Western Digital
Western Digital WD 4TB My Passport Portable Hard Drive (WDBRMD0040BGY-WESN)
Bottom line: The Western Digital WD 4TB My Passport Portable Hard Drive: 4TB capacity in a pocket-size drive for photos, video, games and project archives; main trade-off: spinning platter drive, so transfer speeds lag any SSD alternative.
As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ 4TB capacity in a pocket-size drive for photos, video, games and project archives
- ✓ Ships with both USB-C and USB-A compatibility, no adapter or dongle needed
- ✓ 256-bit AES hardware encryption plus password protection on the drive itself
- ✓ Backed by a 3-year limited warranty from Western Digital
- ✓ Works with Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, gaming consoles, phones and tablets
Cons
- ✗ Spinning platter drive, so transfer speeds lag any SSD alternative
- ✗ Mechanical design is more vulnerable to drops than a solid-state portable
- ✗ Password protection and backup rely on WD software, adding a setup step
Manufacturer description
No matter where creativity or adventure strikes, the My Passport portable hard drive is the perfect storage companion for your on-the-go lifestyle — and your USB-C devices. Enjoy seamless compatibility across your Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, gaming consoles, mobile phones, and tablets with a USB-C connection. And store your files safely with backup software[2] and password protection.
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored Western Digital WD 4TB My Passport Portable 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.
Key Features
- Seamless compatibility across USB-C and USB-A port devices including Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, gaming consoles, mobile phones, and tablets
- Store up to 5TB[1] worth of photos, music, videos, games, and documents
- Help secure your important files with password protection and 256-bit AES hardware encryption
- Back up smarter with included device management software[2]
- Enjoy peace of mind with a 3-year limited warranty[3]
Full Specifications
| Brand | Western Digital |
|---|---|
| Color | Grey |
| Model Name | My Passport Portable Hard Drive, Works with USB-C |
| Read Speed | 550 megabytes_per_second |
| Unit Count | 1 Count |
| Form Factor | 2.5-inch |
| Media Speed | up to 40 MB/s |
| Connectivity | USB-C |
| Model Number | WDBRMD0040BGY-WESN |
| Compatibility | PC, Mac |
| Built-In Media | Portable hard drive, USB-A cable, USB-A to USB-C adapter, Quick Install guide |
| Hard-Drive Size | 4 TB |
| Mfr Part Number | WDBRMD0040BGY-WESN |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Special Feature | Works with USB-C |
| Hardware Platform | Mac |
| Installation Type | External Hard Drive |
| Compatible Devices | Desktop, Gaming Console, Laptop, Smartphone, Tablet |
| Data Transfer Rate | 1 megabits_per_second |
| Enclosure Material | Polycarbonate |
| Full listing title | WD 4TB My Passport Portable Hard Drive, Works with USB-C and USB-A, Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, Gaming Consoles, and Mobile Devices, Backup Software and Password Protection - WDBRMD0040BGY-WESN |
Ready to buy?
WD 4TB My Passport Portable Hard Drive, Works with USB-C and USB-A, Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, Gaming Consoles, and Mobile Devices, Backup Software and Password Protection - WDBRMD0040BGY-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.
Related External Storage
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- Real Productivity on 32-64GB RAM for Local LLMs
- Build a Budget Local-AI Rig in 2026: Ryzen 7 5800X + RTX 3060 12GB
- Best Wireless Streaming Microphones for Twitch in 2026
- Ryzen AI Max+ 'Gorgon Halo' 192GB vs RTX 3060 12GB for Local LLMs (2026)
- KOORUI 27" QD-Mini LED vs Samsung Odyssey: Best 4K Pick
- Samsung's 240Hz 1440p Gaming Monitor Drops to $169
- Raspberry Pi OS Moves to Linux 6.18 LTS: What the Kernel Jump Means for Pi 4 Owners
- Best Adaptive and One-Handed Gaming Controllers in 2026
- Best Webcam for PC Game Streaming Under $100 (2026)
- KDE KWin Gaming Patches 2026: Linux Latency vs Windows
- AMD Ryzen AI Max 400 'Gorgon Halo': What 192GB of Unified Memory Unlocks for Local AI
- RTX 3060 12GB vs Ryzen 5 5600G iGPU: Do You Need a GPU for 1080p Esports?
- Best SSD for a PS4 Pro Upgrade in 2026: 870 EVO vs BX500
- Best GPU for Local LLMs Under $400 in 2026: Why 12GB Still Wins
- Raspberry Pi 5 + Hailo-8 vs Jetson Orin Nano Super: Which Edge AI Box Wins for Vision Workloads?
- 2000s LAN Party Modern Setup Guide: Hardware, Cables, and Server Stack in 2026
- Crucial BX500 vs Samsung 870 EVO: Best 2.5" SATA SSD for a Budget Build
- RTX 5090 AI Models: Performance, VRAM, Power
- Run DeepSeek & Qwen Locally on an RTX 3060 12GB (2026 Guide)
- Dual RTX 3090 PC Builds: PSU, Cooling, and Cost in 2025
- Building a 2001 LAN Party Rig in 2026: GeForce 3, Pentium III, and Period-Correct Peripherals
- Mistral Medium 3.5 Dense Local Inference: Hardware Tiers from 24GB to 192GB
- Handheld Gaming PC Sale: Best 2026 Deals to Buy Now
- Best PC Upgrades to Buy Before the 2026 Memory Price Spike
Earliest SpecPicks reviews
Browse full archive →- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 8B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 14B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 70B (2026)
- Best GPU for DeepSeek-R1 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 405B (2026)
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 14B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run DeepSeek-R1 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090