Western Digital

WD My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive (Black)

Name: WD My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive (Black)
Brand: Western Digital
SKU: B0041OSQ9I

Status: WD My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0… (1TB hard drive): Unavailable on Amazon as of 2026-10-18 10:18 UTC. Closest in-stock match (same 1TB hard drive): WD My Passport 1TB Portable External Hard Drive…, $90.68 on Amazon as of 2026-10-21 16:16 UTC (price may vary). eBay sellers may still list this model new or used.

View Current Price — $90.68 🛒 Search eBay for this model

Bottom line: The WD My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive: Dual USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 support works on both new and legacy machines; main trade-off: USB 3.0 speeds are far slower than modern USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt drives.

Unavailable on Amazon as of 2026-10-18 10:18 UTC

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Currently unavailable on Amazon. Not the same product — 3 in-stock alternatives with matching specs:

Same 1TB hard drive: WD My Passport 1TB Portable External Hard Drive… — $90.68 on Amazon as of 2026-10-21 16:16 UTC (price may vary).

View Current Price — $90.68

Same 1TB hard drive: WD 1TB My Passport — $130.90 on Amazon as of 2026-10-21 12:20 UTC (price may vary).

View Current Price — $130.90

Same 1TB hard drive: M2 Series 1TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $49.99 on Amazon as of 2026-10-21 16:23 UTC (price may vary).

View Current Price — $49.99

Original listing (currently unavailable) → Compare to similar external storage

By Mike Perry, Founder & Editor-in-Chief · Listing data updated 2026-10-18

Mike Perry — Hardware researcher since 2014. For external drives and portable storage, synthesises manufacturer specs and independent reviews rather than first-hand lab testing. Core beat: GPU performance across gaming, rendering, and local-LLM inference. About the author →

Pros & Cons

Pros

✓ Dual USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 support works on both new and legacy machines
✓ Up to 3x faster transfers on USB 3.0 versus USB 2.0
✓ Bus-powered over USB, so no separate AC adapter to carry
✓ Automatic continuous backup software captures files as you save them

Cons

✗ USB 3.0 speeds are far slower than modern USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt drives
✗ Spinning platter design is vulnerable to drops compared to an SSD
✗ 1 TB is modest for 4K video or large game libraries today
✗ Bus power can be marginal on unpowered USB hubs

Manufacturer description

The WD My Passport Essential SE puts 1 TB of portable storage in a pocket-sized black enclosure that draws power straight from your laptop's USB port, so there's no wall adapter to pack. Western Digital built this drive around a dual-interface controller: plug it into a USB 3.0 port for up to 3x faster transfer rates, or fall back to USB 2.0 on older machines without changing a thing. Bundled WD backup software runs automatic, continuous backups in the background, so files are captured as you save them rather than on a schedule you have to remember. At 1 TB you have room for a full photo…

SpecPicks Verdict

SpecPicks scored WD My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the external storage category. Western Digital's external storage lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.

Common buyer scenarios for external storage of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this drive work with USB 2.0 computers?

Yes. The My Passport Essential SE has dual USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 compatibility, so it runs on older USB 2.0 ports at USB 2.0 speed and steps up to USB 3.0 speed when connected to a USB 3.0 port.

Do I need a power adapter for this external drive?

No. The drive is powered directly from the USB port on your PC, so no separate power supply is needed. That said, unpowered USB hubs may not supply enough current.

How much faster is USB 3.0 on this drive?

Western Digital rates it at up to 3x faster transfer rates over USB 3.0 compared with USB 2.0. Actual throughput depends on your host controller, cable, and file sizes.

Is 1 TB enough storage for photo and video backups?

1 TB holds a large photo library or a full system image comfortably. For ongoing 4K video work you will fill it quickly and want a larger drive or a second unit.

Does it come with backup software and a warranty?

It includes WD software for automatic, continuous backup. Warranty terms vary by region and revision, so check the current product listing for coverage details.

Key Features

Automatic, continuous backup
Maximum capacity
Connectivity today; speed for tomorrow
Dual USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 compatibility
Up to 3x faster transfer rates with USB 3.0

Full Specifications

Brand	Western Digital
Color	Black
Model Name	My Passport Essential
Form Factor	Portable
Media Speed	640 MB/s
Connectivity	USB
Model Number	WDBACX0010BBK-NESN
Built-In Media	My Passport Essential SE Portable WDBACX0010BBL Hard Drive, USB Cable, Quick Install Guide
Hard-Drive Size	1 TB
Mfr Part Number	WDBACX0010BBK-NESN
Number of Items	1
Special Feature	Portable
Installation Type	External Hard Drive
Compatible Devices	usb 3.0 and usb 2.0 connectivity
Data Transfer Rate	5 Gigabits Per Second
Enclosure Material	Metal or metal alloy
Additional Features	Portable
Hard Disk Interface	ATA
Customer Package Type	FFP
Hard Disk Description	portable

Ready to buy?

Amazon shows no buyable offer for WD My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0… at the last check. The closest in-stock match with the same 1TB hard drive is WD My Passport 1TB Portable External Hard Drive…. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.

View Current Price — $90.68