Western Digital Announces Thunderbolt-Powered My Passport Pro RAID Drive - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Western Digital Announces Thunderbolt-Powered My Passport Pro RAID Drive

by

Western Digital today announced the new My Passport Pro, the company's first thunderbolt-powered, dual-drive storage solution. With user-selectable RAID functionality, the drive is suitable for graphics professionals looking for high performance or consumers who need reliable mirroring.

mypassport-pro
The aluminum enclosure accommodates two 2.5-inch drives, providing a total of 2 TB or 4 TB of storage space. Because it connects via Thunderbolt, the drive is powered by the bus itself and requires no extra cables and no external power source. It also delivers transfer speeds of up to 233 MB/s.

Superior to both FireWire 800 and USB 3.0, the integrated Thunderbolt technology of My Passport Pro makes video manipulation quick and easy—with the ability to copy a 22 GB high-definition video file in half the time typically required by a USB 3.0 drive working in RAID 0 format.

The My Passport Pro is available now at other major electronics retailers, including Apple, and online from Western Digital. The 2 TB My Passport Pro costs $299.99, while the 4 TB model is priced at $429.99.

Top Rated Comments

cmChimera Avatar
165 months ago
I wish thunderbolt was cheaper.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BornAgainMac Avatar
165 months ago
So after several years the first thunderbolt powered drive is announced.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
165 months ago
It's nice, but I'm always concerned by drives even SSD's that require power from a Logic Board....I know, It works, but my own theory is that it shortens the life of the PSU. If they release a version with an external PSU I'm in.

Turning no your computer also shortens it's life, so does using it and so does letting it sit there. Sounds like your best bet is not buying a computer if you want the longest life out of it.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mojolicious Avatar
165 months ago
I wish thunderbolt was cheaper.
I do wonder what the price of a plain old diskless Thunderbolt enclosure would come down to if a few companies started producing them in 2.5" and 3.5" flavours.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kobayagi Avatar
165 months ago
Insane prices, I understand it's faster than usb 3.0 but come on...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GSPice Avatar
165 months ago
Seagate Backup Plus Fast --> 2x 2TB drives inside, USB 3.0, and faster than this Thunderbolt drive; $269.99

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Backup-Portable-External-STDA4000100/dp/B00HXAV0X6

Also bus powered.

Except,

a) The WD can be configured for RAID 1.
b) For heavy, heavy-duty multicam video editing, thunderbolt streaming protocol wins over USB 3.0's data burst protocol
c) Seagates gonna Seagate.


Most people may not even care, though.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products This Friday

Monday November 2, 2026 1:22 am PST by
Apple is releasing five new products this Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from Friday: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
Apple Logo Gradient 16x9 1

Apple Isn't Done With 2026: Here's What's Still Coming

Monday November 2, 2026 7:27 am PST by
Apple's busiest season isn't over yet. Far from it. With two hardware launch dates still to come in November, plus software updates and new smart home accessories running into December, there's more on the way from Apple before the end of 2026, so be sure to stick around. Below, we've rounded up what's still coming, along with one date in particular that's worth watching if you're a holiday...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Tomorrow

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is releasing five new products this Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from tomorrow: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
Latest Stories
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
24 minutes ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
48 minutes ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
2 hours ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
4 hours ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
4 hours ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
5 hours ago
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
5 hours ago
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
5 hours ago
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
7 hours ago
MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Reviews Are In: Is the Touchscreen Worth It?
MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Reviews Are In: Is the Touchscreen Worth It?
7 hours ago
Early Black Friday Accessory Deals at Amazon Include TVs, Headphones, and Charging Devices
Early Black Friday Accessory Deals at Amazon Include TVs, Headphones, and Charging Devices
8 hours ago
Apple Creator Studio App Updates Rolling Out, Starting With Logic Pro
Apple Creator Studio App Updates Rolling Out, Starting With Logic Pro
8 hours ago
Siri AI Waitlist Now Limited to Times of 'High Demand,' Says Apple
Siri AI Waitlist Now Limited to Times of 'High Demand,' Says Apple
10 hours ago
See Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro in Action
See Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro in Action
10 hours ago
MacBook Neo Shipments Expected to Double in 2027
MacBook Neo Shipments Expected to Double in 2027
10 hours ago
HomeView Code Suggests Future Support for AI Chatbot Apps, Anti-Spoofing Protection
HomeView Code Suggests Future Support for AI Chatbot Apps, Anti-Spoofing Protection
11 hours ago
Got an iPhone Duo on Launch Day? Tomorrow Could Be Your Last Chance to Return It
Got an iPhone Duo on Launch Day? Tomorrow Could Be Your Last Chance to Return It
12 hours ago
Apple Launching Five New Products Tomorrow
Apple Launching Five New Products Tomorrow
14 hours ago
Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 256 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 256 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
22 hours ago
Apps Can Now Try to Stop You From Canceling Subscriptions
Apps Can Now Try to Stop You From Canceling Subscriptions
23 hours ago
'Super Mario Odyssey' Can Now Run on Apple TV Thanks to AI
'Super Mario Odyssey' Can Now Run on Apple TV Thanks to AI
23 hours ago
How 'Resident Evil' Director Zach Cregger Uses His iPhone to Make Movies
How 'Resident Evil' Director Zach Cregger Uses His iPhone to Make Movies
1 day ago
HomePod Mini 2's Amount of RAM Confirmed
HomePod Mini 2's Amount of RAM Confirmed
1 day ago
Apple TV's '12 Days of Snoopy' Special Arrives November 13
Apple TV's '12 Days of Snoopy' Special Arrives November 13
1 day ago
Apple is Putting Employees on an AI Budget
Apple is Putting Employees on an AI Budget
1 day ago
Apple Releases Xcode 27.3 Beta With Three New Features
Apple Releases Xcode 27.3 Beta With Three New Features
1 day ago
Apple Will Check Public iCloud Links for Harmful Content Starting in iOS 27.3
Apple Will Check Public iCloud Links for Harmful Content Starting in iOS 27.3
1 day ago
macOS 27.3 Brings Live Activities to Macs Without Dynamic Island
macOS 27.3 Brings Live Activities to Macs Without Dynamic Island
1 day ago
Apple TV Reportedly Planning 'Silo' Spinoff
Apple TV Reportedly Planning 'Silo' Spinoff
1 day ago
Is It Worth Buying a Titanium Apple Watch?
Is It Worth Buying a Titanium Apple Watch?
1 day ago