#Reformat windows passport for mac portable#
#Reformat windows passport for mac mac#

#Reformat windows passport for mac mac#

Both Mac and Windows versions come with a USB-A-to-Micro-B cable the Mac drives add a USB-C-to-Micro-B cable, as well. More precisely, the list price is $10 more for the 2TB, 4TB, and 5TB capacities, with the higher price justified by a second cable. The Mac versions of My Passport cost a little more than their Windows equivalents. WD touts it as the slimmest 5TB drive in the company's portfolio. That said, even the 5TB drive I had for testing fits comfortably in a shirt pocket. All four versions have the same 4.2 by 3-inch footprint, but where the 4TB and 5TB drives are 0.75 inch thick, the 1TB and 2TB devices are a much slimmer 0.44 inch thick, as well as a good deal lighter (4.3 ounces versus 7.4 ounces). Note, too, that the My Passport's size and weight varies with its capacity.

#Reformat windows passport for mac portable#

WD isn't the only maker offering a 5TB portable (Seagate, LaCie, and ADATA also have 5TB portable offerings), but this is the capacity you want if what you need is the roomiest possible pocketable USB storage. All that said, the 5TB is special in that 5TB is the single highest-capacity portable drive you can get at the moment. Be sure to check prices for both when you buy to see which one is the smarter choice on that particular day. Based on list prices, the slightly higher cost per gigabyte for the larger drive argues against choosing it, but current street prices make the 5TB model an equal or even better deal. The choice between the 4TB and 5TB drives is a little more complicated. Even so, the difference in price is so small that it's hard to justify choosing the 1TB version if there's any possibility you might someday need 2TB. All four models are readily available for less at this writing, which gives them lower costs per gigabyte in the real world. That equals a cost per gigabyte of 6 cents for the 1TB drive, 4 cents for the 2TB model, 2.8 cents for the 4TB unit, and 3 cents for 5TB. In addition to the 5TB version I tested, WD offers three other capacities for the Windows version of the drive, with list prices of $59.99 for 1TB, $79.99 for 2TB, and $119.99 for 4TB. Just be sure to back up any files on the drive first, so you can copy them back when you're done. You can, of course, reformat either version with the other file system to use the drive with the other OS, or reformat with exFAT if you want to move the drive freely between Windows systems and Macs. My Passport drives for Windows come formatted in the NTFS file system the Mac versions come with HFS+. Keep in mind that while you can connect the drive to a USB 2.0 port, that will slow data transfer to USB 2.0 speeds. When the drive is connected and working, you can see a status light near the port. The port uses a Micro-USB Type-B connector to match the included cable (or cables, if you get the Mac version more on that in a minute). Pick up the drive, and it feels like a solid, well-built product.Īside from the seam that joins the top and bottom sections of the case together, the only obvious detail on the smooth sides of the case is a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port on the short side (top edge) near the logo. The partially rippled surface covers half of both the top and bottom, running from one corner to the diagonal center line on both, while an understated WD logo occupies the upper right corner of the top. Fit and finish are excellent, with no screws needed to hold the case together and no sharp edges to catch on clothing or a bag. The My Passport at least arguably earns WD's description of it as 'stylish.' The drive I have for testing, pictured here, is black, but you can also get versions formatted for Windows in a red or blue case, or one formatted for the Mac in a darker blue case only. Add a choice of colors, a size that can fit in a shirt pocket, a range of capacities from 1TB to 5TB (5TB is the top capacity you can get at the moment for a single-drive portable hard drive), and easy-to-find discounts from list price, and the WD My Passport is a clear standout and our new Editors' Choice among high-capacity portable hard drives. The ripples also help keep the drive from slipping out of your hand easily. Slightly rounded edges and ripples over part of the surface give the My Passport drive the look and tactile-friendly feel of a consumer gadget. One of the differences between a generic external hard drive and a top contender like the WD My Passport ($149.99 for the 5TB model tested here) is the manufacturer's added effort to make a simple plastic box look attractive.