By Matt Hanson
published
Keep the power flowing with the best UPS
PRICE
VERDICT
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
VERDICT
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
The best UPS (uninterruptible power supply) devices on this page are important purchases for any business - or home user - who needs electronic devices such as PCs and servers that have constant power connections 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If there's a power cut, even a very brief one, then the results can be catastrophic, as servers could become unreachable, and data could even be corrupted if a computer shuts down suddenly.
That's where the best UPS come in, as if there's a power cut, they will seamlessly switch to battery power, and your devices will remain on and running until the main power is restored, or you can safely shut down the device.
These days many of us are working from home, so buying the best UPS your budget can stretch to is even more important. You may find that you're plugging in a lot more power-hungry devices into your home power supply, and this could lead to power cuts or power surges. Your home likely won't have the power backup solutions that your office does, so buying a UPS for your home could be a very wise investment.
The UPS devices we include in this guide cover a wide range of use cases, from small UPS devices for homes that can keep a router and PC running, to large and powerful UPS devices for enterprise uses. Because of this, we have listed these best UPS devices in no particular order.
We've compared these UPS devices across many factors, like their size, power supply, runtime, and battery recharging time. We looked at what types of environments they'd be best suited for and their input voltage and outlets, among other things.
We've also reviewed the best business computers, the best alternatives to QuickBooks, and the best small business servers.
Best UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) at a glance:
Why you can trust TechRadar Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
- APC Back-UPS ES-BE700G
- CyberPower CP1500EPFCLCD
- Eaton 9SX 5000i RT3U
- Vertiv Liebert PSI 1500VA
- APC BE600M1 Back-UPS 600VA
The best UPS of 2023 in full
1. APC Back-UPS ES-BE700G
A simple UPS for voltage fluctuations
Specifications
Input voltage: 230V
Output capacity: 405 (watts)
Outlets: 8
Battery runtime: 13 mins (half load), 4 mins (full load)
Recharge time: 16 hours
Reasons to buy
+ Easy to use LED status
Reasons to avoid
- Lacks features Long charge time
If you are after a cheaper, and more simple, UPS device, then the APC Back-UPS ES - BE700G is a great choice. We would not recommend it for large businesses with lots of mission-critical computers and servers, but it offers plenty of power for homes and small businesses to keep their devices going when the power fails.
This UPS from APC has eight surge-protected power sockets, four of which are covered by the battery backup. All of the eight sockets can take standard three-pin plugs, making it more convenient than the kettle leads found on some UPS systems. You will have enough UPS sockets for your Mac, monitor, and essential peripherals like an external hard drive or router.
However, if you are looking for something more feature-rich, you may want to consider a different UPS.
2. CyberPower CP1500EPFCLCD
The best UPS for small and medium sized businesses
Specifications
Input voltage: 230 Vac
Output capacity: 900 (watts)
Outlets: 6
Battery runtime: 10 mins (half load), 3 mins (full load)
Recharge time: 8 hours
Reasons to buy
+ LCD panel USB ports included
Reasons to avoid
- Bulky Expensive
The CyberPower CP1500EPFCLCD is an excellent UPS for home and small business use. It comes with a decent amount of ports, as well as USB, for plugging in your devices. RJ11/RJ45 ports keep your phone, fax and modem lines protected from power surges, and it comes with a number of energy-saving features to prevent it from wasting energy when in use.
Ideal for keeping mid and high-end computer systems safe, the UPS comes with Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) to ensure safe voltage levels for all devices that are connected. It has featured data line protection that protects communication and network equipment from power surges and spikes.
It also comes with a clear multifunction LCD display that notifies you with alerts in case of power problems, lets you check the battery condition, configure advanced settings, and perform self-tests.
3. Eaton 9SX 5000i RT3U
A flexible UPS for businesses
Specifications
Input voltage: 21A
Output capacity: 230Vac
Outlets: 10
Battery runtime: 3.5 mins (full load)
Recharge time: 1.5 hours
Reasons to buy
+ Power efficiency features Provides lots of power for numerous devices
Reasons to avoid
- Very expensive Not suitable for home use
If you have a large office with several devices, then the Eaton Eaton 9SX 5000i RT3U is an excellent device. Not only does this rack-mounted UPS keep your important devices running when there's an issue with your power, but it also provides some excellent power efficiency features that can cut energy usage (and associated bills) with up to 95% efficiency in online double conversion mode and 98% in high-efficiency mode.
