Add to your order

  • Coverage for accidental damage including drops, spills, and broken parts, as well as breakdowns (plans vary)
  • 24/7 support when you need it.
  • Quick, easy, and frustration-free claims.
Cover this product:
2-Year Data Recovery Plan $12.99
 2-Year Data Recovery Plan $12.99
3 year Data Recovery Plan $14.99

Add to your order

  • Coverage for accidental damage including drops, spills, and broken parts, as well as breakdowns (plans vary)
  • 24/7 support when you need it.
  • Quick, easy, and frustration-free claims.
Cover this product:
$326.99
FREE Returns
FREE delivery September 8 - 10
Or fastest delivery Friday, September 6
Available to ship in 1-2 days
$$326.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$326.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Packaging
Ships in product packaging
black leaf Ships in product packaging

This item has been tested to certify it can ship safely in its original box or bag to avoid unnecessary packaging. Since 2015, we have reduced the weight of outbound packaging per shipment by 41% on average, that’s over 2 million tons of packaging material.

If you still require Amazon packaging for this item, choose "Ship in Amazon packaging" at checkout. Learn more
Packaging
black leaf Ships in product packaging

This item has been tested to certify it can ship safely in its original box or bag to avoid unnecessary packaging. Since 2015, we have reduced the weight of outbound packaging per shipment by 41% on average, that’s over 2 million tons of packaging material.

If you still require Amazon packaging for this item, choose "Ship in Amazon packaging" at checkout. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Support
Product support included
What's Product Support?
In the event your product doesn't work as expected or you need help using it, Amazon offers free product support options such as live phone/chat with an Amazon associate, manufacturer contact information, step-by-step troubleshooting guides, and help videos. By solving product issues, we help the planet by extending the life of products. Availability of support options differ by product and country. Learn more
Support
Product support included
In the event your product doesn't work as expected or you need help using it, Amazon offers free product support options such as live phone/chat with an Amazon associate, manufacturer contact information, step-by-step troubleshooting guides, and help videos. By solving product issues, we help the planet by extending the life of products. Availability of support options differ by product and country. Learn more
Include
Add a Protection Plan:
Add to your order

2 Year Data Recovery Plan

from After Solutions
(819)
  • Your Rescue Plan documents will be delivered to you via email only to the address associated with your Amazon.com account and can be found in your account message center within the Buyer/Seller Messages.
  • If your drive stops working, the Seagate Rescue data recovery plan will recover the data from the failed drive and return it to you on a new piece of external storage
  • Covers new single-disk external hard drives of any brand when purchased within 30 days (receipt must be retained for purchases not on the same transaction). Not eligible on enterprise class or multi-drive devices
  • Free shipping for in–lab data recovery; 24/7 online case status tracking
  • If your data isn’t recovered, you get your money back
Learn more

2 Year Data Recovery Plan

from After Solutions
(2386)
  • Your Rescue Plan documents will be delivered to you via email only to the address associated with your Amazon.com account and can be found in your account message center within the Buyer/Seller Messages.
  • If your drive stops working, the Rescue data recovery plan will attempt to recover the data from the failed drive and recovered data will be returned on a media storage device or via secure cloud-based data storage.
  • Covers new single-disk external hard drives of any brand when purchased within 30 days (receipt must be retained for purchases not on the same transaction).
  • Free shipping for in–lab data recovery; 24/7 online case status tracking
  • If your data isn’t recovered, you get your money back
Learn more

3 Year 16GB Data Recovery Plan

from After Solutions
(10608)
  • Your Rescue Plan documents will be delivered to you via email only to the address associated with your Amazon.com account and can be found in your account message center within the Buyer/Seller Messages.
  • If your drive stops working, the Rescue data recovery plan will attempt to recover the data from the failed drive and recovered data will be returned on a media storage device or via secure cloud-based data storage.
  • Covers new single-disk external hard drives of any brand when purchased within 30 days (receipt must be retained for purchases not on the same transaction).
  • Free shipping for in–lab data recovery; 24/7 online case status tracking
  • If your data isn’t recovered, you get your money back
Learn more

