WD 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 external hard drive for plug-and-play storage - WDBWLG0200HBK-NESN

Many reviews complain that the drive doesnt have 18T, but only 16.3T. Its both. Hard drive manufacturers give terabytes not in computer terabytes (T, 2^40 = 1099511627776 bytes each), but in SI terabytes (t, 10^12 = 1000000000000 bytes each). Thats because some hard drive manufacturer started doing that once way back, so they could make their hard drives sound like they were bigger than they were, and the consumers were fooled, so every hard drive manufacturer had to start doing it. So it really is an 18t drive, but thats only 16.37T of space. But NTFS drives cant be initialized with compression enabled if theyre bigger than 16.0T. If you initialize your whole 16.37T hard drive with NTFS, you cant enable compression, and not having compression will cost you more than 0.37T of space. So using Windows, you should shrink the partition on this hard drive to 16T before initializing it. The bottom line is that 16.37T is not a sensible partition size; its worse than having just 16T. But this drive will be fine if you repartition it to 16T, and dont mind throwing away 2% of your disk space.

FIRST THINGS FIRST (The Problems): - >I keep this on my tower which is by my legs when I sit at my desk. It gets knocked over easily, so I would recommend keeping it behind your computer monitor or somewhere where it cannot get knocked over easily. - >The plug (Typical United States 2 prong build) is bulky and may take two outlets of space due to the design. It blocks off other outlets if there is one below it. Always reserve the bottom plug for this one. - >The cables are quite short and can be a problem if you do not have a plug within a few feet of your SSD. I was lucky to have an extension nearby to assist with this issue PERFORMANCE: - > Really fast, Opens and runs games with absolutely no issue (GTA V, Ghost Recon Wildlands, Destiny 2, Skyrim, StarWars™ Battlefront, Etc.) - > File transfer speeds are extremely fast - > Good for Plug and Play. Holds all of your games, work files, everything. The drive is easy to transport, but it can be a bit bulky. It is roughly the size of a standing Wi-Fi router. - > The rubber feet on the bottom keep it from sliding quite well - > Case is plastic, and could be damaged, So dont be throwing it at any walls - > Plugs into PC Via a USB Type A to USB Type A, allowing for quick transfer. Overview: Great speed and portability for the price. The build isnt perfect but it will do great on a desk. I wouldnt recommend using this for laptops due to the cables and such. Holds games, software, files, everything of the sort. Perfect for the gamer on the go, or a home office setup.

My hard drive is still chugging along. It is a price and storage bs speed trade off. Great value for the size. Hard to compete with solid state but so much more value

It worked as expected and it is plug and play. I will recommend it.

I got this after losing my data to a Seagate external drive that died for no reason being only a few months since newly purchased from Amazon. I spent a few days reading up on various drives and decided to go with this one to now have a 2nd backup for my system. The level of nonsensical reasoning in these companies is simply comical. I install the software that came with the device and frustrate myself over how to make it work for a while. Then I entered a chat with the WD rep and after spending another hour with them Im told the software that came with the device does not work with the device, as in they know about it and designed it that way. Why include it with the device then? Instead of saving time Im wasting massive amounts of it trying to wade through their nonsense reasoning. So the device does not work with the backup software that comes with it, you have to drag and drop. It would have saved me a lot of time if itd have just said that, but instructions are nonexistent, and seeing it came with software, like the person with ridiculous expectations that I am and stubbornly insisting that things make sense, I went ahead installed that software and expected it to work. Next, I said drag&drop is not going to work for me because I have so much data and I need it to be backed up automatically on a regular basis, just like most people do need that. Duh! Then Im told to use Win File History to do scheduled - recurring backups. I gave that a try. That gave me the additional task I didnt need, to try to find out why File History does not back up everything. In fact, I read about it and realized that it is such a worthless app that it routinely leaves out upbacked-up files. In my case, it only backed up about 50% of my files. In order to give this device yet another chance and try to I, myself find a solution, and keep it, I downloaded AOMEI Backupper. After almost 3 hours of wait time, this program apparently backed up everything. Ok, I thought, now its working. EHhh! wrong! This application has the brilliant practice of not letting you open your files unless you use their software. So I cant even see my backed-up files unless I go through their application first. Thats a comforting thought: if this app goes out of business I cant access any of my data? And guess what, the application does not open. I am just not going to waste any more time trying to find out why and find solutions to make this drive work. It should come with a program that allows you to backup everything automatically and not have to jump through the hoops I jumped through and still not working. Absolutely bad design, bad thinking. Its like buying a new car that chokes and doesnt go past the dealerships gate, and they tell you a long list of reasons and additional things you must do to make it run. Thats the exact situation we have today with these drives. Its a nightmare. I read so many reviews with similar situations it makes me wonder where they get the 5-star reviews from and how real are they...

I was quite happy with the first two I purchased a couple of years ago, so I recently snapped up a third 8TB WD Elements drive. They work great and have had no operational issues with storing and retrieving data. While they are advertised as portable, I do not recommend you unplugging the USB cable from the drive. Why? Well at one point I thought one of my drives had died, but it turned out to be from repeated plugging & unplugging of the cable. I find this to be a good drive with plenty of storage space for the dollar, and Ive not had any of the issues that sometimes crop up on larger drives.

Loads of storage, decent speed, not very loud, and fairly unobtrusive at a pretty good price point.

Works exactly like I would expect a Western Digital product would. Ive trusted them for years. Well worth the price.

The WD 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive is an exceptional product for anyone who needs a high-capacity external storage solution. With its massive 20TB of storage space, it can handle even the largest files with ease. The hard drive is incredibly easy to use and requires no additional software or drivers. Simply plug it in and start transferring your files right away. The USB 3.0 connection ensures lightning-fast transfer speeds, making it ideal for anyone who needs to transfer large amounts of data quickly. I appreciate that the hard drive is also designed with durability in mind. It has a sturdy build quality that can withstand everyday wear and tear, and the design also helps dissipate heat to ensure reliable performance. The hard drive is also a great value for its price, offering an incredible amount of storage space at a competitive price point. Its perfect for anyone who needs a reliable and high-capacity storage solution without breaking the bank. Overall, the WD 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive is a great option for anyone who needs a lot of storage space in a convenient and easy-to-use package. Its fast, reliable, and competitively priced, making it a top choice for anyone in need of high-capacity storage.

Reliable, cost effective back - up. Highly recommended