Picking A New UPS

[Mike Soda]

I'm currently looking for a new, more powerful UPS to replace my Back UPS Network 40 & I need at least 10 minutes of runtime based off my specs below. Additionally, also having the ability to automatically shut down my PC in case I'm in the shower & can't make it back on time is important. Here's the best choices I've been able to find on Newegg so far, please let me know which would be best for my use & maximum $250.00 budget excluding shipping. Should I even bother with the last 2 options as they're the lowest power? Is the 1st option worth the tradeoff of less power to be "Smart" & that in regard to automatic shutdowns?

 

APC SMC1000 Smart-UPS 1000VA 120-Volt

APC BR1500G Back-UPS Pro 1500VA

APC BX1500M Back-UPS Pro 1500VA

APC BR1300G Back-UPS Pro 1300VA

APC BR1000G Back-UPS Pro 1000VA

 

System Specs:

EVGA G2 550W (No 1 told me about THIS when I researched & purchased it last Fall so it's not my fault, don't think I have brownouts though).

MasterCase Pro 3 (2 x 140mm Fans)

Ryzen 5 1500X (Not Currently OC'd But Hopefully Soon)

MSI B350M Gaming Pro

16GB G.Skill DDR4 3200 (2933 Due To BIOS)

3GB MSI GTX 1060 Gaming X (2062 Core 9408 Memory)

250GB Samsung 850 EVO

Windows 10 Home

19" 1600x900 Acer V206HQL (Medium Brightness I Think?)

CM Storm QuickFire Full Mechanical Keyboard Cherry MX Brown

Corsair KATAR Mouse.

Basic DSL Modem/Router Device

[AnonymousGuy]

APC already makes a tool for this: http://www.apc.com/us/en/tools/ups_selector/home/load

 

Also ask yourself: do you *really* need your system to stay on during a power outage?  The only 2 systems in my signature with a UPS are the servers, because if they turn off either hard drives die or I have to spend 10 minutes restarting VM's. If my desktop clicks off I really don't care because everything autosaves anyways.

[Mike Soda]

3 minutes ago, AnonymousGuy said:

APC already makes a tool for this: http://www.apc.com/us/en/tools/ups_selector/home/load

 

Also ask yourself: do you *really* need your system to stay on during a power outage?  The only 2 systems in my signature with a UPS are the servers, because if they turn off either hard drives die or I have to spend 10 minutes restarting VM's. If my desktop clicks off I really don't care because everything autosaves anyways.

I've tried their selector before & couldn't get it to work right. I'm just torn on which of the first 3 in particular is the better performer. I've heard that simply having high VA isn't everything especially compared to whatever Smart features are. No I don't always need my system on during a storm, I just don't want anything damaged from a blackout. Although I did mention I don't think we have brownouts, our power outages when they occur can be quite frequent & in rapid succession. I'll try finding that selector again & using, your link just took me to their homepage for some reason. I would appreciate your thoughts on the first 3 I listed though & in particular what does that Smart model do that the other 1500VA ones can't?

[SPARTAN VI]

Personally would want my PC stay on long enough during an outage for me to shutdown safely. Data loss is a real bitch especially when I'm in the middle of a large Photoshop project. Being in LA county takes this from the realm of possible blackouts to an inevitability during the summer. My UPS has already saved my ass twice this summer.

 

I'm not familiar with any of the models in the OP, but I personally picked up this UPS since I'm powering 2 gaming rigs and their peripherals and both rigs have Active PFC power supplies, which means a pure sinewave UPS was the way to go.

[Mike Soda]

3 minutes ago, spartanvi said:

Personally would want my PC stay on long enough during an outage for me to shutdown safely. Data loss is a real bitch especially when I'm in the middle of a large Photoshop project. Being in LA county takes this from the realm of possible blackouts to an inevitability during the summer. My UPS has already saved my ass twice this summer.

 

I'm not familiar with any of the models in the OP, but I personally picked up this UPS since I'm powering 2 gaming rigs and their peripherals and both rigs have Active PFC power supplies, which means a pure sinewave UPS was the way to go.

How long does that 1500VA 900W UPS keep your two systems powered on for?

[SPARTAN VI]

I haven't tested the duration. In one situation we tripped the circuit breaker and were able to shut down both PCs within 1-2 minutes.

 

In the second instance, we had a brief 1-2 second outage when only my PC was on. If it weren't for the fact that the UPS beeps when it switches to battery mode, I never would've even noticed that there was an outage. 

[Mike Soda]

23 minutes ago, spartanvi said:

I haven't tested the duration. In one situation we tripped the circuit breaker and were able to shut down both PCs within 1-2 minutes.

 

In the second instance, we had a brief 1-2 second outage when only my PC was on. If it weren't for the fact that the UPS beeps when it switches to battery mode, I never would've even noticed that there was an outage. 

Thank you.