While not blazing fast, the WD Elements SE SSD offers a fresh take on the concept of a portable drive, something that blurs the difference between USB sticks and more capable drives.
A really handy accessory, even if some attention still asks for it.
Keychain
If it weren't for the fact that it is missing a small hook, the new WD Elements SE SSD could be used perfectly as a keychain, because the measurements of 64.5 x 64.5 x 8.72mm confirm that it is a small object. , very thin square.
The external surface is in black plastic, with only the logo in relief in the upper part, and the legal indications in the lower part (which are only seen in reflection, since they are black on black).
The contents of the package: the disc, the cable and a small booklet that introduces the preliminary operations The color is unique, black and has three cuts of capacity from half a Terabyte (480 GB to be exact, the weight is indicated at the bottom), one or two Terabytes.
The only quirk, on one side there is the USB 3.0 connector which obviously carries power and data traffic: here in our opinion WD has been far too traditional, because this unit screams the lack of a USB-C connector, since even the cable supplied is USB 3.0 / USB-A, less modern than expected (but can be remedied with a dedicated USB 3.0 / USB-C cable, or a USB-A / USB-C connector).
Good for the fact that it is light, just 27 grams (cable excluded) and that thanks to the rounded corners it fits perfectly in a jeans pocket or even in a bag.
Were it just missing a little hook, WD Elements SE SSD would have made an excellent keychain
Better not format
The disk comes in ExFAT format, which makes it immediately compatible with Windows and macOS alike and, data in hand, it is probably not worth changing the format, because the gain would be irrelevant, considering that even many NAS now they accept this disc format without problems.
The performances are good, at times even better than what was declared by the parent company: the peak of 411 MB per second detected is higher than the 400 declared, albeit slightly and also the 372 writing is not bad for an economic unit, even if with solid state memory.
Performance is not bad, higher than a normal USB stick or mechanical disk, but lower than several other SSDs on USB connector -C Basically, the disk looks like a step higher than a USB stick, more capable than the average of the sticks (but not all) and a little larger (but given the size, easily transportable) and designed above all for data passage .
Obviously you can use it for the active storage of files to be opened directly, but for this it would be better to use a faster drive, while for the backup, as a backup drive or as a vehicle to transport data from the home computer to the computer. office seems perfect.
We like the fact that even when engaged in large copies of data, the little one gets very little warm, so that if we keep it on top of the laptop or, when outside, maybe on one leg there is no problem.
A fat USB stick
In the analysis of such a record, however, beyond the technical characteristics, it is necessary to understand the positioning of the market and who benefits from buying it.
Considering that even at home there is no lack of competition, because the SanDisk portable SSD offers practically the same features (and perhaps this is not a coincidence) but with a slightly different form factor and a hook that is convenient.
Those who have some more pretensions could evaluate the WD My Passport SSD 2020 drive, which at double the speed also asks double the price, which is not a small detail, but which according to the writer a more sensible purchase is for the wider spectrum of uses (the WD My Passport can also be used for hosting virtual disks with Parallels Desktop 17, the WD Elements SE SSD instead is more forced, especially for the USB 3.0 port), obviously without bothering the SSD drives SanDisk Extreme V2 laptop and SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD which offer a more professional profile, with other types of budgets.
WD Elements SE SSD therefore looks like a fat and flat USB stick (given its shape), faster than classic sticks, even faster than a mechanical disk (which arrives at the speed of this unit) but nowadays today probably only suitable for data transport, or as a backup unit.
Considerations
Considering the pros and cons, WD Elements SE SSD is interesting and capable, has a nice and practical design during transport and offers an access price that appeals to those looking for a not too large, quiet and easy to transport drive, which is better a key even if it always needs the cable.
Finally, the writer allows himself to give advice to readers: despite the attractive price for the 480 GB cut, we suggest you carefully evaluate the 1 TB one, at least, so that in the long run it offers enough quality to handle more needs.
The small size and rounded corners allow it to fit anywhere, from handbag pockets to jeans
Pro :
• Interesting and practical design • Lightweight and park of heat • Optimal price / performance ratio
Cons:
• The USB3.0 connector is dated • It was better with a built-in cable
Price:
• € 89.99 (480 GB) • € 149.99 (1 TB) • € 279.99 (2 TB)
WD Elements SE SSD is available from the parent company's website or you can find it more conveniently also at Amazon.it.