Western Digital 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 drive for plug-and-play storage - Western DigitalBWLG0200HBK-NESN

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 21,859 ratings
$326.99 with 35 percent savings
List Price: $505.99

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
FREE Returns
Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime shipping.
20TB
Desktop
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$326.99","priceAmount":326.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"326","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"ejuWMKG95%2BXR%2BCiEjovv8vt5axudBnpPleu9DUwRN%2BapIjXbc%2Big%2F4Si22qP687hgldMl9%2Baiwd6BCkCQmB96dPJixxrqTdZoseOYkahlTbCfyDo65GYZxFTPhFIfNVhRzD7DNSDEi0Yt6dx2SOx9g%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Digital Storage Capacity 20000 GB
Hard Disk Interface USB 1.1
Connectivity Technology USB
Brand Western Digital
Special Feature Plug-and-play simplicity, Fast transfer rates
Hard Disk Form Factor 3.5 Inches
Hard Disk Description Mechanical Hard Disk
Compatible Devices PC, Mac
Installation Type External Hard Drive
Color Black

About this item

  • High-capacity add-on storage.Compatibility : Windows 10 plus, Reformatting required for use with MacOS.
  • Fast data transfers
  • Plug-and-play ready for Windows PCs
  • WD quality inside and out

Frequently bought together

Western Digital 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 drive for plug-and-play storage - Western DigitalBWLG0200H
This item: Western Digital 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 drive for plug-and-play storage - Western DigitalBWLG0200HBK-NESN
$326.99
Available to ship in 1-2 days
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Amazon Basics USB-C to Micro USB 3.1 Gen 2 Fast Charging Cable, 10Gbps High-Speed, 3 Foot, Black
$8.48
Get it as soon as Friday, Sep 6
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Top Brand: Western Digital

Highly Rated
100K+ customers rate items from this brand highly
Trending
100K+ orders for this brand in past 3 months
Low Returns
Customers usually keep items from this brand

Compare with similar items

This Item
Western Digital 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 drive for plug-and-play storage - Western DigitalBWLG0200HBK-NESN
Western Digital 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 drive for plug-and-play storage - Western DigitalBWLG0200HBK-NESN
Recommendations
Western Digital 22TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - WDBWLG0220HBK-NESN
Western Digital 22TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - WDBWLG0220HBK-NESN
dummy
Western Digital 12TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - Western DigitalBWLG0120HBK-NESN
Western Digital 12TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - Western DigitalBWLG0120HBK-NESN
dummy
Western Digital 8TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - Western DigitalBWLG0080HBK-NESN, Black
Western Digital 8TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - Western DigitalBWLG0080HBK-NESN, Black
dummy
WD 2TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive for Windows, USB 3.2 Gen 1/USB 3.0 for PC & Mac, Plug and Play Ready - WDBU6Y0020BBK-WESN
WD 2TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive for Windows, USB 3.2 Gen 1/USB 3.0 for PC & Mac, Plug and Play Ready - WDBU6Y0020BBK-WESN
dummy
Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive HDD — USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PlayStation, & Xbox -1-Year Rescue Service (STGX2000400)
Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive HDD — USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PlayStation, & Xbox -1-Year Rescue Service (STGX2000400)
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Price-35% $326.99
List: $505.99		$409.99$259.99-6% $169.99
List: $179.99		$77.82-13% $69.99
List: $79.99
Delivery
—
Get it as soon as Friday, Sep 6
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Sep 10
Get it as soon as Friday, Sep 6
Get it as soon as Friday, Sep 6
Get it as soon as Friday, Sep 6
Customer Ratings
4.54.5 out of 5 stars21,859
4.54.5 out of 5 stars21,859
4.54.5 out of 5 stars21,859
4.54.5 out of 5 stars21,859
4.74.7 out of 5 stars273,620
4.74.7 out of 5 stars138,496
Sold By
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
storage capacity
20000 GB
22000 GB
12 TB
8 TB
2 TB
2 TB
hardware interface
usb
usb
usb
usb, usb2.0, usb3.0
usb3.0
usb3.0
compatible devices
PC, Mac
Desktop, Laptop, PC, Mac
Desktop
Laptop, Desktop
Desktop, Laptop, Gaming Console
Desktop, Laptop
form factor
3.5-inch
3.5-inch
Desktop
Desktop
3.5-inch
Portable

