WD My Cloud Home Duo
Large-capacity storage in a stylish, convenient package
$699.99 (16TB) From Western Digital, wdc.com Needs OS X 10.10 or later, iOS 9.0 or later, internet router with available Gigabit Ethernet port
WD My Cloud Home combines high-capacity, cloud-connected storage in an easy-to-use package. No more paying monthly fees to upload gigabytes of content over poky internet connections; storage is located inside your home or office, available from anywhere just by plugging the included Gigabit Ethernet cable into your router.
Unlike single-drive models, My Cloud Home Duo houses a pair of hard drives in a handsome, relatively compact package, with capacities ranging from 4TB to a huge 16TB. Duos are configured RAID1 by default, which cuts storage space in half but offers data protection when one drive fails; you can also reformat and trade security for maximum storage capacity. The unit gets a bit noisy during read/write activity, so you’ll want to place it away from your desk.
My Cloud Home takes only a few minutes to set up, and with WD Discovery for macOS installed, mounts on the Desktop like other volumes. There’s a mobile app for automatic backup of photos and videos or viewing content from anywhere, but the lack of native iPad support is a disappointment.
Considering the network connection, transfer rates are impressive: Around 90MB/s read and 60MB/s write, fast enough to play 1080p HD video. This comes in handy when using the included Plex Media Server app, which streams content to devices without a WD app, such as Apple TV.
There’s also an app for connecting cloud storage services and social networks, which syncs files to your personal cloud, as well as IFTTT for incorporating My Cloud Home into other workflows. The app selection pales in comparison to true NAS devices, however. The bottom
line. Personal cloud storage gets a big upgrade, thanks to dual hard drives that provide valuable peace of mind. WD My Cloud Home Duo offers convenience and ease of use in a product that looks great anywhere.