Skip to content

WD Elements vs My Book Hard Drive Comparison: Pros, Cons & Specs

wd elements vs my book drive

Here we are going to compare the WD Elements vs My Book Desktop hard drive and see how they can play a part in your computer backup plan.

Experts say that a good backup plan would be to continually save your precious data to:

  • Your local computer
  • An external drive (the furthest allowable distance away)
  • Cloud Storage

An external hard drive can be quickly connected to a range of devices and all of your important documents and special memories can be transferred and saved.

We will go over their appearance, storage capacity and functions, and their value for money.

Furthermore, we will put all the information in a comparison chart for quick viewing and then take a closer look at some pros and cons of the WD Elements Desktop hard drive and the WD My Book Desktop hard drive.

Let’s begin with what the two WD Desktop hard drives have in common.

WD Elements vs My Book: Similarities

Quick Glance

Title
WD 8TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - WDBWLG0080HBK-NESN
Our PIck
WD 8TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0, External HDD with Password Protection and Backup Software - WDBBGB0080HBK-NESN
Image
WD 8TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - WDBWLG0080HBK-NESN
WD 8TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0, External HDD with Password Protection and Backup Software - WDBBGB0080HBK-NESN
Size
5.31 x 1.89 x 6.53 inches
5.5 x 1.9 x 6.7 inches
Weight
2.09lbs
2.12lbs
Color
Black, curved edges
Black, matte and shiny, ridged
Connectivity
USB 2.0, USB 3.0
USB 2.0, USB 3.0
Compatibility
Ready to use Windows, Reformat for Mac
Ready to use Windows, Reformat for Mac
Storage Capacity
3TB, 4TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB, 12TB, and a 14TB
3TB, 4TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB, 12TB, and a 14TB
Software
None
WD Auto Backup, Password Protect with 256-bit AES hardware encryption, Acronis True Image, Cloud Services, and Social Media apps, Apple Time Machine compatible
Durability
Advertised as “durable”
Durable, shock-tolerant, reliable
Warranty
2-year limited warranty
3-year limited warranty
Prime status
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
Title
WD 8TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - WDBWLG0080HBK-NESN
Image
WD 8TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - WDBWLG0080HBK-NESN
Size
5.31 x 1.89 x 6.53 inches
Weight
2.09lbs
Color
Black, curved edges
Connectivity
USB 2.0, USB 3.0
Compatibility
Ready to use Windows, Reformat for Mac
Storage Capacity
3TB, 4TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB, 12TB, and a 14TB
Software
None
Durability
Advertised as “durable”
Warranty
2-year limited warranty
Prime status
Amazon Prime
Our PIck
Title
WD 8TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0, External HDD with Password Protection and Backup Software - WDBBGB0080HBK-NESN
Image
WD 8TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0, External HDD with Password Protection and Backup Software - WDBBGB0080HBK-NESN
Size
5.5 x 1.9 x 6.7 inches
Weight
2.12lbs
Color
Black, matte and shiny, ridged
Connectivity
USB 2.0, USB 3.0
Compatibility
Ready to use Windows, Reformat for Mac
Storage Capacity
3TB, 4TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB, 12TB, and a 14TB
Software
WD Auto Backup, Password Protect with 256-bit AES hardware encryption, Acronis True Image, Cloud Services, and Social Media apps, Apple Time Machine compatible
Durability
Durable, shock-tolerant, reliable
Warranty
3-year limited warranty
Prime status
Amazon Prime

Storage Capacity

The WD Element external storage and the WD My Book external storage come with various storage space capacities. You can choose from a 3 TB, 4 TB, 6 TB, 8 TB, 10 TB, 12 TB, and a 14 TB. Today, we will be looking at the 8 TB hard drive for each. 8 TB would allow you to store around 1,600 movies in 1080p format or around 2 million photos. That would be a lot of media files!

Connectivity

You can connect the WD Element Desktop hard drive and the WD My Book hard drive via USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. The USB 2.0 is used for convenient back connection while the USB 3.0 is dedicated to faster file transfer, approximately 10 ties faster than a USB 2.0 connection.

