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Buying A Computer UPS: The Ultimate Guide!
ByBilal Khan- Read Time18 mins
Humans have altered the way of doing business in the last couple of decades. They have wrapped up all the ancient methods of doing business, thrown them in the trash can, and adopted the new ones. Moving forward, humans have already moved most of their businesses to the self-created digital world.
Let me clear this, humanity’s reliance on digitization isn’t just for the sake of business purposes. There are so many other things humans have been doing in the digital world.
From using social media to accessing academic content online, there are trillions of things associated with the digital world. Our access to the digital world has been made possible by computers.
But here is one thing, computers can’t function without a power supply. They can’t withstand power disruptions or breakdowns. As a result, sudden power breakdowns have become a real mess for a lot of people including business owners and online workers. They are also problematic for professional video gamers and academicians who rely on uninterrupted internet connectivity.
Fortunately, we have found the cure for sudden power breakdowns in the form of UPS systems. These power-supplying machines are of critical importance in areas where frequent power interruptions or breakdowns are just a norm. And if you think your computer doesn’t need one, you might want to check out the answer to the following question.
Top Pick
CyberPower EC650LCD
Why Do You Need A Computer UPS?
A computer comprises multiple sensitive components that can’t bear a sudden power breakup. It is because of this that a computer is required to be shut down in a planned manner. Sudden power loss or fluctuation damages the components of a computer resulting in its untimely death or a reduced lifespan.
If you are smart enough, you know an untimely death means spending extra dollars in terms of repair costs. Let me add it further, power breakdowns or interruptions are not only bad for the health of your computer but also for data retention as well.
Think of it for a second, you are performing an office-related task without autosaving the progress, and the computer shutdowns unexpectedly. Yes, you will lose the data with no way to get it back. This really does hurt more than anything else can. I mean, all of your creativity or hard work gets wasted in no time.
Therefore, as per my tiny brain, a UPS is something that should be incorporated into a proper work culture. Nobody should be losing their data all because of power interruption. Concluding the answer, your computer requires a UPS as much as a data center or a small corporate office.
How To Buy A Computer UPS?
Frankly speaking, buying a Computer UPS could be a little bit confusing for a lot of people. If you want to skip the unwanted confusion out of the buying process of a computer UPS, I would recommend you Imprint the following factors into your mind.
UPS Type
Before you visit the digital market, you better know about all the types of UPS systems. For beginners, Offline, Interactive, and Online are three major types of Computer UPSes out there. Starting with Offline UPS, it is a conventional power supply device backed with limited functionality. Supported by a small form factor, Offline UPS is an entry-level solution for power outages only. Comparatively, Interactive UPS is a little bit of an advanced solution for power outages and a variety of irregularities including under and overvoltages, power surges, and power sags. Not only the Interactive UPS provides backup power to the computer but also protects it from certain types of power irregularities. When it comes to the Online UPS system, It is a complete package against power outages and all types of power irregularities. Although Online UPS is the most advanced power supplying device, It serves corporate companies more than households. What I mean is Online UPS is an overpowered device for machines like modems, routers, and computers. Yes, you can connect a computer to an Online UPS. But why do so when an Offline or Interactive UPS is enough to do the same job?
Power Outlets
A Computer UPS should own additional outlets to connect low-powered devices like modems or routers. Otherwise, the concept of a Computer UPS is simply a blank one. Are you wondering why? Well, here is the answer. A UPS with additional outlets for modems or routers would allow the computer to connect to the internet despite the power failure. As a result, you would be able to wind up any internet-related task without having to be worried about it. Therefore, It is important to determine the number of outlets you want on your Computer UPS system.
Battery Backup Time
It comes as no surprise that battery time is possibly the most important factor to consider before buying a Computer UPS. If you scan the UPS market to get an idea, you will find tons of power-supply machines with different battery backups. While some Computer UPSes offer only 3-4 minutes of battery time, others can provide power for as much as 10-15 minutes. It is up to you to decide what amount of battery time is sufficient for the PC. Generally, a UPS offering 3-4 minutes of battery backup is enough for you to avoid data loss and to conduct a planned shutdown of your computer. However, If you are a kind of lazy creature who takes a little bit of extra time to wind up the work or save the progress, you better go for a UPS offering a good 10-15 minutes.
Power Requirement
Since UPS systems revolve around power, I will place power requirements on the list of top 3 factors. Buying a UPS without acknowledging the power requirement of a computer is a bad idea. Don’t forget, every computer is packed with different types of components. While some come with low-powered components others come with high-powered ones. It translates the power requirement of computers varies from one size to another. Only after knowing the PC’s power requirement, you can get your hands on the right UPS. And it’s not just for the computer, you can also count it for the devices you want to connect to the UPS. Combine the power requirement of the computer with the devices you want to connect and you are good to go.
