The Front Desk Review

WD · Updated June 2026

WD My Passport SSD (2022): price, specs & release date

WD My Passport SSD (2022), released 2022. Every price and spec below is linked to its source and dated — no guesses.

Source: newegg.com verified ✓ corroborated verify in ledger

BronzeDeskmark12/100#21 of 21 in class

The WD My Passport SSD (2022) is listed at $100 on newegg.com as of 2026-06-27, #7 cheapest of 18 portable ssds (median $125); other retailers may be lower. It earns a Bronze Deskmark — 12/100 pay-blind standing, #21 of 21 in class.

Verified Jun 27, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below

Cheapest portable ssds: Crucial X6 Portable SSD — $55

See WD My Passport SSD (2022) on Amazon Live price at the store — may differ from the dated listed price above. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
WD My Passport SSD (2022) — WD
Image: legitreviews.com (© WD)

Is the WD My Passport SSD (2022) a good buy?

At $100, the WD My Passport SSD (2022) is #7 cheapest of the 18 portable ssds we track, where the median is $125. On the spec sheet, its capacity of 500 GB is the lowest of the 20, its write of 1000 Mbps is below the median of the 19, and its read of 1050 Mbps is at the median of the 21. By release date, it is among the newer of the 17 we date.

Evidence of Record

Our data
Independent labsmeasured it
2
Physical metricsrecorded
2
Outlets on recordall tested
2

Two independent labs measured this product across 2 physical metrics — speed and thermal. With a second lab on record, each figure comes from more than one independent hands-on source — a measure of how much evidence exists, not a rating of the product.

A coverage record, not a rating. How we count

Review consensus · sourced & dated

What reviewers say about the WD My Passport SSD (2022)

Two whitelisted labs benchmarked the WD My Passport SSD NVMe (1,050/1,000 MB/s, USB 3.2 Gen 2, DRAM-less Blue SN550E): Tom's Hardware (Feb 2021) and StorageReview (Sep 2020). Both call it slim, secure and fast in real-world use but note it falls ~200 MB/s short of its rated speeds and, being DRAM-less, lags DRAM-based rivals like the Crucial X8 in file-copy/moderate-dataset tests. Tom's found a small 12GB SLC cache that drops sustained writes to ~710 MBps once saturated, though the drive stays cool (45C surface).

Based on 2 reviews · 2 lab-tested · 2020-09-14–2021-02-13

Tested by Tom's Hardware, StorageReview

Consistently praised

  • Slim, light, pocketable design with AES-256 hardware encryption and 5-year warranty · 2 sources
  • Fast large-file read-back and solid real-world portable-SSD performance · 2 sources
  • Runs cool under sustained load (45C surface)

Commonly flagged

  • Fell short of WD's rated 1,050/1,000 MB/s in real benchmarks (~200 MB/s under) · 2 sources
  • No activity LED (both); very short six-inch cable (Tom's) · 2 sources
  • DRAM-less design; falls behind DRAM-based rivals (Crucial X8) and lags in file-copy tests
  • Small SLC cache (12GB) drops sustained write to ~710 MBps once saturated

Where reviewers disagree Tom's Hardware emphasizes the drive falling to the bottom of the pack in file-copy/moderate-dataset tests due to the small SLC cache and DRAM-less design, whereas StorageReview frames the sub-rated results more positively as 'close enough' and calls the drive 'a success'. The two also used different rigs (Windows iometer/DiskBench vs. MacBook Blackmagic/IOMeter on a ThinkCentre), so headline numbers are not directly comparable.

The sources (2)

Tom's Hardware lab-tested ·

Sustained write speed (post-SLC-cache, iometer, 1TB): 710 MBps · Static SLC write cache size (1TB sample): 12GB · Surface temperature after 400GB+ sustained writes (IR thermometer): 45C · Drive temperature after sustained writes (S.M.A.R.T. reported): mid-50s Celsius

After the SLC cache fills, write performance degrades to an average rate of 710 MBps until the drive is full.
The WD My Passport SSD serves up fast performance when it reads back large files, but it falls behind the test pool during the large file copy tests.
Performance-wise, the My Passport SSD isn't the fastest device we tested due in part to the lack of DRAM.

