Storage is the foundation of every creative workflow and business operation. When your files live on a single external drive or a disorganized collection of USB devices, you lose time, risk data loss, and limit collaboration. The WD My Cloud PR2100 solves all three problems. It delivers a dual-bay NAS platform with centralized storage, automatic backup, remote access, and RAID protection in a compact desktop unit built specifically for creative professionals and growing businesses.
What Is the WD My Cloud PR2100?
The WD My Cloud PR2100 is a dual-bay network attached storage device from Western Digital’s My Cloud Pro series. WD targets this device at creative professionals, small business teams, and power users who need more than basic cloud storage but do not want the complexity of enterprise NAS platforms.
The PR2100 houses two drive bays that accept standard 3.5-inch SATA hard drives or SSDs. The 8TB configuration typically ships with two 4TB WD Red drives pre-installed in a RAID 1 mirrored configuration. Users configure the drives in RAID 0 for maximum capacity, RAID 1 for data redundancy, JBOD for independent volumes, or spanning mode depending on their storage and protection priorities.
Design and Build Quality
The PR2100 uses a clean horizontal desktop form factor with a brushed metal finish that suits both home office and professional studio environments. The front panel provides quick access to the drive bays through tool-free tray removal — swapping drives takes seconds without opening the chassis or using any tools.
The rear panel includes two USB 3.0 ports for attaching external drives or USB storage devices directly to the NAS, dual gigabit ethernet ports, and a Kensington lock slot for physical security in shared office environments. The unit operates quietly under normal workloads — drive activity noise is minimal and the cooling fan runs unobtrusively at standard temperatures.
Storage Performance
Performance is where the PR2100 delivers meaningfully for creative and business workflows. WD rates the device for read speeds up to 120 MB/s over a gigabit ethernet connection — fast enough for smooth playback of 4K video files directly from the NAS to editing workstations without buffering or dropped frames in most standard editing workflows.
Write speeds reach approximately 110 MB/s under optimal conditions. Creative professionals transferring large RAW photo files, video project folders, and audio session backups from workstations to the NAS complete transfers quickly enough that the NAS stops being a bottleneck in daily work cycles.
Software and Remote Access
The dashboard gives administrators straightforward control over every NAS function. Creating user accounts, assigning folder permissions, and configuring backup jobs takes minutes rather than hours. Non-technical users manage their own file access and backup settings through the same interface without requiring IT assistance for routine tasks.
Remote access works through WD’s My Cloud mobile application and web portal. Users access their files from any location on any device — phone, tablet, or laptop. Without configuring port forwarding or VPN connections manually. WD handles the remote connectivity infrastructure through its relay service, making remote access genuinely simple for users who are not network administrators.
Backup Capabilities
Backup functionality represents one of the PR2100’s strongest features for both creative and business users. The device supports multiple simultaneous backup strategies that protect data comprehensively.
USB backup copies files between the NAS and connected external drives on a schedule or triggered by drive connection. Cloud backup integrates with Amazon S3, Dropbox, and Elephant Drive for automated offsite backup that protects against local disasters including fire, theft, and flood. Time Machine compatibility makes the PR2100 a natural backup target for Mac workstations. MacOS recognizes it automatically and handles hourly incremental backups without any manual configuration.
Who Should Buy the WD My Cloud PR2100?
The PR2100 suits several specific user categories particularly well.
Creative Professionals: Photographers, videographers, graphic designers, and audio engineers who generate large files daily need centralized, fast, reliable storage that multiple workstations access simultaneously. The PR2100 handles this role effectively at a price that creative freelancers and small studios justify easily.
Small Business Teams: Businesses with five to fifteen users sharing documents, project files, and collaborative assets benefit from the PR2100’s user account management, folder permissions, and scheduled backup capabilities. It replaces disorganized shared folders and unreliable consumer drives with a proper managed storage platform.
Home Office Power Users: Remote workers and home office users who need reliable local backup, fast file access. And remote connectivity without managing complex enterprise NAS platforms find the PR2100’s combination of performance and simplicity matches their requirements precisely.
Limitations to Consider
The PR2100 carries a few limitations worth understanding before purchasing.
The Intel Pentium N3710 processor handles standard file serving well but shows its age under simultaneous heavy workloads. Running Plex transcoding alongside multiple active users and cloud sync simultaneously taxes the processor noticeably. Users who plan to run multiple applications concurrently should consider WD’s higher-specification PR4100/a third-party NAS with a more powerful processor.
The 2GB RAM ceiling limits application headroom. Unlike some competing NAS platforms from Synology and QNAP. That offer RAM expansion slots, the PR2100’s memory is fixed at 2GB. A constraint that becomes relevant when running multiple NAS applications simultaneously.
Pricing and Value
The WD My Cloud PR2100 8TB retails at approximately 350 to 450 dollars depending on retailer and current pricing. This positions it competitively against entry-level Synology and QNAP dual-bay NAS units at comparable storage capacity, though WD typically undercuts those platforms slightly on hardware price.
For creative professionals and small businesses that need reliable centralized storage, RAID protection, remote access. And straightforward management without NAS administration complexity, the PR2100 delivers genuine value at its price point. The combination of WD’s drive reliability reputation, solid build quality, and My Cloud OS 5’s accessible management interface makes it one of the most practical NAS investments in its class for its target audience.
Conclusion
The WD My Cloud PR2100 8TB delivers exactly what creative professionals and growing businesses need from a dual-bay NAS. Reliable centralized storage, RAID data protection, fast gigabit performance, remote access, comprehensive backup options. And clean management software at a price that justifies the investment immediately.
I set up the WD My Cloud PR2100 for my creative team, and it’s been exceptional. Storage is fast and secure, RAID redundancy gives peace of mind, and remote access makes collaborating seamless—perfect for our workflow!
Very helpful review! I use large media files for my projects, and the WD My Cloud PR2100 seems like the perfect solution. I liked how you explained the dual-bay design and remote access features. This really helps creatives and small businesses