A sensitivity setting can be configured and viewed on the LCD. 1500VA rating is an interesting point. Easily find answers to the most frequently asked questions. These are used for less important devices that dont need to stay powered up in the event of an outage. The Amazon Basics Standby UPS 800VA remains our budget pick. Some misinformation in other answers. It has even more outlets (six battery-backed outlets and 12 total) than our top pick, as well as an equally long (6-foot) cord. These devices are well suited for keeping several low-power devices online. Providing ten total NEMA 5-15R outlets, this UPS sports six outlets with backup power and surge protection, while the other four outlets protect against surges only. Joule ratings vary greatly. https://www.cyberpowersystems.com/product/ups/pfc-sinewave/cp1500pfclcd/. Chances are your equipment is pretty valuable if youre looking into a UPS of this capacity. The screen is large and bright, with easy-to-read text and images. But in our tests it had a disappointing peak power outputwe measured a max output of 670 watts, a result thats no better than what we got from some of the less-expensive models. APC offers a 490 Joule rating while CyberPower rates their model at 526 J. dave davies wife. If power surges or lightning strikes are common in your area, or your connected equipment is very costly, opt for a high surge suppression rating. We tested six new NAS devices and found that the Synology DS220+ is the best for most home users because of its performance, versatile software, and good price. Navigation Menu This UPS lacks premium features, but it has plenty of outlets and power to keep a home Wi-Fi network up and running for up to an hour and a half when the power goes out. This would be about average for an iMac or a desktop computer without monitor. In my experience thats pretty accurate, with most needing to be replaced after 4-6 years of use in a climate controlled room. Bonus Flashback: March 3, 1969: Apollo 9 launched (Read more HERE.) At under $60, these UPSs get you quite a bit more run time than 350-425VA models for a small price increase. This allows your PC or Mac to communicate with the UPS. - CyberPower CP1500FCLCD 1500VA If youre on a tight budget, the Amazon Basics Standby UPS 800VA is an affordable UPS with the battery and run time of a more expensive model: It can keep a typical router and modem running for up to one and a half hours. The last is especially useful with this unit, since you can get most of the necessary information from the display screen rather than trying to infer meaning from a series of chirps (which are louder and less charming than actual birdsong). The Watt rating is easier to size by, but the VA rating is the one usually shown in product names and advertising. Enter the total load (power draw) of all devices that will be protected by the UPS. This interface is less intuitive than that of other units, and it might make you resort to the manual (or this guide) to figure out what the UPS is trying to tell you, but it gets the job done. In-store pricing may vary. This green bar shows how many watts of capacity are being used, with the total load capacity shown at the end of the bar. It requires no setup aside from plugging it in, and it includes automatic voltage regulationan important feature that some cheaper models lack. On one of my UPS'es, I have a Dell T330 with 4 disk RAID connected, as well as a monitor and two switches. Thank you Ryan. If charging speed isnt critical, this is a nice feature, letting you keep one fewer AC adapter on hand. First, disconnect power to the unit and remove the Phillips-head screw on the protective cover. With a 150W load, you can expect to get about 31 minutes of run time with the BX1000M versus 28 minutes with the CP1000AVR. If you have a Mac, you can use your operating systems native shutdown feature for a similar range of tasks. There are a lot of features separating different Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs). The same goes if your building has poor wiring or your electric company doesnt provide the most reliable power. Construction Consultant & Engineering Services . The CyberPower CP425SLG has eight total, also with four on battery power. The product must be disposed on European Union markets following specific waste collection and never end up in rubbish bins. The CP900AVR has a thick, flexible 6-foot cord, which is as long as or longer than the cords on all of the units we tested. I know it gets confusing when you actually search for True Sine UPS PFC and only the CP and OR models show up. To continue this discussion, please ask a new question. And what are the pros and cons vs cloud based? My best advice to prep for a future claim is to keep receipts for all of your connected devices along with the receipt and manual for the UPS. The spacing on the CyberPowers non-battery outlets is far better. The size of the battery determines how long it can provide power, and the inverter determines how much power it can put out at a time, often listed as volt-amps (VA) but more easily discussed as watts (W). Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. The APC unit has just a couple of extra features that the CyberPower does not. This is a new release and we are proud of the design and features of our new Back-UPS Pro sine wave models. If you need more power, slightly longer run times, or the ability to protect sensitive electronics such as household AV gear or medical equipment in a blackout, the APC BR1500MS2 is your best bet. If you have a lot of important data on a desktop computer, an external hard drive, or network-attached storage, you may need a UPS to prevent your drives from losing data in the event of a sudden power outage. Most people place their UPS under a desk or behind furniture where its dark. Insurance Loss Associates . This gives you all the realtime details youll need. We see identical ratings here, with both models rated at 1000 VA and 600 watts. If you need long-term power, the capacity to keep refrigerators and other appliances plugged in, or a way to light up your whole house in blackout situations, off-grid options such as backup generators or professionally installed battery packs are the way to go. Connect the UPS directly to the wall outlet and not into a surge protector. Whats more is these are high-power ports: between 2.1A and 3.0A to allow for fast charging and high-power devices. But, you need to get a Price Match for the lower retail price of $204.95. The CyberPower CP900AVR isnt as easy to slide under a desk or an entertainment center as units that are flatter in shape, like our budget pick, so you need to have enough vertical space to accommodate it. They both measure electrical power. While theyre rated very similarly, APC continues its trend of offering better run times compared to their ratings. Get monthly updates from Schneider Electric delivered right to your inbox. I have two of the CyberPower models you mentioned. Just how high of a wattage should you go with? Two outlets have large spacing for big AC adapters, while the rest are pretty close together. Lastly, its backlit screen provides helpful information such as the remaining battery life and the total wattage of the devices plugged into the unit. Smaller UPSs such as these are pretty slim on features to keep the cost down. The unit has a compact, upright designabout the shape and size of a family-size box of cerealso you can easily stash it next to a PC tower or wireless router at a workstation, say, or alongside the speakers and stereo receiver in a record-player setup. When we zapped this unit with 5,000 volts, it blocked all but 402.8 of them. CyberPowers software is missing the total capacity. Reverse the steps with the new battery and it's ready to go. When set up, it allows for automatic safe shutdowns when the battery level drains to a certain point. Obviously most people wont be powering their KitchenAid mixers on a UPS during a blackout, but our test is a good indicator that this unit will power almost anything you need in your home office for at least a short while. Here are the web pages at Cyberpowers site where you can compare them yourself. But ideally, you should be able to replace the battery numerous times before you have to replace the entire unit. In most cases, the CyberPower will let you connect two more devices than the APC. Now, keep in mind the 255W power rating of the CyberPower unit is ok for a basic desktop computer, but not for a workstation or gaming PC. But against most household power spikes, sags, or surges, the CP900AVR can protect your devices better than most of the UPS models we tested, some of which (such as the CP800AVR and CP685AVRG) let through more than 700 volts apiece. These outlets are then divided up between battery + surge and surge only outlets. The CyberPower EC550 has eight total outlets. Lets look at a 100W load. Additionally, to learn more about how to recycle used UPS units, batteries, and other electronic waste, I interviewed Joe Day, director of global business development at TerraCycle Regulated Waste, a private firm specializing in hard-to-recycle materials. Its also handy for keeping your phone battery topped off in the event of an outage in case you dont know when the power will be back on. Whether the APC is worth a bit more to you depends. Note: this is for my home lab, so I don't need an Enterprise level UPS. You Pay: $219.95 (231) Add to Cart View Cart. I hope you will reconsider APCbySchneider for your power protection needs in the future. The APC BE425M has a total of six outlets, with four of them providing battery power. Plus, when youre not in an outage, you can use its two USB ports to keep a phone and one other small device charged. If you buy a 500VA UPS and try to power a 1200VA device from it, it wont stay powered up. The Amazon Basics Standby UPS 600VA has mediocre battery capacity: In our testing, we measured a 30-minute run time at a 20 W load, and three minutes at a 300 W load. We have processes in place to address the feedback provided by our customers and have taken steps to ensure those customers are taken care of. Refer to my side-by-side comparisons above to help pick the best UPS in the capacity you need. https://www.cyberpowersystems.com/product/ups/battery-backup/gx1500u/ Before that, she worked as a science writer and fact checker for numerous publications, and she studied journalism at the University of Wisconsin. GX1500U $ 229.99 MSRP Purchase Online Find a Solution Provider Locate a Partner Capacity: 1500VA / 900W Topology: Line Interactive Waveform: Sine Wave Output: 120Vac 5% Plug type & cord: NEMA 5-15P, 5 ft. cord Outlet types: 12 NEMA 5-15R USB charge ports: 2 (1 USB-A 3.1A, 1 USB-C 15W) Communication: USB, Relay Data line protection: Network In our testing, this CyberPower UPS achieved a higher peak power than any comparably priced competitor, and it was just as good as some pricier units we tested. APC and CyberPower each use their own UPS management software to talk with the connected battery backup. Reviews here are from SpiceHeads:https://m.cdw.com/product/Eaton-5SC-1500-UPS-1080-Watt-1500-VA/3119443 Opens a new window, More info:http://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/skuPage.5SC1500.html Opens a new window, Brand Representative for APC by Schneider Electric. But since batteries degrade over time, you can avoid any surprises in the future if, once a year or so, you unplug the UPS from the wall outlet with your devices runningjust to make sure the UPS powers them for as long as you expect it to. Most