.
Some advice if using it, as I have, for a TV – it will likely need formatting (I was fortunate mine didn’t) and the formatting required depends upon your TV. Read your TV’s user manual or simply type its model number and ‘what file format’ into Google to find out. Then plug the hard drive into a laptop/computer, select it on your device, right-click it and go down to ‘format’, select the appropriate format for your TV and ‘start’, and away you go. Most times, when people find it doesn’t work with the intended device, it is because it hasn’t been formatted to the correct file type (this can be true of computers too). Additionally, some file types can store more information than others, so if you’re trying to record a movie for example, depending on the file type you’ve selected, it may record one file, or it may have to break the movie up into several smaller files. If that happens – it’s not the fault of the hard drive!
Also, if using with a Toshiba TV, it can be hard to find how to access it – that’s the fault of the TV software, not the hard drive. (We found the setting hidden under ‘Home button’ > ‘settings’ > ‘recordings’).
My 5 other WD drives are anything between 5 and 13 years old, all between 1 and 4TB, 2 are portable and would be taken to and from work every day for years on end, bashed around in bags (I’m not gentle with them) often not in a protective case (they can be purchased if needed), and I’ve had not a single issue to date. They have all had very heavy use, with hundreds of files being used, edited, and deleted every day and so I expect this drive will be as hardy… But remember: They’re electronic devices and they CAN FAIL (I’ve had other brand drives fail) so if you are using it for anything IMPORTANT, ensure you make backup copies of files either to a second drive or to a cloud-based drive (for photos, Amazon Photos is free and unlimited for Prime members – but you only get 5GB free for videos, and other documents aren’t supported – for that, try Google Drive and One Drive but again, the free service is limited in size). Cloud-based drives can be accessed from anywhere in the world but can be hacked – but physical backups can be lost in house fires etc so if you have both a drive and its backup in the same location they could both be lost, as happened to my family. I have both physical backups and cloud-based backups because I have hundreds of thousands of files.
As this is only being used to record TV occasionally, I should imagine it will still be working fine in 30 years time! Though if it should fail, I’ll come back to edit this review 😉
Very easy setup on PS5.
Surprisingly fast at coping discs (PS4) and PS5 games.
Running PS4 games straight from the HHD is fast and smooth, no difference from running them on PS4
Very happy.
I bought this for my PS5 and it works perfectly. Playstation already had a disclaimer about not being able to play games directly from external hard drives except for PS4 games. Also, for this hard drive to work, you need to plug it in the usb port at the back of the console.
This is a really good external hard-drive, but we also have a range of 1 and 2TB Toshiba hard-drives, and this really isn’t as good.
It doesn’t transfer or read data as quickly, and just functions slower in general. Its build quality, also, isn’t as solid.
But it’s cheaper than the Toshiba so if you’re on a budget, it’s still excellent.
Works well and importantly comes with the correct usb cable.
Formatted pretty much instantly when connected. Then younhave 2tb of extra storage for your games. Transfer rate to move a game from internal ssd to this is approx 800mbps so a 50 gb game took around 10 minutes. Alot faster than having to redownload games.
Got for 49.99 in a deal. Really happy.
Now I just store my games on it and quickly copy across what I feel like playing whilst keeping alot of my internal xbox storage free.
Also, can play last get xbox games direct from the external device which is great, slightly slower load times but talking a few seconds, so that’s a bonus too.
This little HDD has plenty of storage and reads/writes at a decent speed. I have had no problems with it, so haven’t used tech support, and therefore can’t comment on that.
I bought this to transfer and store files from 2 HDD’s that I wasn’t planning on moving to my new PC. Its speed is good when connected to a USB3 port and okay when connected to a USB2 port. The added software is nice too and for the price this portable HDD is a good investment.
This portable hard drive is perfect for putting your flac and music video files on, and connecting up to your hi-fi.
Capacity is excellent. It’s light and has a pretty fast access time too. It needs no external power supply to carry round with it which is a real bonus. A small piece of advice is to buy a spare lead for it, so you can leave the cable permanently hooked up to your Hi-Fi!
I’ve had one before but bought this as run out of space. They do the job. Lead can be a bit fiddly with connection on mobile device.Also need an adaptor to use with my mobile.Not sure how robust it would be if dropped.It says 2TB but can only access 1.8TB.