Compatibility

One thing you really must check is the compatibility with your existing systems. The WD Elements Desktop hard drive and the WD My Book Desktop hard drive and ‘plug and play’ for Windows, so this means it is ready to use as soon as you take it out of the box. If you are running on Mac, you will have to reformat the hard drives.

These are the only three similarities that the two Desktop hard drives from WD have. On that note, let’s go over the all-important differences.

Check the WD Elements vs WD My Passport comparison

WD Elements vs WD My Book: Key Differences

Appearance

 

WD Elements 8tb size

WD has managed to integrate performance with design with all of its hard drives. They are both black and modern in their designs, with some differences.

WD Elements Desktop Hard Drive

This is a smooth, sleek design with slightly rounded edges. The logo and model name are at the bottom and there is a small power indicator light, also on the front. It weighs 2.12 pounds and measures 5.5 x 1.9 x 6.7 inches.

WD My Book Desktop Hard Drive

My Book series has been redesigned with half in shiny black and the base of the units in ridged, matte black. It weighs 2.09 pounds and is 5.31 x 1.89 x 6.53 inches.

The Winner Is — The WD Elements Desktop Hard Drive

Software

WD Elements Review

With both of the hard drives, you can connect your device and transfer files. But, when a hard drive has additional backup software, not only do you get more for your money, but you will also be able to do more with it.

WD Elements Desktop Hard Drive

It’s rather disappointing that this hard drive comes with no software. You will have to purchase any software you require.

WD My Book Desktop Hard Drive

Now, this hard drive has an amazing range of software. In the first place, you have WD Auto Backup software so you can set a specific date and even time for automatic backups. Then, you have Password Protection and 256-bit AES hardware encryption, ensuring all of your files are completely secure.

It also comes with Acronis True Image WD Edition for Windows. It is compatible with Dropbox Cloud Services as well as other cloud services and you can connect straight to your social media pages, and it is compatible with Apple Time Machine.

The Winner Is- The WD My Book Desktop Hard Drive


Durability

WD My Book Review

While we don’t recommend dropping desktop hard drives, we do expect there could possibly be an occasional bump or two over the years.

WD Elements Desktop Hard Drive

This is advertised as a durable desktop hard drive, but with no specific details.

WD My Book Desktop Hard Drive

This has been designed for durability, shock tolerance, and long-term reliability.

The Winner Is – The WD My Book Desktop Hard Drive

Value for Money

WD My Book Comparison

There are a number of things that need to be taken into. There will be the software, the price, and the warranty, but average prices for an 8 TB external drive can range from $100 to $150.

WD Elements Desktop Hard Drive

It is sitting at the higher end of the average, but it does come with a 2-year limited warranty.

WD My Book Desktop Hard Drive

As you would expect, it is more expensive than the WD Elements Desktop hard drive, but still within the average. In fact, considering the differences in the hard drives, this comes at an excellent price. The limited warranty is also longer at 3 years.

The Winner Is – The WD My Book Desktop Hard Drive

Read next: WD Easystore vs Elements: Which Western Digital is Better?

WD Elements vs WD My Book: Pros and Cons

Just before we offer our final thoughts on the WD Elements Desktop hard drive and the WD My Book Desktop hard drive, these pros and cons might clear up any doubts you might still have.

WD Elements

WD Elements 8tb review

Pros:

  • The read and write transfer speeds are fast
  • The lovely design looks great at home or on a workstation
  • It is nice and quiet

Cons:

  • For newer PCs, a third party alternative software is needed for backups

WD My Book

WD My Book
Pros:

  • The two vents at the back prevent any kind of heating
  • The US cable is longer
  • Great value for money

Cons:

  • There is no power indicator light

Video Comparison

 

WD Elements and WD My Book Alternatives

Some of the most similar hard drives regarded as close alternatives to WD Elements and WD My Book are other Western Digital products like WD My Passport and WD Easystore.

Other replaceable alternatives are Seagate Backup Plus, Samsung T6 Portable SSD, WD Blue, WD Black, Seagate Expansion, Seagate Barracuda, Toshiba Canvio Basics.

If you need a good portable SSD drive check our our review that compares the Samsung T7 vs SanDisk Extreme.

WD Elements vs WD My Book: The Final Verdict

Today we have a clear winner! It is WD My Book! We think that it is pointless opting for the Western Digital Elements drive when the only thing we preferred was the stunning design, but this is simply personal preference.