From the manufacturer

Easy, add on storage
High capacity in a sleek design

Generous Capacity

Experience seamless storage expansion with up to 24TB[1] of space. Elevate your storage capabilities with easy access to your cherished photos, music, videos, and files, seamlessly archived and readily accessible in one reliable device.

Improve PC performance

Plug-and-play expandability

Simplify your data backup routine with a plug-and-play hard drive. Archive your important files and documents effortlessly, helping to keep your valuable data protected.

M04_1

Transfer faster

Experience fast data transfer speeds with USB 3.2 Gen 1, enabling you to quickly transfer and access your files with ease.

M04_2

USB 3.2/USB 3.0 Compability

With this single drive, you get compatibility with the latest USB 3.2 devices and backwards-compatibility with USB 3.0 devices as well.

WD-Elements-Desktop

WD Elements Desktop

WD-MY-BOOK-Desktop

WD My Book Desktop

WD-MY-BOOK-DUO-Desktop

WD My Book Duo Desktop

WD-Elements-PORTABLE

WD Elements Portable

Customer Reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
21,859
4.4 out of 5 stars
12,393
4.4 out of 5 stars
12,393
4.7 out of 5 stars
273,620
Price
$409.99 $269.99 $679.99 $124.99
Capacity [1]
Up to 24TB Up to 24TB Up to 44TB Up to 6TB
Backup Software
— √ √ —
Great for
Plug-and-play storage Backup and restore RAID backup Portable storage
Interface
SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1/3.0 SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen1/3.0 SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen1/3.0 SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1/3.0
Compatibility
Windows; Mac w/Reformat Windows; Mac w/Reformat Windows; Mac w/Reformat Windows; Mac w/Reformat
Hardware Encryption
— √ √ —
Password Portection
— √ √ —

Will this drive work with my Xbox or PS4? What about my Mac or PC?

I'm not computer savvy, is the set-up easy?

Do you need a battery for the drive to work?

What needs to be done to format this device for mac?

Legal Dislcaimer

[1] 1TB = 1 trillion bytes. Actual user capacity may be less depending on operating environment.

Product specifications subject to change without notice. Pictures shown may vary from actual products.

Western Digital, the Western Digital design, the Western Digital logo, WD, the WD logo, and WD Elements are registered marks or marks of Western Digital Corporation or its affiliates in the US and/or other countries. Windows is a mark of Microsoft Corporation. Mac is a mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. Product specifications subject to change without notice. Pictures shown may vary from actual products.

2024 Western Digital Corporation or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Looking for specific info?

What's in the box

  • WD Elements hard drive, USB 3.0 cable, AC adapter, Quick Install Guide

    • Product information

    Technical Details

    Collapse all
    Summary
    Other Technical Details

    Additional Information

    Warranty & Support

    Amazon.com Return Policy:You may return any new computer purchased from Amazon.com that is "dead on arrival," arrives in damaged condition, or is still in unopened boxes, for a full refund within 30 days of purchase. Amazon.com reserves the right to test "dead on arrival" returns and impose a customer fee equal to 15 percent of the product sales price if the customer misrepresents the condition of the product. Any returned computer that is damaged through customer misuse, is missing parts, or is in unsellable condition due to customer tampering will result in the customer being charged a higher restocking fee based on the condition of the product. Amazon.com will not accept returns of any desktop or notebook computer more than 30 days after you receive the shipment. New, used, and refurbished products purchased from Marketplace vendors are subject to the returns policy of the individual vendor.
    Manufacturer’s warranty can be requested from customer service. Click here to make a request to customer service.