Easy to set up as a backup external HDD and works as it should. A previous and older HDD I had kept automatically and randomly ejecting; this one doesn’t. Very happy with my purchase.
Been a good year or longer since I purchased and it’s still working.
My grandad uses this to store his photos on that he takes every day so it’s in constant use.
Sleek and light but feels robust.
Good product, no complaints
First and foremost, the capacity of this drive is remarkable. With a whopping 5TB of storage space, I can store all of my retro games, along with their patches, mods, and save files, without worrying about running out of space anytime soon. It’s perfect for those of us who cherish the nostalgia of classic gaming and want to keep all our favorite titles in one place.
One of the standout features of this WD Elements drive is its lightning-fast transfer speeds. I was genuinely impressed by how quickly I could transfer large game files from my computer to the drive. It saves me so much time and ensures that I can get right into the gaming action without any delays or interruptions. Whether I’m loading up an old-school RPG or a pixel-perfect platformer, the seamless transfer speed enhances my gaming experience.
As a retro gaming enthusiast, having a reliable and spacious external hard drive is essential, and the WD Elements ticks all the boxes. Its sleek and compact design makes it extremely portable, so I can easily take it with me to a friend’s place for some multiplayer retro gaming sessions.
Lastly, I must mention that I exclusively use this hard drive for storing all my retro games, and it has exceeded my expectations in terms of performance and reliability. The drive has never failed me, and I feel confident that my cherished game collection is in safe hands.
In conclusion, the WD 5TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive is an outstanding product that caters perfectly to retro gaming aficionados. Its massive storage capacity, swift data transfers, and impeccable reliability make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to keep their classic gaming library organized and accessible. I highly recommend this hard drive to fellow retro gamers and anyone in need of a top-tier external storage solution.
it comes with a cable – this wasn’t that long but if you’re using it as a portable device you don’t really want a massive cable I guess.
Storage space is big and I’ve never needed the Tech Support so can’t comment negatively on that.
It’s a fast device so you can transfer your items between it very quickly.
Can’t go wrong with this one and I’m happy with my purchase 🙂
It is a hard drive, not solid state, so you shouldn’t chuck it around while it is in use, not that I would any way as I am using it with a desktop computer but if you were using it as an external drive for a mobile laptop it may be more of an issue.
It is very quiet but I can’t put my Lego millennium falcon on top of it as it does then produce a slight hum due to the moving discs inside. I have been using it for nearly a month now and filled it with less than 500Gb so quite a way to go.
A very nice, compact and unobtrusive unit.
Cheers,
Schnuz.
I am fan of WD HDs. Awesome quality, great portability.
This proved compatible as the hard disk storage required for my Samsung smart tv – necessary to permit time-shifting and recording. The TV found it automatically so set up was very straight forward. Happily works mounted vertically behind tv.
Arrived safely quickly
Does the job
As described in the sale
Very easy to put your raw images into or your jpeg images into.
It’s a little annoying that this uses a Micro-B USB 3.0 port instead of a USB-C port. Other than that, 100-ish for 5000GB is great! I have bought, like, 7 of these now.
On installing it hung up at 18%, thought the worst. Restarted computer installed successfully and works perfectly and hopefully for a long time.
Becoming a bit obsolete now but if you need a cheap storage medium it’s not a bad choice just don’t drop it or anything like tha
Purchased to use as a backup drive, works well, but a little slow as my server has usb2 connectors.
Bought this high capacity USB drive as it was on special offer. Good value. Reasonable i/o performance — benchmarked using Ubuntu Disks utility at 100 mbs.
Using as a Time Machine backup drive. Easy to reformat and reasonable capacity. Works as intended.
I have had smaller drives for my lap top, silent and reliable, I bought this for added storage for my XBOX1S and thats why it lost a star for portability. unpack the drive, plug into PC or XBOX, follow format instructions on screen, start using. and thats the rub, if you format for PC, you can reformat if it corrupts or you decide to reformat for XBOX later, BUT if you format for XBOX and later need to reformat for PC you are bang out of luck, once formatted to XBOX it cannot be reformatted. So in that sence its limited portable
The price is also good even if at 26 mb/sec is a bit slow for 2023.
Very slim unit and easy to carry around. Simple to use and all seems good
Good brand and still running in 2023 Think I bought this drive in 2018-19. Used as back up drive for Mac system and still running well.
Delivered promptly and works straight out of the box.