The Eaton ABM battery management system uses a three-stage charging technique to expand the battery life by up to half.
You can buy optional extended battery modules for increased run time (with up to 12 hot-swappable battery modules), and the LCD user interface gives accurate data on the UPS's condition, making it easy to manage. Definitely a UPS to consider if you have the budget.
4. Vertiv Liebert PSI 1500VA
A powerful UPS for business use
Specifications
Input voltage: 300V
Output capacity: 1350 (watts)
Outlets: 8
Battery runtime: 9 mins (half load), 3 mins (full load)
Recharge time: 5 hours
Reasons to buy
+ Plenty of power of office use Decent recharge time
Reasons to avoid
- Overkill for home use
If you have a busy office with a number of essential devices that will need an uninterrupted power supply, then the Vertiv Liebert PSI 1500VA is definitely worth considering. Its three batteries will keep power-hungry devices running when the power goes down, and it can be installed into a server rack or set up as a self-standing tower.
It also has a rotatable LED screen that can be adjusted based on the kind of mounting you choose, making the placement quite convenient. It's designed for IT infrastructure, like small server farms and network storage rooms.
It comes in a number of configurations, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs, but if you are looking for a UPS for home use, then the APC BE600M1 Back-UPS 600VA above is a better choice.
5. APC BE600M1 Back-UPS 600VA
An excellent UPS for home use
Specifications
Input voltage: 120V
Output capacity: 330 (watts)
Outlets: 7 (plus one USB port)
Battery runtime: 10 mins (half load), 3.2 mins (full load)
Recharge time: 10 hours
Reasons to buy
+ Plenty of power for home devices Small form factor
Reasons to avoid
- Not a huge amount of ports Not powerful enough for big businesses
This is another great UPS from APC, and with the BE600M1, the company has created a UPS device that is ideal for home use. That's thanks to its small and unobtrusive design, and it offers enough power for smaller devices, such as home NAS drives, routers, and gaming consoles.
Although it has only one USB port, it has plenty of sockets with sufficient spacing between them so that you won't have any difficulties connecting multiple wide plugs.
With careful management, you can keep the power flowing to a router or monitor for enough time to overcome most power cuts. For office use, with lots of power-sapping devices that need to be powered at once, then you'll want to look elsewhere on this best UPS list, but for home users on a budget, this is a great choice.
- Check out our list of the bestworkstations to plug into a UPS
What is a UPS?
UPS stands for uninterruptible power supply, it's a device that acts as a battery backup in case of an electrical power failure. Small UPS machines for homes and offices supply enough power for a few minutes, so there's time to turn off devices properly without losing any work. Larger UPS systems can even last a few hours, but you generally won't find these in homes or small offices.
How to choose the Best UPS for you?
When choosing a UPS for yourself, start with considering where you're going to use it — for your home or office? If it's a small home or office that you need to power, then a tiny UPS will work fine.
You'll want to evaluate the size and form of the UPS system. While some are compact and can be fit on desks, others are larger and either in the form of towers or rack-mounts. There are some UPS machines that can be used both as towers or rack-mounts.
Then, you'll want to assess how much power your devices require and how much time you need the electrical supply for once there's a power cut. If your device takes a few minutes to turn off, make sure to select a UPS system that can provide sufficient runtime for that.
The best UPS: How we test
We've tested these UPS machines across numerous points, starting with what environment they're best suited for — home, small office, or server farm?
We looked at how much power these devices supply, how much runtime they offer during power cuts, and their form factor (desk, tower, or rack-mount). We analyzed their specifications, like the input voltage, output capacity, battery runtime, and recharge time. We also considered the number of outlets they had and whether there was sufficient spacing between them for wide plugs.
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Matt Hanson
Managing Editor, Core Tech
Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. Ever since he got an Amiga A500+ for Christmas in 1991, he's loved using (and playing on) computers, and will talk endlessly about how The Secret of Monkey Island is the best game ever made.
FAQs
How long will a 1500VA UPS last? ›
At full load (900 watts) the unit would provide 3 minutes of runtime. At half load (450 watts) it would get around 11 minutes of runtime. If the power draw is a lot less the runtime will be increased.