    Feedback

    Western Digital 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 drive for plug-and-play storage - Western DigitalBWLG0200HBK-NESN

    Found a lower price? Let us know. Although we can't match every price reported, we'll use your feedback to ensure that our prices remain competitive.

    Where did you see a lower price?
    /
    /
    /
    /
    Please sign in to provide feedback.

    Product Description

    WD Elements desktop HDD storage with USB 3.0 offers reliable, high-capacity, add-on storage, fast data transfer rates, and universal connectivity with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 devices.

    Customer reviews

    4.5 out of 5 stars
    21,859 global ratings

    Customers say

    Customers like the performance, value, and capacity of the computer drive. For example, they mention it runs well, offers good value, holds all of your games and work files, and is easy to use. That said, some complain about the cord length and disagree on quality and noise.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    Select to learn more
    PerformanceValueCapacityEase of useAppearanceQualityNoiseCord length
    1,278 customers mention "Performance"898 positive380 negative

    Customers like the performance of the computer drive. They say it works well, dissipates heat to ensure reliable performance, and encounters no problems. Some say it's a great product and does its job efficiently.

    "...The firmware is good enough that it doesn't need to be hacked right out of the gate which is a big plus for a WD product." Read more

    "...It works perfectly with the iPad Pro 12.9. Of course it's new, so I can't say anything about its longevity...." Read more

    "...Yes it does take a few seconds to wake up if you haven't been using it in a while, but it's not that long, again not enough to be complaining about...." Read more

    "...to shuck them and place them into a Raid configuration but this drive runs so well that I haven't even attempted to enter the shell...." Read more

    554 customers mention "Value"447 positive107 negative

    Customers like the value of the computer drive. They say it's easy to use, has good quality, and is worth the purchase. Customers also mention that the price per gigabyte is very low, and they get a lot of storage for their money.

    "...that has a very large storage capacity, is relatively portable, and is cheap, then look no further. Are there better and faster drives out there?..." Read more

    "...Capacity, price and quality is what it's all about. Easy setup for my Mac computer." Read more

    "...use a lot of video files and need lots of storage, then this is worth the purchase...." Read more

    "...The hard drive is also a great value for its price, offering an incredible amount of storage space at a competitive price point...." Read more

    529 customers mention "Capacity"473 positive56 negative

    Customers like the capacity of the computer drive. They say it offers an incredible amount of storage space at a competitive price point. They also say it holds all of their games, work files, and everything else. Customers also mention that it handles the workload and short-term storage requirements nicely. They like the look, size, feel, color, and that it's fairly easy to set up. Overall, customers are happy with the capacity and recommend it to others.

    "...It even allows for creation of folders for sorting! Overall I think it's fine, though a tad slow with the iPad (I'm sure it's faster on a computer)." Read more

    "Really like this external hard drive. Has oodles of storage space, and basically installed itself...." Read more

    "The space of the area, the storage space of the drive. Both are excellent. 👍👍..." Read more

    "I like the look, size, feel, color, etc. Fairly easy to set up. Just registered the product...." Read more

    400 customers mention "Ease of use"324 positive76 negative

    Customers like the ease of use of the computer drive. They say it's easy to plug and play, convenient, and has a lot of storage space. Some mention that the drive can be shucked for direct computer installation and that there's no special software to install. They also say the power supply is easy to connect anywhere and that the drives are always plug in ready right from the box.