Great just what I needed
I used to think the “Ultra” drives were faster than the USB3 drives, but on my PC, there doesn’t seem to be much in it if anything, speed-wise. This 5TB drive is quiet, has a decent turn of speed, though not blisteringly fast, and I expect it to give many years of reliable service.
Supplied with a short USB A (3) USB B (3) lead, it’s simply plug and play and Windows recognises it and allows you to use it. It comes supplied with some WD software, but I just popped that in a folder unused, as the WD Passport drives always work fine out of the box. My drive was made in Thailand, and looking at a few of them, most of my WD Passport drives were made in Thailand (even the really old 250GB ones), though I have one which was made in Malaysia. Oddly enough, the Malaysian drive is my only WD Passport I’ve got that’s a little bit noisy as it vibrates slightly in use. It works fine, but I’m guessing if I do ever get an external 2.5″ drive fail on me, it’ll be that one. All the others I have are quiet.
Whatever you need external storage for, the WD Passport drives are excellent, and when you upgrade your PC, you don’t need to faff about transferring all your data over if you use these drives. Highly recommended!
When asked, Sony wouldn’t recommend any named product, just a spec. As I have found out, this is not easy, especially as I have followed both the spec guide and usb HDD maker’s instructions for them (2 failures) not to work. The WD Elements is great, works well and is cost effective compared to the previous 2 usb HDD’s. I’ve given the review result as 4 stars only because I’ve just purchased it and longevity is not yet proved, otherwise it would be 5 star.
Once registered to the TV as with any disk of this type, portability is confined to use with the TV.
Finally, I’d like to praise the service I received from Amazon as I purchased 2 previous usb hdd’s that were supposed to be compatible with my TV but we’re not; these usb HDD’s were 40% more expensive than the WD Elements usb HDD and the Amazon return, refund and replacement worked really well and gives confidence for the future.
The generic saved settings would save about 2-3 days of settings and runs to get them sounding the way you wanted Vital when you’re talking about $10’s of thousands a day for the studio let alone the cost of staff etc. They replaced ALL of the contents which would have been about 53,000 not to mention the time allocating the custom settings and the correct folders , then authorising them too. There would have been over 3,400 at least (this is going by my back up book I have with the basics on a shorthand version. Would have taken months to get them so E manually, loading each individual compressor for example and typing the setting then saving, unloading it then over and over
I’m no longer a WD fan and it’s a shame after over 25 years of using them.
I bought this specifically to take my PS4 games off the internal PS5 SSD but I didn’t want to get a ‘game drive’ specific one as I would have more freedom if I wanted to partition it and backup some PC files as well.
The setup couldn’t have been easier, I took it out of the box, plugged it in and the PS5 recognised it instantly. I had to format the drive before I could use it which I thought might take a few minutes at most but only took 5 seconds, then I selected around 360GB of PS4 games/apps and started the transfer.
After the format I had 1.8TB free which is more than enough and with all drives they need space for their base operating software which is usually a small fraction off the stated capacity, a lot of people clearly don’t understand this from some of the reviews complaining they got less capacity than they purchased -_-
The transfer was speed really good for a physical drive, better than I was expecting, it took just over an hour for it to finish moving the whole 350+GB to the external drive.
My PS5 told me once that the drive wasn’t removed properly after powering on after being in rest mode, I didn’t remove the drive at all so I’m not sure why it said that. This error message has only come up once and happened the first time the console had been in rest mode with the new drive connected. The console has been in rest mode and turned off multiple times after this message and hasn’t given me the error since so it may just be a one time thing.
I’ll update this review if I come across any issues.
Loading PS4 games from the External as opposed to launching them from the internal SSD was a little bit slower. All times below were timed from the point of clicking resume on my game file to actually getting into the game.
– Resident Evil 7 took 77sec to load which I’d played the day before on the PS5 SSD which probably took under 30 seconds. In-game the performance was perfect, no frame drop, no noticeable delay on textures rendering in.
– Horizon Zero Dawn took 30-40sec which was actually quicker than RE7 despite being a huge open world game, the in-game performance was perfect too even with the 60FPS patch.
– God of War took 29 seconds to load into the game.
– Batman Arkham Knight took just 32 seconds to load my save and get into the game.
– Mortal Shell took just 20 seconds to load into the game.
– Call of Duty Modern Warfare took 56 seconds to load into the game from chapter selection.