Western Digital WDXMS1200 Passport Portable Hard Drive Review

Isn't it great when things work even better than you thought they would? That's the case with the Western Digital WDXMS1200 Passport portable hard drive. I bought mine at Costco for $140 but it is now selling for $90. The WDXMS1200 mostly has been replaced by the WDXMS1600, which has even more storage -- I'll get to its specs in a moment.

What It Is

The Western Digital WDXMS1200 is a small portable hard drive with a capacity of 120 GB. It is powered through its USB port, which means that it does not require an external power supply. That is a wonderful feature right there. The unit is small, about the size of a paperback book. Mine came with a durable case that makes it easy to carry the WDXMS1200 when traveling, something I've done many times.

The hard drive in the WDXMS1200 spins at 5,400 RPM, which is typical for drives this size. It is fast enough to keep up with the needs of my laptop computer and that's where I mostly use this Western Digital drive. The unit came with an 18-inch USB cable.

The newest version of this drive, the WDXMS1600, has 160 GB capacity. Otherwise, the WDXMS1600 is identical to the WDXMS1200. I've had my unit for more than a year.

How It Works

Really, really well. I've plugged the Western Digital WDXMS1200 into several Windows XP computers and it works perfectly with all of them. Data is transferred quickly and the capacity of 120 GB is usually MUCH more than the laptop's internal hard drive.

I take lots of high-resolution digital pictures and the WDXMS1200 is now my preferred way to back up the pictures that I load on my computer's hard drive. It has never given me a moment's trouble and has always worked smoothly and quickly.

Summary

As computer gadgets go, this is one of the best. I have no hesitation putting my most important images on it and would have no reservations about buying a Western Digital WDXMS1600 as a replacement if my current unit got lost or stolen. I strongly recommend the Western Digital WDXMS1200 Passport portable hard drive -- it could not be easier to use or more reliable.