Which type of UPS is best for home use? ›- APC Back-UPS 600VA 7-Outlet/1-USB Battery Back-Up and Surge Protector.
- APC Back-UPS 425VA 6-Outlet Battery Back-Up and Surge Protector.
- APC Back-UPS 550VA 8-Outlet Battery Back-Up and Surge Protector.
- APC Back-UPS 850VA 8-Outlet/2-USB Battery Back-Up and Surge Protector.
While both units are rated at 425VA, the watt ratings are a bit different. The APC provides 225W while the CyberPower is a bit higher at 255W. Despite this difference, the APC model has longer run times. Expect about 35 minutes of runtime with 50W of equipment compared to 26 minutes with the CyberPower unit.
Which UPS are highly efficiency? ›UPS A has a 96 percent efficiency rating, while UPS B has a 94 percent efficiency rating. When operating at a capacity below 50 percent, however, UPS B is actually the more efficient system – despite its lower efficiency rating.
What to look for when buying UPS? ›- Determine the size of the load that needs UPS protection, and, hence, the capacity of the UPS. ...
- Assess the required UPS runtime for critical devices and applications. ...
- Determine the number of outlets required. ...
- Consider UPS installation requirements. ...
- Remote Monitoring and Management.
The switching of UPS from the mains supply to the battery is immediate, whereas the Inverter takes more than UPS. For computers, the switching time of inverter is more than it can handle, and it will usually reboot due to the interrupted supply.
What are the 3 types of UPS? ›The three major types of UPS system configurations are online double conversion, line-interactive and offline (also called standby and battery backup). These UPS systems are defined by how power moves through the unit.
What can a 3000VA UPS run? ›3000VA/2400 Watts UPS is an uninterruptible power supply to provide emergency power to a load, and it is mainly used in computer, office equipment, test equipment, light system, safe alarm system, ray equipment, medical equipment, copymachine, numerical control machine tools, industrial automation equipment, color and ...
How long will a 10000va UPS last? ›A 1000VA UPS might be able to power a small office computer for around seven minutes. Make the upgrade to a 10kVA UPS, and you might see this figure jump up to around twenty-sevenminutes.
How long can a 2000VA UPS last? ›Therefore, with a load of 500W, the 2kVA will last for 0.75168 hours ( approximately 45 minutes ).
What size UPS do I need to power my house? ›
Simply tally up the wattage of every device you plan to connect your UPS to (this is your load) and multiply that number by 1.25 to determine the UPS capacity you need.
What is the difference between a smart UPS and a UPS? ›Most UPSes provide a layer of power conditioning, but a smart UPS can ensure an optimally balanced and matched current supply to any load. Your equipment will receive protection against everything from unexpected outages and spikes to minute surges and power disturbances.
Is an inverter better than a UPS? ›Conclusion: The UPS is more efficient as compared to the inverter. The UPS provides the electric backup to the appliances without delay and fluctuation. And, the inverter is a medium between the primary power supply and the battery.
Is CyberPower a Chinese company? ›CyberPowerPC, also known as CyberPower, is an American personal computer retailer.
How long does CyberPower 1500VA last? ›Run times vary based on the power required by connected devices. This system is estimated to run for 12 minutes at half load, 3 minutes for a full load.
Which company battery is good for UPS? ›Exide 150ah Tubular Battery
This battery can be used in any type of UPS like Microtek, luminous 1100va, and having a strong storage capacity, which was maintained by the thick plate construction.
Because their chemicals naturally deplete over time, even UPS batteries that are well cared for and properly maintained will still need to be periodically replaced, generally every three to five years.
What are the disadvantages of a UPS? ›- Maintain cost is difficult.
- The startup cost is too much high.
- Commercial uses require a large number of batteries.
What is the Lifespan of a UPS Battery? There are a few different factors that can contribute to the lifespan of a UPS battery. On average, a battery will last anywhere from 3-5 years.
How long is the lifespan of a UPS? ›Some UPS systems may normally last up to 13 years or more before they need to be replaced. However, its critical components are subject to failure far earlier than the UPS itself. Below is a timeline of the expected lifecycle requirements for most data center and facility UPS systems.