StorageReview lab-tested ·

Blackmagic read (1TB, gen-1 MacBook Air): 878.8 MB/s · Blackmagic write (1TB, gen-1 MacBook Air): 893.3 MB/s · IOMeter 4-thread 2MB sequential read: 991.52 MB/s · IOMeter 4-thread 2MB sequential write: 939.98 MB/s · IOMeter 1-thread 2MB sequential read: 810.53 MB/s · IOMeter 1-thread 2MB sequential write: 723.8 MB/s · IOMeter 4K random write (4-thread): 39,793 IOPS

In Blackmagic, the My Passport drive hit a solid 878.8MB/s read and 893.3MB/s write, which was roughly 200MB/s below the quoted top speeds, but within range of most drives in this class.
The WD My Passport NVMe SSD is a great storage solution for professionals who need a reliable, extremely fast storage solution on the go
Though it didn't quite reach WD's quoted top speeds, it certainly was close enough.

Specifications

Price (US)$100 US estimated MSRP at launch for 500GB; 1TB ~$160 at launch. Newegg current retail: 1TB from $216.99 as of June 2026.
BrandWD
Released2022
Capacity (GB)500
Read (Mbps)1050
Write (Mbps)1000
InterfaceUSB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
EncryptionAES 256-bit hardware
IP rating—
Weight (g)—

Source: newegg.com (verified 2026-06-15) · corroborated by newegg.com. Newegg (June 2026): WD My Passport SSD (WDBAGF family), up to 1,050 MB/s read / 1,000 MB/s write, USB 3.2 Gen2 with USB-C, 256-bit AES encryption noted in search results. Available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB. Width 2.17 in. 1TB from $216.99, 2TB from $389.99. IP rating and weight not listed on Newegg. WD official page returned 404 during research. Early 2022 generation confirmed by model number WDBAGF series. StorageReview's older review covers 2017 model with different specs.

Is the WD My Passport SSD (2022) worth it vs cheaper portable ssds?

WD My Passport SSD (2022) against its closest cheaper and pricier portable ssds on the specs that matter — every value sourced. See all 18 ranked

ProductPriceCapacity (GB)Read (Mbps)Write (Mbps)InterfaceEncryption
WD My Passport SSD (2022) this$10050010501000USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)AES 256-bit hardware
Kingston XS2000 Portable SSD$9950020002000USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps)—
Crucial X10 Pro Portable SSD$108100021002000USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps)—

Frequently asked questions

What do reviewers say about the WD My Passport SSD (2022)?

Two whitelisted labs benchmarked the WD My Passport SSD NVMe (1,050/1,000 MB/s, USB 3.2 Gen 2, DRAM-less Blue SN550E): Tom's Hardware (Feb 2021) and StorageReview (Sep 2020). Both call it slim, secure and fast in real-world use but note it falls ~200 MB/s short of its rated speeds and, being DRAM-less, lags DRAM-based rivals like the Crucial X8 in file-copy/moderate-dataset tests. Tom's found a small 12GB SLC cache that drops sustained writes to ~710 MBps once saturated, though the drive stays cool (45C surface). Praised: Slim, light, pocketable design with AES-256 hardware encryption and 5-year warranty; Fast large-file read-back and solid real-world portable-SSD performance; Runs cool under sustained load (45C surface). Flagged: DRAM-less design; falls behind DRAM-based rivals (Crucial X8) and lags in file-copy tests; Fell short of WD's rated 1,050/1,000 MB/s in real benchmarks (~200 MB/s under); Small SLC cache (12GB) drops sustained write to ~710 MBps once saturated; No activity LED (both); very short six-inch cable (Tom's). (From 2 tester reviews, 2 lab-tested.)

How much does the WD My Passport SSD (2022) cost?

The WD My Passport SSD (2022) has a US price of $100 (US estimated MSRP at launch for 500GB; 1TB ~$160 at launch. Newegg current retail: 1TB from $216.99 as of June 2026.), as of 2026-06-15.

How does the WD My Passport SSD (2022) compare on price?

At $100, the WD My Passport SSD (2022) is #7 cheapest of the 18 portable ssds we track, where the median is $125.

When was the WD My Passport SSD (2022) released?

The WD My Passport SSD (2022) was released 2022.

What are the WD My Passport SSD (2022)'s key specs?

WD My Passport SSD (2022) (WD): capacity gb 500, read mbps 1050, write mbps 1000, interface USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), encryption AES 256-bit hardware. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-15.

Price of record: $100 at newegg.com, 2026-06-27. Other retailers may be lower — check the current price:

See WD My Passport SSD (2022) on Amazon As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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