Noise Reduction
When working, an unwanted noise coming out of the computer or any connected device can impact your productivity. It applies to a Computer UPS as well. You wouldn’t want to buy a UPS that makes annoying noises for no reason. If you want to be at peace, I would recommend you invest your hard-earned dollars in a noiseless UPS system from a reputable brand. Even if you have to pay some extra bucks, you should do it. I would say, buying a noiseless Computer UPS is like buying comfort. Unsure about you, but I don’t trade comfort with anything else.
LCD Control Panel
I would never recommend you to opt for a Computer UPS that features no LCD control panel. If you ask me the reason, it is quite simple and clear. A Computer UPS featuring no LCD display means you can’t track Its performance. Primarily, you can’t know how many minutes of battery time you have left. Secondarily, you can’t analyze the overall health of the UPS system and its battery. An LCD control panel allows you to check each and every aspect of the UPS system at the expense of your comfort. With an LCD control panel, you can have all the information available about the voltage input and output.
Warranty
Regardless of the reputable or non-reputable brand, you should check the warranty of the Computer UPS as the primary concern. Don’t buy a Computer UPS without a warranty or one lasting for a few months. As the industry standard, most reputable brands offer at least 2-3 years of UPS warranty. Given the fact a good quality Computer UPS lasts 2-3 years, the said warranty works fine for both the sellers and the buyers.
ErrorBook’s Recommended Computer UPSes
Sometimes, despite consuming content about a product guide, you find yourself trapped in a situation where you find it hard to take a decision on what to buy. It is as if you need a push or at least a few recommendations to choose from.
Feeling your pain, ErrorBook has listed three Computers UPSes as the finest recommendations. Based on the features and overall performance, these recommendations would help you buy the right UPS system for your computer.
So, before you drift here and there on the internet in search of a perfect Computer UPS, I would advise you to take a look at the following products. Save your time folks, save your time!
CyberPower EC650LCD
cyberpower ec650lcd box
cyberpower ec650lcd box
cyberpower ec650lcd
cyberpower ec650lcd
cyberpower ec650lcd open
cyberpower ec650lcd open
cyberpower ec650lcd unbox
cyberpower ec650lcd unbox
Marketed by CyberPower, it is one of the best lightweight Computer UPSes available in the online market. Built to power up a high-level computer in case of a power failure, It can support multiple devices simultaneously. The EC650LCD is a rough and tough UPS device backed with the capability to withstand external pressure. It is a reliable UPS system supported by all the luxury features you can think of.
For example, It offers a user-friendly multifunction LCD panel featuring real-time data about the current power load and the remaining battery time. As the biggest perk, It also provides advanced protection against power surges to ensure you get an uninterruptable computing experience.
Whether you want to power up a computer or tons of low-powered devices like smartphones, routers, modems, or game consoles, It features enough power outlets for your networking and computing requirements. The number of power outlets on the UPS is 8 with 2 of them dedicated to USB devices (1 Type-A, 1 Type-C).
It owns a cool external design with wide spaces between the display and outlets. Due to the small form factor, the UPS can be easily installed and moved from one place to another. Cyber Power’s EC650LCD UPS is an impressive machine to protect networking devices and computers against power outages and power surges.
Specs
ECO Mode
Battery Cell: Lead Acid
Waveform: Simulated Sine Wave
Pros
Affordable
Lightweight
Energy Efficiency
Cons
Limited Protection
Con 2
Con 3
Vertiv Liebert PSI 1500VA
vertiv liebert psi 1500va box1
vertiv liebert psi 1500va box1
vertiv liebert psi 1500va unbox
vertiv liebert psi 1500va unbox
vertiv liebert psi 1500va review
vertiv liebert psi 1500va review
The Vertiv Liebert PSI 1500VA is another powerful UPS system that can cater to the needs of power-hungry electronics devices before and after a power failure. Sold under the banner of Vertiv, It offers a complete package to small businesses and households. No matter how heavy your computer is, the Liebert PSI 1500VA can power it up with utmost ease.
Its greatest strength lies in the fact it offers automatic voltage regulation and power supply to as many as 8 connected devices at a time. Yes, you can expect this UPS system to have 8 power outlets for game consoles, modems, smartphones, and routers with overall protection against power sags, surges, and irregular voltages.
About the battery runtime, the Vertiv Liebert PSI 1500VA can keep your computer and a couple of devices alive for 9-10 minutes. If you connect additional devices to the UPS, its battery runtime will reduce to 2-3 minutes which is still enough for a user to perform a planned shutdown of the computer. It also owns an LCD panel to keep you updated about the input and output power load and the battery status.
