Western Digital
Western Digital WD 24TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive (WDBBGB0240HBK-NESN)
Bottom line: The Western Digital WD 24TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive ($1,349.99 on Amazon as of 2026-10-21 12:15 UTC): 24TB in one enclosure replaces a shelf of smaller external drives; main trade-off: desktop form factor needs AC power, so it is not travel-friendly.
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-21. Price and availability subject to change.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ 24TB in one enclosure replaces a shelf of smaller external drives
- ✓ exFAT out of the box works on Windows and Mac with no reformat
- ✓ Hardware encryption plus password protection built into the drive
- ✓ Acronis True Image for WD included for scheduled backups
Cons
- ✗ Desktop form factor needs AC power, so it is not travel-friendly
- ✗ USB 3.2 Gen 1 caps transfer speed well below Thunderbolt or USB 3.2 Gen 2
- ✗ exFAT is convenient cross-platform but less robust than NTFS or APFS
- ✗ A single drive is not redundancy; 24TB in one unit is one failure point
Manufacturer description
The WD My Book 24TB brings serious archive capacity to your desk in a single Western Digital enclosure, and at 24TB it is aimed squarely at people who have outgrown a stack of smaller drives. It connects over USB 3.2 Gen 1 and arrives formatted in exFAT, so it mounts on both Windows and Mac machines out of the box without you reformatting anything first. That matters if you move a drive between a work laptop and a home editing machine. Western Digital bundles Acronis True Image for Western Digital, which handles scheduled backups and includes ransomware defense, so your backup set is not…
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored Western Digital WD 24TB My Book Desktop 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 the WD My Book 24TB work with both Windows and Mac?
Yes. It ships formatted in exFAT and is ready for Windows and Mac computers out of the box, so you can start backing up without reformatting. Reformat only if you want a platform-native file system.
How fast is the USB connection on this drive?
It uses USB 3.2 Gen 1. Actual sustained transfer speed depends on your computer's port, cable, and the drive mechanism, so check the product listing for WD's published throughput figures.
Is the data on the My Book encrypted?
Yes. The drive includes password protection and hardware encryption, so files stay unreadable to anyone who does not have your password if the enclosure is lost or stolen.
What backup software is included?
Acronis True Image for Western Digital is bundled. It handles scheduled backups and includes defense against ransomware, so you can automate the archive rather than copying folders manually.
Is 24TB the actual usable capacity?
Not exactly. Western Digital rates 1TB as 1 trillion bytes, and actual user capacity may be less depending on your operating environment and file system formatting overhead.
Key Features
- Store up to 24TB* for archiving photos, videos, music, important and historical documents, and more. (*1TB = 1 trillion bytes. Actual user capacity may be less depending on operating environment.)
- Ready for Windows and Mac computers out-of-the-box to help you get started in storing and backing up files right away.
- Back up smarter with included device management software[2] with defense against ransomware.
- Help secure your valuable files with password protection and hardware encryption
Full Specifications
| Brand | Western Digital |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Model Name | My Book Desktop Hard Drive |
| Unit Count | 1 Count |
| Form Factor | 3.5-inch |
| Connectivity | USB |
| Model Number | WDBBGB0240HBK-NESN |
| Compatibility | Mac |
| Built-In Media | My Book Desktop hard drive, SuperSpeed USB-A cable (5 Gbps), Quick Start Guide, Software[1] for device management and backup, AC adapter |
| Hard-Drive Size | 24 TB |
| Mfr Part Number | WDBBGB0240HBK-NESN |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Special Feature | Hardware Encryption |
| Hardware Platform | WD |
| Installation Type | External Hard Drive |
| Compatible Devices | Desktop, Laptop |
| Data Transfer Rate | 1 megabytes_per_second |
| Enclosure Material | Aluminum, Glass, Or Ceramic |
| Additional Features | Hardware Encryption |
| Hard Disk Interface | USB 3.0 |
| Full listing title | WD 24TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, with Password Protection and Backup Software, USB 3.2 Gen1, exFAT - WDBBGB0240HBK-NESN |
Ready to buy?
WD 24TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, with Password Protection and Backup Software, USB 3.2 Gen1, exFAT - WDBBGB0240HBK-NESN 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.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-21. Price and availability subject to change.
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