Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 500 GB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDG1U5000
by Western Digital
List Price:
Our Price: $199.99
You Save: $130.00 (39%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Category: CE
See more product details
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: Western DigitalAudio: English (Original Language)
Model: WDG1U5000N
Color: Black
Product features:
- Store and back up your music, photos, videos and important documents with this external hard drive
- Easy to set up and use with built-in installation software
- Simple user interface features USB 2.0 connectivity
- Device holds up to 500 GB of data
- Measures 5.55 x 2.25 x 6.71 inches (WxHxD)
- AmazonBasics IEEE 1394 4-Pin/6-Pin FireWire Cable (6 Feet/1.8 Meters)
- AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Braided Cable (6.5 Feet/2.0 Meters)
- AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Cable (9.8 Feet/3.0 Meters) [Supports 3D + Audio Return Channel]
- AmazonBasics Ultra-High-Speed HDMI Cable Braided (9.8 Feet/3.0 Meters)
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 500 GB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDG1U5000
Customer Review: a bit slow but I like it
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought the Western Digital 500GB My Book Essential Edition because my 250 GB Acomdata external hard drive was 65% full, I wanted to get still more files off my computer, and I want to have duplicate copies of all files in at least two different locations in case one of the drives should fail (all hard drives can fail).
I do not leave my external drive running all the time; in fact I do not even leave the USB cable plugged in unless I am going to use it; I turn the drive on only when I want to copy files to it. I therefore wanted a drive that is hot-pluggable (i.e. can be turned on and off while the computer is running) and I wanted an on/off switch on the drive. Although my new WD drive does not have an on/off switch (the large button in the middle is NOT an on/off switch on my unit), I find that it really does not need one. I power up my computer and all its accessories with a power strip; if the USB cable is unplugged when I power up, the WD briefly turns on, sees that it is not connected, and turns off. When I want to use it, I plug the USB cable into the computer and it turns on automatically. When I am finished using it, I right click the external hard drive icon in my system tray, select "safely remove hardware", tell it to stop, and it then turns off automatically. This behavior is equivalent to having an on/off switch.
Since other users have said that the WD drive runs hot, I left mine turned on for a few hours to see how hot it would get. Mine gets slightly warm but certainly not hot.
Some reviewers have said that WD drives are slow. When I first began transferring files to mine I was getting transfer rates of 18 to 20 MBps for most of them; this is about the same as I got for my 250 GB AcomData before I began to fill it up. However, there were a few files that transferred at 1 or 2 MBps; I assume that these files are scattered across the internal drive on my computer, and the transfer rate was slowed by the seek time. As a test, I picked one of the slow files, 716 MB, and transferred it to the WD and then to my 250 GB AcomData (which is currently 65% full). Transfer to the AcomData took 294 sec (about 2.44 MBps) and transfer to the WD took 374 sec (1.91 MBps). This suggests that the WD is about 25% slower than the AcomData. I do not know what the WD performance will be like when it starts to get full, but this does indicate that its reputation for being slow is not undeserved.
I followed the suggestion of another user and removed the junk software that came preinstalled on the drive before using it; I copied the junk files to a CD in case I might want them in the future (not likely). The junk software included autorun files (which I hate), Adobe Acrobat, Google toolbar, Picasa etc.
Overall I am happy with the drive, it is hot pluggable, transfer between my two external drives is quick and easy (I use edit/copy & edit/paste rather than drag & drop), I can leave it running for several hours without overheating, it is inexpensive (especially on sale) because it is USB only and does not come with backup software which I do not need, and it is fairly small (only a tiny bit larger than my 250 GB AcomData). Although it is a bit slower than my AcomData, the difference in speed is not important for my applications.
More Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 500 GB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDG1U5000 reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Description of Western Digital My Book Essential Edition 500 GB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDG1U5000
Hard Drive, 500gb Mybook Usb 2.0Amazon.com Product Description Is your computer loaded with photos, music, video, and all sorts of important files? If so, you should make extra room, back them up, and keep them safe on Western Digital's WDG1U5000 My Book Essential Edition 500 GB Hard Drive. This reliable, easy-to-use external hard drive is the perfect storage solution for all your precious digital assets.
 Save and back up all your digital assets with the My Book Essential Edition Hard Drive. View larger. |
 Simple, easy-to-use design. |
 Connects to your computer via USB 2.0 interface. View larger. |
 The elegant case takes up very little space. |
But that's not all. Western Digital uses a smart design to make the My Book Essential look as good as it performs. The elegant case resembles a book and takes up very little space on your desk. Plus, it stacks horizontally and allows two or more drives to nestle neatly together like encyclopedias on a shelf. Inside the stylish exterior is an exceptionally fast, ultra-quiet, cool-running hard drive. Last but not least, the My Book Essential is equipped with free Google software that searches your drives, manages your photos, and simplifies Web searches.
My Book Essential Edition Hard Drives are ideal for:
- Simple add-on storage for your files, music, photos and movies
- Adding virtually unlimited storage with multiple USB 2.0 external hard drives
- Archiving the music stored on your MP3 player
- Adding plenty of space for digital video capture and editing
- Saving and organizing your digital photo collection
What's in the Box
My Book Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 external hard drive, USB cable, AC adapter with power cord, and quick install guide.
Digital Cameras & Photo Categories