Western Digital Launches the Feature Rich & Portable G Drive

Portable hard disks aim to solve a key problem by offering large amounts of storage on the go. Western Digital’s G-Drive however sidesteps the problem and tries to ameliorate the situation through additional features.

Other than offering additional storage in three sizes (4 TB, 8 TB and 10 TB), the G-Drive features the ability to charge your laptop (Read: MacBook) along the way.

Single Port Hard drive for Macbooks

This could be a potential lifesaver for devices which come with a single USB-C port, as well as the basic MacBook Pro with two USB-C ports, alleviating the need to either charge or expand storage at a time.

It comes with a caveat though. Like the older portable hard disks, the G-Drive requires a power connection to work. You’ll have to plug it into a wall socket which means additional power usage.

Can Charge Your MacBooks

G-Drive can juice up your MacBook with 45 watts of power through the USB type-C port. While the new Macs should comprise the primarily targeted audience, the G-Drive can work with Windows and pretty much any other compatible device.

Additionally its transfer speeds of up to 195 MB/s will ensure swift transfer of any content quality. The 5400 RPM drive will be available in the 3.5-inch format.

The G-Drive is also flexible, offering connectivity options from devices ranging from USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB-C 3.1, and Thunderbolt 3 as it ships with a USB-A to USB-C connector.

Storage Options and Price

Price might be another major disadvantage for the G-Drive. The 4 TB version starts at $200, 8 TB for $350 and 10 TB for $450. The fact that the official USB-A to USB-C connector (from Apple Store) costs $70 alone makes the deal all the more sweet.

Otherwise, if it’s the storage you’re after, comparable offerings can be found for almost $50 from Western Digital itself. The G-Drive will go on sale by the end of this quarter.