people can get through a household power outage without much hasslechances are, by the time you find the spare flashlight batteries and break out the board games, your lights and television will already be back on. Watts: Youre probably used to seeing Watt ratings on a number of household items. Or, if youd like your equipment to stay powered up for 15+ minutes, select a UPS with a watt rating around 4 times that of your devices. You should keep the receipt from your purchase to prove the battery backup is under 3 years old. If the cord on your UPS isnt long enough, youre better off moving your workstation closer to an outlet or spending $100 or so to have an electrician install a new outleteither of which is preferable to replacing damaged electronics or starting a fire accidentally. Its also nice to have at least one of the non-battery protected outlets left unused in case you need easy access to plug in another device from time to time. As is the norm for APC, we see longer run times for any given load rating. We measured a peak power output of 470 W, as it allowed us to connect an assortment of eight halogen bulbs and two lamps to its battery-backed outlets before it tapped out a few seconds later. Privacy Policy. Moving up to 1000VA units, APCs most popular model has $250,000 of coverage compared to $350,000 with CyberPower. All rights reserved. for Accessibility for blind people who use screen readers; Press? If youre living in an area where lightning strikes are a frequent occurrence, its important to pay attention to this rating. Designed to provide backup battery power and surge protection, this Back-UPS features a NEMA 5-15P power connection and a 6' cord. The Amazon Basics Standby UPS 800VA is a good option if your budget precludes you from getting one of our other picksplus, it adds two more outlets. June 12, 2022 . In this case, the BX1500M has a 789 Joule rating, which isnt bad, but its on the low side for a 1500VA UPS. Youll only get a few minutes of run time with a desktop. When we inundated the BR1500MS2 with 5,000-volt surges, it was able to block all but 593.2 volts. Sine wave refers to the way AC power alternates between positive and negative. Moving up to a higher-power UPS with LCD comes with a jump in price from the basic models. You may hear a bit of a click followed by a hum when you start running on battery power. The shipping cost of sending back a failed UPS must be paid by you in most cases. Judging from our testing, we expect it to keep a modem and router running for up to four hoursor a modem, router, PC, and external hard drive running for about 17 minutesgiving you ample time to save any work and close any programs you have open. Certain electronics are sensitive and require this to avoid power loss when switching from AC power to battery power. Beneath the screen, youll find (from left to right) a display button to toggle through options, a power button, and a mute button to silence the chirruping audio notifications. Settings are nearly identical between these two models, with both featuring a backlight in case the UPS will be set up in a dark area. That means if you buy something I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. The sealed, lead-acid battery inside your UPS will stay charged as long as the device is plugged in, so it should be able to perform well for many years. VA: This rating is probably less familiar for you. Heres how it works: on models with a data port, software and a USB cable is included. Not too long ago the prices were close to $200. You will receive your welcome message soon. The BR1500MS also offers type C and type A USB connections for charging of your smart devices during an outage. LCD screens are included on both brands to view settings. I added a "LocalAdmin" -- but didn't set the type to admin. Manufacturers list rated minimum run times on their spec pages, but due to different testing processes these arent always accurate. Overall Winner: For run time, APC BE425M; for features, CyberPower CP425SLG. Plus, it has only eight outlets (four with battery backup), fewer than any of our picks. 1500VA UPS: CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD vs APC Gaming UPS Hi All, I've seemed to have outgrown my CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD 1000VA/600W UPS. But its screen offers additional information, such as whether the problem originated internally, from faulty wiring in your wall, or from the battery overloading. My only concern is that I might receiving a bad UPS, and then I'd have to send it in for warranty repair, which would leave me without a UPS. APC BR1500MS2 Powers larger setups for longer This UPS has the highest peak power output and run time of any model we tested, so it can run more gear for a longer stretch than anything else.. Print Email. 0; While a simple way to think of a UPS is a power strip with a battery, there are some extra features to think about. You can keep using the unit for many more years after a battery replacement since itll work like new. Unfortunately theyre not. The APC is rated for about 23 minutes of run time compared to 14 minutes with CyberPower a pretty noticeable difference. CyberPower protects the CP900AVR with a three-year warranty, which is as long as weve found for a home UPS. It also has a small LED to alert you if it detects a wiring fault in the outlet you plug it into, as well as a red button to reset the circuit breaker in the event of an overload or short circuit. and was challenged. There is a lot of fine print on whats covered and whats excluded. The best power strip for travel in North America is the inexpensive Accell Home or Away Surge Protector (aka Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector). Like our top pick, the BR1500MS2 has 10 outlets, two of which are spaced