Gaming and watching movies can be heaps of fun, especially with high-end PCs and next-gen consoles dominating the scene these days. However, with all these improvements, file sizes are massive — new games and HD movies are lightning-quick when it comes to filling your storage.
Also, with pastimes such as those, more often than not, you need to keep your digital portfolio portable. But when it’s time to invest in one of the best portable SSDs, look no further than Western Digital’s (WD) exceptional selection — the WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive SSD and the WD My Passport SSD.
WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive SSD
The case offers good looks as well as a lot of strength, which helps a lot for cooling. The top cover is a big aluminum plate that draws heat off the SSD, which helps for sustained usage. The drive looks like a crate one would see in a Halo or Gears Of War game versus the standard portable SSD. This adds to the durability of the drive. The top of the drive has the WD_BLACK branding as well as the name of the drive.
The P50 is the first drive we’ve known that features the latest USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 that has the cap speed of 20Gbps. It also uses a USB-C port instead of a Micro-B SuperSpeed.
While the WD Black P50 is compatible with next-gen consoles, it won’t take advantage of that faster interface speed because their USB Type-A ports are limited to just 10Gbps. With 20Gbps on tap, the P50 Game Drive is a much better match for avid content creators, who are more likely to have that faster port in the first place.
The portable SSD comes pre-formatted as exFAT for cross-platform compatibility. Whether you use it on a Mac, PC, PlayStation, or Xbox, compatibility is plug n’ play. If you want Trim support, though, the P50 Game Drive will need to be formatted.
With hardware DSP, soft decode, XOR, and a multi-gear hardware LDPC engine, WD’s Black P50 Game Drive ensures reliable reading even when challenged with high bit-error pages.
WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive SSD: Technical Specifications
WD My Passport SSD
The My Passport SSD is a really great option for anyone who needs compact storage on the go. With all the speed you can imagine from NVMe SSD technology, this drive gives every competitor a run for its money.
It’s an easy way to transfer large files between computers. Or share a collection of files with multiple people. While all of these tasks can be done with cloud storage, the My Passport SSD offers faster access. And greater security — no one can access files on this drive without physically touching it.
Officially, it offers read speeds of 1050MB/s and write speeds of 1000MB/s (both sequential). In practice, this is absolutely true. Transferring 15GB of video files to the drive to almost exactly 15 seconds, which makes it a great option for transferring larger data dumps at the drop of a hat.
The My Passport SSD is unparalleled when it comes to size and weight, an ultra-portable storage option. With a USB-C port and cable, this drive is a great option for anyone using more recent and current Mac hardware that supports USB-C or with a hub that does this.
WD My Passport SSD: Technical Specifications
Price: RM$1,833
