Western Digital today announced its fastest My Book external hard drive -- the new My Book 3.0 external hard drive. The newest WD portable drive is certified with the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface, boasting up to 10 times speed of the previous-generation USB 2.0 interface. WD further reports that the high-performance My Book 3.0 drive significantly reduces the time it takes to open and save large files.

The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface on My Book 3.0 drives provides transfer rates of up to 5 gigabits-per-second, allowing users to open and save files up to 4.7 times faster than USB 2.0.

Offered standalone, or in a kit that includes a USB 3.0 PCIe (gen2) adapter card, the 1 TB ($179.99) My Book 3.0 drive is available now at select retailers and shopwd.com. The 2 TB model is expected later this week. MSRP for the My Book 3.0 drive in a kit that includes a USB 3.0 PCIe (gen2) adapter card is $199.99.