    "...So far this HD has worked fine, it was plug and play with no need of a software download...." Read more

    "...Bought the WD 10TB unit and plugged it into the router - WORKS. Truly plug and play. Faster than older HDD with more capacity." Read more

    "...Has oodles of storage space, and basically installed itself...." Read more

    "I like the look, size, feel, color, etc. Fairly easy to set up. Just registered the product...." Read more

    59 customers mention "Appearance"47 positive12 negative

    Customers like the appearance of the computer drive. They say it's sleek, elegant, and minimalist. Some customers also mention that it looks like a white helium disk.

    "I like the look, size, feel, color, etc. Fairly easy to set up. Just registered the product...." Read more

    "...The design of the Elements Desktop External Hard Drive is sleek and minimalist, making it a great addition to my workspace...." Read more

    "...Attractive unit (more so than my 8TB Easystore) Smaller, rounded corners.3) Disk access light on front of case." Read more

    "...All of your data is gone for good. It's one of if not the worst design flaw of any product I've ever worked with...." Read more

    795 customers mention "Quality"392 positive403 negative

    Customers have mixed opinions about the quality of the computer drive. Some mention it's incredibly reliable, stable, and has a sturdy build quality that can withstand everyday wear and tear. However, others say that it'll eventually become corrupted and cannot be trusted beyond 2 years.

    "...This gave me the best of both. I have always found WD to be highly reliable." Read more

    "...i have a 12TB drive from them and that one too is already showing signs of failure. i've had that drive for no more than 5 months...." Read more

    "...No loss of data or any issues reading, especially considering all of the files and data that I have on mine." Read more

    "...interact with it return with "the request failed due to a fatal device hardware error."..." Read more

    295 customers mention "Noise"109 positive186 negative

    Customers have mixed opinions about the noise the computer drive makes. Some find it very quiet, while others say it makes a lot of noise and is obnoxious. Some customers also mention that the drive makes some sounds when spinning, though these are hardly intrusive.

    "...The drive is noisy, a little clunky, but fast." Read more

    "...I have noticed practically no noises from my HD at all. Certainly none that I would put into the category of annoying...." Read more

    "...Kind of obnoxious sounding but other than that it works fine.Also keep in mind that it does require external power so it's not very portable." Read more

    "...The drive was having problems saving data and was beeping. Windows reported that the drive was not saving correctly and data loss may occur...." Read more

    60 customers mention "Cord length"7 positive53 negative

    Customers are dissatisfied with the cord length of the computer drive. They mention that the supplied USB cable is fairly short, and can be a problem if you do not have a plug within. They also say that the data cord is short, so it only reaches their USB 2.0 port. Customers also mention that there is a small connector that they must cover with some tape. They say the unit requires an AC cable as well, and the connector is USB-3, so they have to use a multi-port adapter.

    "...the unit requires AC cable as well which I don't have the space for it." Read more

    "...It's hard to describe them, but they are very short, intermittent bursts that almost sound like the motor is trying to spin up for a fraction of a..." Read more

    "...Emits a "clunk" sound at regular intervals3) Supplied USB cable is fairly short (@3ft)...." Read more

    "...The cables are quite short and can be a problem if you do not have a plug within a few feet..." Read more

    Works on Windows Right out of the Box, 18.1 Terabytes of fast storage
    5 out of 5 stars

    Works on Windows Right out of the Box, 18.1 Terabytes of fast storage

    Great speeds right out of the box, but it is currently empty. tad bit over 20 trillion bytes is actually 18.1 Terabytes after quick format in Windows 11. I have another 8TB WD Elements that is about 4.5 years old and still going strong with heavy daily usage for a media server storage drive; I just did a SMART check on it and it's showing 100% healthy. Hope this one is super reliable as well, but only time will tell.
    Hide
    Thank you for your feedback
    Sorry, there was an error
    Sorry we couldn't load the review