Additionally, the UPS system also offers two years of warranty to get you covered. Overall, the Vertiv Liebert PSI 1500VA is a fine option to get rid of power outages and the annoying power fluctuations that can leave any electronic device paralyzed.
Specs
Battery Cell: Lead Acid
AVR Technology
8 Power Outlets
Pros
Highly-Powered
Advanced Protection
High Battery Runtime
Cons
Heavyweight
Seriously Expensive
For Small Businesses
CyberPower CP1500EPFCLCD
cyberpower cp 1500epfclcd box
cyberpower cp 1500epfclcd box
cyberpower cp 1500epfclcd 1
cyberpower cp 1500epfclcd 1
cyberpower cp 1500epfclcd review
cyberpower cp 1500epfclcd review
Sometimes, finding a reliable energy-efficient Computer UPS could feel like finding a needle in a haystack. Although there are tons of UPS manufacturers claiming their products to be energy-efficient, most of them are not. Thankfully, It’s not the case with CyberPower’s UPS systems and CP1500EPFCLCD is a great example of it.
Based on the customer-friendly principle of energy efficiency, it keeps the connected device cool and helps you save a few dollars in terms of the electricity bill. The UPS has a great battery runtime of 10 minutes for an uninterrupted computing experience.
You can try the CP1500EPFCLCD UPS to supply power to 12 devices before and after the power outage. The types of devices eligible for connection include modems, smartphones, Wifi-routers, and fax machines. Apart from the 6 power outlets, it also contains a couple of superfast USB ports to connect USB devices. This UPS machine carries an LCD panel featuring options for advanced settings, battery runtime, and data about the power consumption of the connected devices.
Powered by Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR), the UPS can deal with the issues of under and overvoltages which are capable of damaging sensitive electric equipment. Whether it is the surges or the spikes, the CP1500EPFCLCD is an unbeatable force against a variety of power irregularities proving its worth.
Specs
Remote Management
Waveform: Sine Wave
AVR Technology
Pros
Affordable
USB Charge Ports
No Noise
Cons
Big Form Factor
Heavyweight
How To Test A Computer UPS The Right Way
Testing a Computer UPS can be no less than a pure headache. It can consume your time and energy at the same time. However, If you want to keep your UPS operational for a long time, you will have to bear the pain unwillingly. There are many ways to test a Computer UPS and know whether or not it is living up to your expectations. Follow my words to learn about the basic ways to test a Computer UPS the right way.
Self-Test By UPS
Many, not all, Computer UPSes feature a self-test option. The self-test option could be in the form of a button or in the advanced settings. If you launch the self-test of the Computer UPS, it will perform a scanning process and come up with a report about the overall status of the system. In case of an underlying issue with the Computer UPS, the report will reveal it.
Unplugging The UPS
There is a very simple trick you can do to know everything is good with UPS. All you have to do is simply disconnect the UPS from the main power supply and see if the computer and the connected devices keep on running. If the computer and connected equipment are still powered, it means there is nothing wrong with the UPS. However, if they go dead, it is an indication there is a problem with the battery or the overall UPS system.
Repetitive Alarms
A healthy Computer UPS never annoys its user with frequent alarms. A single alarm coming out of the UPS system could be fine. However, repetitive alarms are a no good thing for a UPS. If you hear multiple alarms coming out of the UPS, you should be a little bit concerned. It is because repetitive alarms hint toward a problem with the battery. Yes, If you hear alarms on a frequent basis, It means the battery is not working up to the mark and you may have to replace it.
Slow Battery Charge
There is another way to test your UPS system to find out if there is any possible issue with it. If you sense the UPS battery is taking longer to charge than ever before, it possibly means the battery is close to its end. A UPS battery shouldn’t take long to charge without any reason. If it does so, it deserves to be doubted.
Questions Asked By Computer UPS Buyers
I don’t know if you know this but with every guide comes great questions. A guide can be fine without a bunch of questions and the same applies to the one you are reading at the moment. But since the Computer UPSes buyers are generally more confused than others, I thought to add the frequently asked questions with their answers.
Wrap Up
Eventually, you have got to the end of the guide with key considerations in your mind that would help you buy the right UPS for your computer. Remember, a reliable UPS machine is a one-time investment for as long as half a decade.
Buying a Computer UPS provides you with a great amount of relief against power outages and power irregularities. If you get a Computer UPS, you will no longer have to deal with the fear of losing the work progress. Time to sign off, I will reconnect with you in the next post.