If you want to save yourself around $5 on price, then this storage device is for you. But with a fraction more, you will receive a desktop external hard drive that has the same storage capacity, compatibility, and transfer speeds.

However, what you will also receive is some great software, most importantly for us was password protection.

You need to be able to store your files securely and for this, a password is a must. We also loved being able to connect to our cloud services and social media pages, it added to our experience and the ease of use.


Amazon Best Selling External HDDs

SaleBestseller No. 1
Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive HDD — USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PlayStation, & Xbox -1-Year Rescue Service (STGX2000400)
246,320 Reviews
Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive HDD — USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PlayStation, & Xbox -1-Year Rescue Service (STGX2000400)
  • Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
  • Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
  • To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
  • This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
SaleBestseller No. 2
WD_BLACK 8TB D10 Game Drive - Portable External Hard Drive HDD Compatible with Playstation, Xbox, PC, & Mac - WDBA3P0080HBK-NESN
1,090 Reviews
WD_BLACK 8TB D10 Game Drive - Portable External Hard Drive HDD Compatible with Playstation, Xbox, PC, & Mac - WDBA3P0080HBK-NESN
  • Extra storage to capture and collect your best in-screen game captures.
  • Speed up to 250 MB/s rated at 7200RPM with active cooling technology to help you stay in the game.
  • Features two 7.5W USB Type-A charging ports to charge your gaming gear and accessories.
  • Purpose-built for gamers based on WD_Black quality and reliability.
SaleBestseller No. 3
WD 5TB Elements Portable HDD, External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 for PC & Mac, Plug and Play Ready - WDBU6Y0050BBK-WESN
149,304 Reviews
WD 5TB Elements Portable HDD, External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 for PC & Mac, Plug and Play Ready - WDBU6Y0050BBK-WESN
  • Adding extra storage for your videos, music, photos, and files..Date transfer rate:5Gbps
  • Transfer data at maximum speed with USB 3.0; USB 2.0 compatible
  • Improve PC performance - When your internal hard drive is almost full your PC slows down. Don’t delete files. Free up space on your internal hard drive by transferring files to your WD Elements portable hard drive and get your laptop moving again.
  • Plug-and-play ready for Windows PC
  • High capacity in a small enclosure – The small, lightweight design offers up to 5TB* capacity, making WD Elements portable hard drives the ideal companion for consumers on the go.
SaleBestseller No. 4
WD 4TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive with backup software and password protection, Black - WDBPKJ0040BBK-WESN
80,458 Reviews
WD 4TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive with backup software and password protection, Black - WDBPKJ0040BBK-WESN
  • Slim Design
  • Software for device management and backup with password protection. (Download and installation required. Terms and conditions apply. User account registration may be required.)
  • 256-bit AES hardware encryption
  • SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port (5Gbps); USB 2.0 compatible
  • 3-year limited warranty
SaleBestseller No. 5
WD 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - WDBWLG0200HBK-NESN
20,972 Reviews
WD 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - WDBWLG0200HBK-NESN
  • High-capacity add-on storage
  • Fast data transfers
  • Plug-and-play ready for Windows PCs
  • WD quality inside and out


FAQs

The WD Elements HD transfer rate is dependent on the location of reads and writes. All disk drives read/write to areas near the outer tracks, which can reach speeds around 170 MB per second, whereas inner track locations only reach about 80 MB per second. This means that most disks will usually beat 100MBPS-on a nearly empty drive you’ll see substantially better results!

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The WD Elements hard drive (3TB) most certainly comes with its own separate power supply.

The WD Elements hard drive is compatible with a Mac. In fact, all USB drives should be Mac compatible! All that you will need to do is reformat the device and that’ll take care of everything for you!

The answer to this question is yes and no. Yes, it can store individual files transferred from the PlayStation 4; however, not as a form of “Extended Storage.” You’ll need to partition it into two smaller volumes in order for that feature work effectively with your new external HDD (6TB).


No. You must first connect the devices before you can transfer files.

After reformatting the WD My Book Desktop Hard Drive to Apple format, it can be used with a Mac.


1 thought on “WD Elements vs My Book Hard Drive Comparison: Pros, Cons & Specs”

Comments are closed.