    Top reviews from the United States

    Burn0u7
    5.0 out of 5 stars good drive. reliable.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024
    Capacity: 20TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    well you surely get what you pay for. i could have got a 32TB drive for less money but i bought a 16TB drive from that cheaper brand not 4 months ago and it is already showing signs of failure. I won't list the brand but i will say the name begins with the letter A. that is all i'm going to say about it. they are known to have cheap drives. i have a 12TB drive from them and that one too is already showing signs of failure. i've had that drive for no more than 5 months. i'm going to wipe the drives and send those back to get an RMA. anyway, i have a 6TB WD 2.5" external drive and the thing runs perfect. never one issue with it. had it for over a year now. I also have a 8TB WD External had that thing for 2 years and neveer one issue with it either. this 20TB drive should last a while. i get 234MB/s read and write throughput. It formats to about 18TB so not too bad.
    13 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
    general4
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful
    Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2024
    Capacity: 6TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    The space of the area, the storage space of the drive. Both are excellent. 👍👍
    Helpful
     Report
    Dave Deno
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Storage/Great Price
    Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2024
    Capacity: 6TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    I needed a lot of storage for programs I produce but I didn't want to pay more than I needed to. This gave me the best of both. I have always found WD to be highly reliable.
    Helpful
     Report
    E. Arluck
    4.0 out of 5 stars Compatible with my iPad Pro
    Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2024
    Capacity: 16TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    First off, Western Digital's Customer Support was fantastic. They helped this non-technical guy set this up for my iOS operating system very quickly. I used their chat function and it was excellent. They warned that they were not sure this would work well with my iPad b/c the iPad doesn't have the power to drive it. Hence I had already bought a docking station to fix that. It works perfectly with the iPad Pro 12.9. Of course it's new, so I can't say anything about its longevity. It even allows for creation of folders for sorting! Overall I think it's fine, though a tad slow with the iPad (I'm sure it's faster on a computer).
    Helpful
     Report
    Maverick One
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great so far.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2024
    Capacity: 16TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    I was a little nervous with this purchase because so many of the reviews talked about annoying noises and the HD taking forever to wake up, while others complained that it didn't last long before it broke. Now after having it a few days and putting a couple TB of files on it, I can tell you that two of these complaints didn't seem to affect me. I have noticed practically no noises from my HD at all. Certainly none that I would put into the category of annoying. Yes it does take a few seconds to wake up if you haven't been using it in a while, but it's not that long, again not enough to be complaining about. So far this HD has worked fine, it was plug and play with no need of a software download. I have windows 10, and hope to find a way never to have to upgrade to windows 11. Only time will tell about it's durability, but overall I am pleased with this purchase.
    Helpful
     Report
    EC
    5.0 out of 5 stars 8TB of wholesome goodness.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2024
    Capacity: 8TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    I needed to back up a ton of data and so far the drive is performing very well. The firmware is good enough that it doesn't need to be hacked right out of the gate which is a big plus for a WD product.
    Helpful
     Report
    JD
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great product for the price.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2024
    Capacity: 6TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    I bought a "WD My Book" a few years ago and it's been working great. This is just as good if not better. Just make sure you format it before you use it, which takes seconds to do.
    Helpful
     Report
    -----
    1.0 out of 5 stars Dead after 5mo, customer support won't help
    Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2019
    Capacity: 8TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    I purchased the 8TB elements drive in an attempt to consolidate a bunch of data I had on a series of smaller, older drives. Once I had all the data copied over, I intended to buy another and raid it so I had a copy of everything; always have a backup and all that. I guess I did take a small risk not immediately buying two of these drives so I never had any period without a backup, but I just didn't have the money at that point to double down.

    Here's the full timeline breakdown. Bought drive, it sat for a month before I got around to using it, transferred about 3TB of data to it, let it more-or-less sit for a couple of months (unplugged on my desk) with the occasional removal of a piece of software or movie/music (not used hard, I'd estimate less than 3 hours of use after the initial transfer), plugged it in about 3 days ago and moved some pictures to it, plugged it in today and it returns uninitialized without recognizing any of the drive space. It's been less than 5 months since I bought this drive. Attempts to interact with it return with "the request failed due to a fatal device hardware error." I've tried several different cables to see if that was the issue; it was not.