far apart enough to accommodate extra-large plugs. Surge protection is not to be overlooked when making your choice. $250,000 lifetime equipment protection policy. In total, Ive spent 34 hours researching and testing UPS units for this guide. Replacement batteries can be bought direct from the manufacturer, Amazon, or a local battery store. This supplies in and out ports which offer line protection from surges. https://www.cyberpowersystems.com/product/ups/pfc-sinewave/cp1500pfclcd/ *At the time of publishing, the price was $73. No matter how massive your setup is, this UPS should buy you plenty of time to save your work and shut down all your programs. When a front panel button is pressed on these units, theyll light up so you can view them in the dark. https://m.cdw.com/product/Eaton-5SC-1500-UPS-1080-Watt-1500-VA/3119443, http://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/skuPage.5SC1500.html. Summing this up, my preference leans slightly toward APC since the bar showing power load is so handy. You need to hear this. A plug-in smart outlet enables smart features like scheduling, remote control, and voice commands in un-brainy devices such as lamps, fans, or Christmas lights. To be extra safe, you can do a little math and make sure the combined wattage is no more than 60% of the VA rating. To recycle your old UPS batteries, as well as the UPS units themselves (when they eventually wear out), you have a few options: If our top pick is unavailable, and you dont need the premium features our upgrade pick offers (such as a pure sine-wave inverter, a screen, and USB ports), get our former top pick, the Tripp Lite AVR750U. Fortunately, both models provide strong power protection. Buy APC BR1500MS2 1500VA UPS Back-UPS Pro Compatible Battery Pack by UPSBatteryCenter: 12V - Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases . The BR1500MS2 is one of the biggest models we tested, measuring about 4 inches wide by 10 inches high by 14 inches deep (the CP1500PFCLCD and CP900AVR are both roughly the same size). For models with LEDs only, use your best guess based on the manufacturers runtime estimates in their specs. In these two models, we actually see a very large difference. The outlets are widely spaced, and four of them have enough space for extra-large power bricks. What happens when a power outage begins and you have a UPS? The CyberPower CP1000PFCLCD, a former pick, uses a pure sine-wave inverter to create a smooth sine wave when running on battery power. If youre up for doing some math, get a general idea of how many watts your equipment needs. A few key features of the the BR1500MS I wanted to point out is this unit carries a three year factory warranty on the whole unit (including the battery). Adding run time increases availability by allowing the system to operate through longer outages without shutting down. The specs look good, but it's not what I need for home lab use. It has 12 outlets (including six battery-backed outlets) and a 5-foot cord. CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD PFC Sinewave UPS . A bit of extra space is given between each outlet, so some AC adapters may fit without blocking the adjacent outlet. 01444899 [email protected]. Sensitivity adjustment is the only setting that separates these two models, and its available on the BX1000M. This UPS has the highest peak power output and run time of any model we tested, so it can run more gear for a longer stretch than anything else. Some battery backups now include USB charging ports, so you can skip connecting the brick adapter and plug USB devices right in to power or charge them. However, as I do side by side-word for word comparison of the models, they both clearly state that they are AVR PFC True Sine UPS's. *At the time of publishing, the price was $220. If youre protecting your cable modem, TV, or cable/satellite receiver consider one with coaxial protection. Some of what can be displayed through a typical LCD display: It seems like one can never have enough USB chargers on hand. . For instance, if your power quality is low and your connected devices arent sensitive to the fluctuations, low sensitivity will keep the unit from switching to battery power frequently. The other is for my Dell T110, again 4 disk RAID, two switches, and power supplies for Comcast cable modem, AT&T fiber modem, and Meraki firewall. In the case of the BX1500M and CP1500AVRLCD, prices are very close. Heres a visual to make better sense of run times. It has a USB-B port to connect the UPS to your computerwhich you need to do if you want to use CyberPowers software or your computers operating system to set up data saving, monitoring, and other functions. . Like our top pick, the BR1500MS2 has an ample 6-foot cord to reach from a wall outlet to your work or entertainment setup, and its backed by a three-year warranty in case you run into any issues with your UPS in that period. This will help protect your equipment from a power surge or a lightning strike. When an outage occurs and the UPS goes to battery power, it will safely shut down the computer. Here are the Cyberpower links: Get it now! Youll see two ratings listed Watts and VA (volt amperage). However, either brand will do the trick. For CyberPower, you can find the claims contact info here. Add $40 for the 3 battery cells I had to buy and I think I got a pretty good deal. Your email is invalid Terms & Conditions! Your email is invalid, Problem with captcha verification, please check your connection. In her spare time, she eats as much cheese as her body will tolerate. All battery backups have built in surge protection in varying levels. This allows you to control or set up for auto shutdown of your devices. Youll notice the APC UPS is rated 50VA higher, though the watt rating of both is identical at 330W.