How often should UPS be replaced? ›
As a general rule, large UPS units tend to run for 15 or 20 years, while smaller models usually last 10 or more.
Is there an alternative to UPS? ›We have compiled a list of solutions that reviewers voted as the best overall alternatives and competitors to UPS Supply Chain Solutions, including Flexport, XPO Logistics, DSV Freight Forwarding, and GEODIS.
Is UPS better than Walmart? ›...
Overall Rating.
| Overall Rating | 3.7 | 3.4 |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 3.3 | 3.0 |
| Culture | 3.5 | 3.2 |
A UPS (or Uninterrupted Power Supply) is a device which provides power to the load in case of main power failure. Inverter is a power electronic circuit which converts the direct current into alternating current. Main parts. The main parts of a UPS are: rectifier, battery, inverter and controller.
Is UPS 3 phase or single phase? ›UPS units come in two different formats: single phase and three phase. Single phase uninterruptible power supplies typically cover requirements up to 20 kVA and are widely available in homes or lower power equipment.
How do I choose a 3 phase UPS? ›3 Phase UPS Systems (3/3 and 3/1)
From a UPS systems perspective, if we are to connect the UPS to a three phase supply we require a UPS with a 3/x configuration. If the loads are three phase as well, then we require a 3/3 configuration. If the loads are single phase we may need a 3/1 configuration.
Yes it does. Irrespective of the state of the battery.
How long will a 2400va UPS last? ›During occasional load shedding, at stage 1-2, the average life span is 2 years. Unfortunately, during constant load shedding, at stage 2 - 6, these cycles will be depleted within a few months.
What Cannot be plugged into a UPS? ›Any device which exceeds the unit's VA/Watt rating should not be plugged into the outlets. High drain devices, medical equipment, and aquatic equipment also void the unit's warranty.
How do I calculate what size UPS I need? ›To size your needs: Total watts of your equipment x their total amperage and add 15% of that total to get your total requirement. The difference in UPS capacity compared to its load can increase runtime if significant enough.
How many hours can a UPS last without power? ›
All you need to know are a few parameters and you are good to go. The UPS backup time depends on the power consumption of the UPS, the power of the load, and the battery capacity. In general, you can expect your inverter battery to last anywhere around 5 to 10 hours when it is fully charged.
How many watts is 1500VA? ›1 watt = 1 volt x 1 ampere Watt is a unit of WORK just like Horsepower is a unit of work Volt is a unit of force Ampere is 1 Coulomb of electrons (about 6 x 10 to the 18th power) flowing per second Basically 1500VA is the same as 1500 Watts If the power load is 1500 Watts or less, the UPS will provide enough power to ...
How long does a 2000VA UPS take to charge? ›This UPS can charge up to 90% in battery capacity within a 4-6 hour period.
Can I leave my UPS plugged in 24 7? ›Yes, your UPS devices should always remain connected to grid power. If you experience bad power quality or a power outage, it can happen so suddenly that you may not have time to plug the ups in and switch it on.
Is 1500VA UPS good? ›The CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD 1500VA is one of the best UPS on the market. Several factors contribute to it being our top pick for most gamers. First, it has enough juice to handle most gaming machines, even if you're running the beefiest of GPUs and an overclocked CPU.
How long will a 1000VA UPS run a router? ›It can give power to your router approx 15 minutes to 20 minutes. If you need more than that time, you have to go for 1000VA. On this UPS your router can run 1hour to 1hour 30 minutes.
Are there different types of UPS? ›Types of Uninterruptible Power Supplies. There are three types of uninterruptible power supplies: static, dynamic (rotary), and hybrid. Static uses power electronic converters, dynamic uses electromagnetic engines (generators and motor), and hybrid uses – you guessed it – a combination of both static and dynamic.
What is the best UPS battery backup? ›- Best overall: CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD Intelligent LCD UPS System. ...
- Best portable: Anker 757 Portable Power Station. ...
- Best for a network: APC UPS, 1500VA Sine Wave UPS. ...
- Best for businesses: APC 2200VA Smart UPS with SmartConnect. ...
- Best budget: Tripp Lite AVR750U 750VA UPS.
Simply tally up the wattage of every device you plan to connect your UPS to (this is your load) and multiply that number by 1.25 to determine the UPS capacity you need.