    Well s***. I've done some data recovery before, it's part of what prompted me to get this drive and start the process of consolidating and backing everything up. But before I go hog-wild stripping the case of, running diagnostics, and trying to recover everything myself I figured I'd at least give WD customer support a call to see if they can do it. I'm not really looking for an extra project right now and, for me at least, this will be a project (maybe someone more knowledgeable would have no issues).

    Anyway, called customer support. They were friendly. When I asked about data recovery, they kindly informed me that it would cost $400-700, had to be through one of their contracted data recovery companies, and came with no guarentees. When I asked what I could do to the drive, they kindly told me that almost anything I did would void the warranty and they wouldn't be able to replace the drive. They also, very nicely, told me that any drive I got in return for this one would actually be a refurbished drive and may or may not have cosmetic wear, may or may not have factory packaging, and had no guarantees of having less than any certain amount of drive hours on it. That's right the "warranty" replaces your drove with another, already once defective drive! "Sorry the drive we sent you broke, we'll happily send you a different drove that also broke!"

    To summarize: my drive broke after five months of light use and proper treatment and then their customer service told me they'd be happy to send me a second hand drive in exchange for the POS one they sent me in the first place, with no assistance at all with recovering any data.

    I'll ultimately end up keeping the drive, stripping it out of its case, and seeing if plugging in directly to the drive gets around the "hardware error" (though I doubt it will). Amy replacement is as good as worthless as I have no faith in it lasting more than a few months; I'll just have to take the loss.

    You can do what you like with your money, but I'll no longer be giving any of mine to Western Digital. Crooks.

    UPDATE: I took the drive apart and it interfaced directly with the HDD with a $16 SATA adapter I have; had no problem accessing the drive. The failure was entirely the fault of the Western Digital enclosure.
    626 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

    Top reviews from other countries

    Translate all reviews to English
    Amirachi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Recomendado!!!
    Reviewed in Mexico on June 19, 2024
    Capacity: 22TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    Muy silencioso, 100% recomendado, el espacio final es de 20 Tb, entre archivos internos del disco duro y de que la capacidad es menor como en cualquier. Mejor que que los seagate, muy conforme con mi compra.
    Report
    Cliente de Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Articulo nuevo
    Reviewed in Mexico on January 14, 2024
    Capacity: 20TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    El comentario que puedo hacer es que tengo varios días que lo tengo conectado, llego bien, el principal uso es que guardare todas las musicas de los cientos de CD's que tengo, y archivos de alta resolución que descargue de las compras de internet de la musica que me gusta.
    Es prematuro hablar del tiempo que me dure ya que tengo semana y media de instalarlo.
    Report
    Filiberto Ríos Saucedo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Muy buen producto, recomendado!!
    Reviewed in Mexico on January 23, 2023
    Capacity: 12TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    Me gusto lo pequeño que es. No hace tanto ruido, apenas perceptible, lo uso para mis archivos, documentación y películas.
    Muy buen articulo, ya que lo tengo desearia comprar uno de mayor capacidad. Ademas de que llegó mucho antes de la fecha esperada.
    Report
    N
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fanastic, Works Fast has a Excellent amount of storage space.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2024
    Capacity: 6TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    Now this is a real Treat for anyone that has far too many files, games, videos, content, all sorts. :)

    i always thought they'd be slow until i realized the external power plug takes the weight off the computer
    this is super fast!

    and a lovely bonus is i can run steam games off it. Gigabyte large steam games. it can become a permentant part of my pc setup!

    Thank you so much!
    Report
    WA
    1.0 out of 5 stars 20tb external hd
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2024
    Capacity: 20TBStyle: DesktopVerified Purchase
    The drive make lot of noise and I am worried that my backups will be lot. I have 10tb is does not make the noise as this one does, especially the drive.
    Very disappointed!!!
    Report