After 4 hours of researching 20 models that are currently popular with beginners in the market, we have concluded that the best UPS around is the Eaton 3S 550 .
Eaton 3S 550 UPS
This model stands out in our selection by its low power,
its silence, its compactness and its simplicity. It represents an excellent
entry into the world of inverters.
76.99 € at Amazon
This model is the simplest of our comparison, and yet it
can be suitable for the vast majority of uses. It can withstand 350 watts of
power. It thus consists of six outlets protected against surges, three of which
can be based on the backup battery. One of the strengths of the Eaton 3S 550 is
that it operates without a fan, so it is the quietest of our selection. The
battery life is around 8 minutes.
APC Back-UPS BX1400U
This model is the one that supports the most power in
our comparison, but offers the fewest grips. It is therefore intended for
people with energy-intensive equipment.
209.23 € at Amazon
This inverter supporting 700 watts is the most powerful
of our selection. It can thus accommodate the most demanding PC configurations
and peripherals. It is equipped with four surge protected outlets. These
outlets can also use the backup battery. Battery life is around 11 minutes if
your devices consume 350 watts. At full power, the runtime only lasts two
minutes, which should give you time to reconnect. Finally, the power cord
measures 1.2 m.
APC Smart-UPS SMT-SmartConnect - SMT750IC
This model has the most outlets relying on a backup
battery. It is also the only one in our comparison to be accessible remotely.
It is therefore aimed at a very specific use.
366.00 € at Amazon
This inverter supports a power of 500 watts which is
suitable in many relatively uses. It offers six outlets protected against surge
and which can rely on the backup battery. One of its advantages lies in its LCD
screen which displays a series of information such as the charge of the battery
or that of the peripherals that you connect to the inverter. Its internet
connection is also its other strong point: the inverter can thus be controlled
remotely by PC or smartphone. It is also possible to configure alerts.
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How did we make our choice?
If your household is powered by a capricious electric
current, which is sometimes the case in rural areas, an inverter may be a wise
purchase.
Concretely, the inverter has a battery of approximately
12 v in direct current and an electronic part which will transform it into alternating
current of 230 v. When there is a power cut in your home, the inverter battery
takes over to continue operating your devices.
This gives you time, for example, to close your PC's
files and applications correctly so that you don't waste precious hours of work
if you don't back up regularly.
Be careful never to connect household appliances such as
fridges or freezers to an inverter. Their components are indeed sensitive to
clipping provided by consumer inverters.
Knowing that, here's a quick rundown of the main
criteria you should pay attention to when purchasing any of these devices:
Power : expressed in watts, it is essential in choosing
your inverter. If you plan to connect a very power-hungry PC and professional
printers, it is better to turn to a model around 500 watts. However, a standard
PC and printer consume around 200 watts.
Outlets : Depending on the amount of peripherals you
plan to plug in, some UPS models are better suited to your use than others. A
distinction must also be made between outlets which are simply protected
against overvoltage and those which can rely on the backup battery. Thus,
during a power cut, some inverters do not supply all of their outlets.
Autonomy : this is another important criterion since it
determines the time you have either to turn on the power at home when there is
a cut in your home, or to turn off your PC and save your work if your home is
not involved in the cut.
Enclosure controls : Seeing the energy load on the UPS
and battery life at a glance on an LCD screen can be a critical benefit if you
plan to change devices on your device regularly.
The software : it allows via a USB cable to communicate
with your PC and to set up a secure shutdown of the system, or to measure the
energy consumption of your device. It is also useful if your inverter does not
have an LCD display.
In view of all these criteria, but also and above all
opinions of experts and users on the ease of use, responsiveness and robustness
of several models, we have reduced our initial selection to around ten
inverters. to finally present you only the best of the moment.
Eaton 3S 550 UPS
This model stands out in our selection by its low power,
its silence, its compactness and its simplicity. It represents an excellent
entry into the world of inverters.
