APC BE550G Back-UPS ES 8 Outlet 550VA 120V
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Great product!,
I ordered this for my new computer, and we had a power flicker just a few hours after I set it up! It worked perfectly. There is software included that will let you check the status of the battery and tell the unit what to do if it loses power (such as turn off the computer). Very useful!
Two things to note:
1) Make sure you connect the battery! There’s a note on it to do this, but just in case you get in an unwrapping frenzy, you have to turn it over and slide the cover off in order to do that.
2) Only 4 of the outlets are powered by the battery- the other 4 are JUST surge protection. So if you want more than 4 items plugged into the battery, you may want to upgrade to a different model! It works perfectly for me though!
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Plug and Play Operation on Mac OS X 10.5.5,
So far I’m very pleased…I purchased this to safeguard my fiancee’s Mac Mini. Setup was a breeze, just connect the battery, charge, plug in the AC and connect the data port to the Mac’s USB port. The Mac instantly recognized the UPS in the Energy Saver section of System Preferences and provided me with several automated shutdown options…no additional software or configuration was necessary.
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Decent entry level no-frills UPS,
Product: APC Backup-UPS ES 8-Outlet 550VA
Rating: 3/5 (good)
I bought one of these units several years ago at my local computer/electronics stores … not to protect a PC, but rather to protect my phone answering machine, cable box, and most importantly my new (and then quite expensive) Flatscreen TV. It’s done a very admirable job, and I only recently re-gifted it to a family member, after replacing it with a newer model 1300.
Advantages:
* Easy to use, right out of the box.
* Multiple connection types and outlets.
* Low space-saving profile, easily fitting inside or under small cabinets and tables.
Disadvantages:
* Small battery offers very limited runtime (figure 7-10 mins).
* Lacks built-in digital display showing load and remaining runtime.
* Lacks manual bypass for loud audible power-outtage alarm.
Bottom line: this is a very decent no-frills unit if you’re on a budget. However, an increasing array of newer units with status displays are becoming cost competitive. Lastly, if your power blinks frequently, the lack of an alarm bypass can become annoying.
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TIP: Most UPSs have limited runtime. For example, the XS-1300 I replaced 550 with only holds 7AH of power (which will run my PC for just under 1 hour). To greatly extend this, I bought a big 55AH sealed marine gel battery, a trickle charger, and a 400W inverter. When the power goes out, that gives me the option of plugging either my UPS/PC or my UPS/TV setups into the 55AH battery for an additional 8+ hours of runtime.
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