Skip to main content
Western Digital 500GB My Passport SSD Portable External Solid State Drive, Gray, Sturdy and Blazing Fast, Password Protection with Hardware Encryption - WDBAGF5000AGY-WESN
Western Digital

Western Digital 500GB My Passport SSD Portable External Solid State Drive

Bottom line: The Western Digital 500GB My Passport SSD Portable External Solid State ($229.00 on Amazon as of 2026-10-20 22:13 UTC): NVMe read speeds up to 1050MB/s, writes up to 1000MB/s; main trade-off: 500GB fills fast for 4K video or large game libraries. Another in-stock pick with the same 500GB portable SSD: the Sandisk 500GB Extreme Portable SSD, $189.99 on Amazon as of (price may vary).

$229.00

As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →

Buy on Amazon — $229.00 Compare to similar external storage

By , Founder & Editor-in-Chief · Listing data updated

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.

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-20. Price and availability subject to change.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ✓ NVMe read speeds up to 1050MB/s, writes up to 1000MB/s
  • ✓ Password-enabled 256-bit AES hardware encryption built in
  • ✓ Drop resistant up to 6.5ft (1.98m), shock and vibration rated
  • ✓ USB-C and USB-A compatible via USB 3.2 Gen 2

Cons

  • ✗ 500GB fills fast for 4K video or large game libraries
  • ✗ Speeds are WD internal-test figures; real transfers vary by host
  • ✗ Encryption is password-based, so a forgotten password locks data out
  • ✗ USB 3.2 Gen 2 host needed to hit rated speeds; older USB-A ports throttle it

Manufacturer description

Blazing fast NVMe technology with speeds of up to 1050MB/s and write speeds of up to 1000MB/s. | Based on read speed unless otherwise stated. As used for transfer rate, 1 MB/s = one million bytes per second. Based on internal testing; performance may vary depending upon host device, usage conditions, drive capacity, and other factors. Password enabled 256-bit AES hardware encryption Shock and vibration resistant. Drop resistant up to 6.5ft (1.98m)

Related Products

Other products in this category you may like:

SpecPicks Verdict

SpecPicks scored Western Digital 500GB My Passport SSD Portable External Solid State… 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

How fast is the WD My Passport SSD 500GB?

Western Digital rates it at up to 1050MB/s read and up to 1000MB/s write using NVMe technology. WD notes those are internal-testing figures and actual speed varies with your host device, usage conditions, and drive capacity.

Does it work with both USB-C and USB-A ports?

Yes. The drive uses USB 3.2 Gen 2 and is cross compatible with USB-C, with USB-A support for older systems, so you can move between a modern laptop and an older desktop.

Is the data on this drive encrypted?

Yes. It uses password-enabled 256-bit AES hardware encryption, so files stay unreadable without your password. Set the password through WD's included software before storing sensitive files.

Can it survive being dropped in a bag?

It is shock and vibration resistant and rated drop resistant up to 6.5ft (1.98m), which covers desk-height and backpack-height falls during everyday travel.

Is 500GB enough storage for my files?

500GB suits document archives, photo libraries, and a handful of games or 4K video projects. If you edit large video regularly, look at a higher-capacity version of the My Passport SSD line.

Key Features

  • Blazing fast NVMe technology with speeds of up to 1050MB/s and write speeds of up to 1000MB/s. | Based on read speed unless otherwise stated. As used for transfer rate, 1 MB/s = one million bytes per second. Based on internal testing; performance may vary depending upon host device, usage conditions, drive capacity, and other factors.
  • Password enabled 256-bit AES hardware encryption
  • Shock and vibration resistant. Drop resistant up to 6.5ft (1.98m)
  • Cross Compatible USB 3.2 Gen-2 and USB-C (USB-A for older systems)

Full Specifications

Size500GB
BrandWestern Digital
ColorGray
ModelWDBAGF5000AGY
Warranty5-year manufacturer's limited warranty
UnitCount1
ReleaseDate2020-08-20T00:00:01Z
ManufacturerSandisk Technologies, Inc.
IsAdultProductfalse
ItemPartNumberWDBAGF5000AGY-WESN
Full listing titleWestern Digital 500GB My Passport SSD Portable External Solid State Drive, Gray, Sturdy and Blazing Fast, Password Protection with Hardware Encryption - WDBAGF5000AGY-WESN

Ready to buy?

Western Digital 500GB My Passport SSD Portable External Solid State Drive, Gray, Sturdy and Blazing Fast, Password Protection with Hardware Encryption - WDBAGF5000AGY-WESN is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.

Buy on Amazon — $229.00

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-20. Price and availability subject to change.

Read our analysis

SpecPicks coverage that features this External Storage.

Related External Storage

Keep exploring SpecPicks

Other buying guides

Browse the catalog

Editorial

More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive

Browse all articles & guides →

More reviews from the SpecPicks archive

Browse all reviews →

Earliest SpecPicks reviews

Browse full archive →
Western Digital 500GB My Passport SSD Portable External Solid State Drive, Gray, Sturdy and Blazing Fast, Password Protection with Hardware Encryption - WDBAGF5000AGY-WESN
$229.00
View on Amazon →