I am looking for advice on buying a UPS for my gaming PC and NAS. I know next to nothing on the subject besides that modern PSUs play better with UPSs that have PFC sinewaves (if that makes any sense).
I would like a UPS for the purposes of preventing data loss in the event of a black out for my NAS. The one I end up buying, however, will also have my gaming PC connected to it until my NAS reaches its final form (see links below). I thus would like a UPS primarily for my NAS box with the gaming PC as a secondary priority.
My budget is $200, but I would rather use less money than more. Below will be various links to my Gaming PC specs, NAS specs, and some UPSs I have found on Newegg that I think might do the job.
I have that CyberPower 1350VA one. Second year so far with no problems. I sometimes get blackouts, and power spikes/surges are very common in my area. The unit still holds a charge and keeps my main rig on-line for several minutes.
My old FX rig (FX8320 @ 4.7GHz, 32GB DDR3, RX480 Nitro+, 2 SSD + 1 HDD, 850W Bronze PSU, 25" 1440p screen) consumed about 550-600W under full load (Prime + Furmark loading everything) and the unit gave me 6-8 minutes of backup power before shutdown. Have not tested with my new Ryzen build.
And yes, try to get a pure sinewave unit. Don’t know the specifics or the exact why, but such units tend to last longer in my experience than simulated sinewave ones, specially if you deal with lots of short surges and spikes. I have used many of those simulated wave units in the past (from several brands) and they almost never last more than 2-3 power outages or a couple of bad power surges.
I have the 1500VA, its been about a year now and its been working great. I live in South LA where transformers blowing up is really common but the past year has had the least amount of power outages since I’ve lived here lol. Better safe than sorry I guess.
my ups is this cyberpower gx1325u ups gaming battery backup "gaming ups"
ain’t no problems sofar
try for a pure sinewave and active pfc unit, pretty much always the better choice
check out the used market. i do a lot of enterprise work and every business i have ever gone to has had at least one ups, usually more. and when those business’s go under that all ends up on craigslst and the like.
I am using 2 CyberPower UPS’s.
A 1000VA unit for my PC only and my old 685VA for everything else (monitor, sound, router, printer, etc.).
My feeling is each computer, Gaming and NAS, should have it’s own UPS.
You can probably use the 850VA one for the PC and a smaller one for the NAS.
In that way you can put the NAS in another room if you want.
Micro Center has good prices on UPS.
I think APC is the best, I used to own one that lasted 10 years, but they are more expensive.
Yes.
I didn’t know that would cause problems. I just wanted all my equipment to be protected.
Plus it’s not on the computers UPS, it’s on the one for my peripherals and it’s not on the battery, it’s on the plug that is surge protection only.
I like APC brand. They use standard lead acid batteries that can be found at security supply stores.
What matters is stable, clean power and fast switching.
As I’m sure most brands do, they have software for monitoring and initiating system shutdowns. A ups is intended to fill the power gap when transferring to generator power or provide enough time for shutdown.
Not to be contrarian, but I have not had good luck with the cyberpower consumer gear. Granted the last time I used cyberpower consumer stuff was ~2005.
Personally I would follow the earlier recommendation of looking at used Enterprise stuff. I have two APC SmartUPS 1500s and I swear by them. If you have a local government of military depot, you can even pickup a single lot of these for like 15USD. They will not come with the batteries but those can be had 80 - 100USD a piece.
bad numbers.
my bad
totally my fault
Brand
CyberPower
Series
PC Battery Backup
Model
GX1325U
Input
Input Voltage Range
Voltage: 90 - 139V
Adjustable Voltage Range: 78 - 142V
Input Frequency
57 - 63 Hz
Input Connection
NEMA 5-15P
Output
VA Rating
1325 VA
Watts
810 Watts
Output Voltage
120Vac +/- 5%
Output Frequency
60 Hz +/- 1%
Outlets
10
Outlet Type
NEMA 5-15R
Battery Run Time
Runtime at Half Load: 9 Minutes
Runtime at Full Load: 3 Minutes
Battery Recharge Time
8 Hour(s)
Battery Replaceable
RB1270X2A
1325 VA / 810 Watts Pure Sine Wave UPS
Why? Does the printer make a feedback surge to the UPS when turning back on?
Even if the printer isn’t plugged into the UPS battery, just the surge protection circuit?
My UPS has 5 battery outlets and 5 surge outlets.
I have the Modem, Sound and Monitor on the battery side.
The Printer is on the surge only side. It is a HP deskjet photo printer.
The PC is on a 2nd dedicated UPS.
From my experience working gov’t contracts, the majority of UPSs that I had to replace had laser printers connected to them in addition to severs. The APC rep said that the initial Amperage draw caused the circuitry to work harder than rated and killed the batteries prematurely.
I guess if it is on surge only, the worst that would happen is that the fuse or breaker trips. The enterprise units did not have surge only option.
I got $50 for Christmas and decided to go with the above UPS because I do not have the luxury and money to buy two UPSs (one for gaming PC and one for NAS). I am a college student who lives in a dorm with two other people so I have only one room to put my stuff. Hooking up both machines to the same UPS saves space and money. The large size also helps because I am usually out of my room most of the day and if a blackout happens, then I do not have to worry about shutting down my machines. Blackouts at my college are rare and usually occur in the summer months, but they can last anywhere between a couple of seconds to ten minutes. Assuming I have my gaming PC off and my NAS on 24/7, the CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD should keep my NAS on the entire time the power is gone.
I did not buy used since I am wary entrusting my gaming PC and NAS to a UPS with an unknown amount of time in use. I know that I could buy a new battery for it, but the electronics inside worry me more than the battery.
I feel good about my purchase; now I hope that my CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD does not smell like the reviews at Newegg say it does!