76.99 € at Amazon
This model is the simplest of our comparison, and yet it
can be suitable for the vast majority of uses. It can withstand 350 watts of
power. It thus consists of six outlets protected against surges, three of which
can be based on the backup battery.
There are also two Ethernet ports to protect a telephone
line, as well as a USB port. A last button is used to reset the circuit
breaker.
One of the strengths of the Eaton 3S 550 is that it
operates without a fan, so it is the quietest of our selection.
The battery life is around 8 minutes according to the
manufacturer. The batteries can be replaceable. The device and the battery are
guaranteed for two years.
This inverter does not offer control on the box.
However, functions can be configured through the Eaton UPS Companion software.
Via this program, if you connect the device to your computer via a USB cable,
you can thus set up a safe shutdown of the system, and still measure the energy
consumption.
In the event of a power failure, the inverter beeps
every 5 seconds. The battery recharges without human intervention as soon as
the UPS is plugged in, even when it is switched off. It is possible to attach
this inverter to a wall using clips. Finally, the power cord measures 1.2 m.
This model is more than sufficient for standard
household use. However, check the consumption of your PC or the peripherals
that you want to connect to it if these prove to be particularly greedy.
APC Back-UPS BX1400U
This model is the one that supports the most power in
our comparison, but offers the fewest grips. It is therefore intended for
people with energy-intensive equipment.
209.23 € at Amazon
This inverter supporting 700 watts is the most powerful
of our selection. It can thus accommodate the most demanding PC configurations
and peripherals. It is equipped with four surge protected outlets. These
outlets can also use the backup battery.
You can also protect an internet connection using
Ethernet ports. It also has a USB port and a button to reset the circuit
breaker. This model uses fan cooling, resulting in 45 dB noise audible within 1
meter of the surface of the device.
Battery life is around 11 min if your devices consume
350 watts. At full power, autonomy lasts only two minutes; this should however
give you time to restore the power.
There are no controls on the housing. However, you can
interact with many parameters of the device using the PowerChute software. This
software allows you to shut down your system in a secure way and to provide
information on the energy costs of the device.
When the inverter is no longer receiving power, it will
emit a shrill, repetitive beep to inform of the situation. The battery
recharges automatically as soon as the UPS is plugged in, even when it is not
operating. It is not possible to mount this inverter on a wall. Finally, the
power cord measures 1.2 m.
This model is dedicated to people who want to protect
very energy-intensive equipment. However, we regret a low number of sockets,
although each of them can rely on the backup battery.
APC Smart-UPS SMT-SmartConnect - SMT750IC
This model has the most outlets relying on a backup
battery. It is also the only one in our comparison to be accessible remotely.
It is therefore aimed at a very specific use.
366.00 € at Amazon
This inverter supports a power of 500 watts which is
suitable in many relatively uses. It offers six outlets protected against surge
and which can rely on the backup battery: in the event of a power failure, this
is the model that can supply the most peripherals.
A very practical visual aid that lets you know if you
are approaching the total capacity of the device, and therefore to get an idea
of the battery life. This can last about 4 minutes with a maximum load or 15
minutes for a 250 watt load.
There is enough to protect an internet connection. One
of its advantages lies in its LCD screen which displays a series of information
such as the battery charge or the charge of the devices that you connect to the
UPS.
Its internet connection is also its other strong point:
the inverter can thus be controlled remotely by PC or smartphone. It is also
possible to configure alerts. However, you can interact with many parameters of
the device using the PowerChute software. This software allows you to shut down
your system in a secure way and to provide information on the energy costs of
the device.
During a power failure, the UPS will emit a loud
repetitive beep. The power cord is 1.8m.
This model is for people who want complete and remote
control of their UPS, for example to control a server that is not always
physically accessible. For the general public, it is better to turn to more
affordable models.
Honorable mentions
At the moment, no product available on the European
market seemed to us to have the qualities necessary to appear alongside our
main selection. We will be sure to offer you interesting alternatives as soon
as we learn about them.
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