Buying advice for UPS for iMac
Looking for recommended UPSs for iMac 24'. Best Buy has Geek Squad brand this week for $89 and it seems full featured but the software is PC only. Without software control not sure if it is worth it just for basic backup protection. APC brand has software for Mac but nothing in this price range. Especially desired is the automatic voltage regulation which only the more expensive units have. Anyone using a UPS in the $80-$100 range and happy with it?
Comments
Looking for recommended UPSs for iMac 24'. Best Buy has Geek Squad brand this week for $89 and it seems full featured but the software is PC only. Without software control not sure if it is worth it just for basic backup protection. APC brand has software for Mac but nothing in this price range. Especially desired is the automatic voltage regulation which only the more expensive units have. Anyone using a UPS in the $80-$100 range and happy with it?
You seriously don't need to be concerned with power regulators and the such. As long as you have protection against surges you should be fine. You especially don't need to be so concerned that you need software for your UPS. Any UPS or surge protector is good enough.
Home owners insurance will protect against thunderstorms and the like.
Looking for recommended UPSs for iMac 24'. Best Buy has Geek Squad brand this week for $89 and it seems full featured but the software is PC only. Without software control not sure if it is worth it just for basic backup protection. APC brand has software for Mac but nothing in this price range. Especially desired is the automatic voltage regulation which only the more expensive units have. Anyone using a UPS in the $80-$100 range and happy with it?
I believe the money is very well spent. You may notice several times a year in which you may have accidentally hit a power switch off which is connected to your desktop, a mains line tripping, power outages due to storms, lightning, etc.
Plus it is just frickin cool to turn everything off when the electrician comes over to do something and your iMac is happily chugging away bright and glowing for about 10-15 minutes, 30 minutes etc.
As long as there is a strong and decent coverage for lightning, storm, power surge damage, that would be good.
Currently based on my experience I do not recommend Best Buy or Geek Squad, I have used APC and found it to be very good in over 5-10 computer/peripheral commercial and home installations.
Remember at your level the UPS is mainly for two things, one is to prevent damage to all related components due to voltage, etc. fluctuations. While electricity is continuously running.
The other is during an outage of electricity to safely power down the computer and all peripherals during the first 10-15 minutes of the outage, to then wait until everything comes back on and is stable (as in not electricity coming on and off for about an hour while the company/ electrician fixes stuff) to then turn the UPS, computer and peripherals back on.
APC BE550R 550 VA 330 Watts Back-UPS ES 8 Outlet 550VA 120V - Retail
Input Voltage Range: 88 - 139V
Input Frequency: 50/60 Hz
Output Voltage: 120V
Outlets: (4) NEMA 5-15R (Battery Backup) (4) NEMA 5-15R (Surge Protection)
Battery Run Time: Typical Backup Time at Half Load :13.5 minutes (165 Watts) Typical Backup
Time at Full Load
Battery Recharge Time: 24 hour(s)
Approvals: cUL Listed,FCC Part 15 Class B,FCC Part 68,NOM,UL 1778,UL 497A,UL 497B
Data Line Protection: RJ-11 Modem/Fax/DSL protection
Model #: BE550R
Item #: N82E16842101088
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Original Price: $69.99
You Save: $7.00
3 Business Day Shipping $20.05
Your Price:$62.99
Of course, shipping may increase the price. If you could find this model at your local retailer this would be good.
Just a suggestion, feel free to explore. You would need to check insurance policies for this product and also your home insurance policy.
So if you do get one, you can make good use of it. Don't plug in your washing machine into it though.
I believe the money is very well spent. You may notice several times a year in which you may have accidentally hit a power switch off which is connected to your desktop, a mains line tripping, power outages due to storms, lightning, etc.
I did that last week at work. I was at a computer and stretched my legs out and POOF the whole rig went off. "That must have been the switch on the power strip..."
I did that last week at work. I was at a computer and stretched my legs out and POOF the whole rig went off. "That must have been the switch on the power strip..."
Lol yup that happens especially with so much crap and wire mess under the tables.
Thanks to all, I think the consensus is that a UPS is a good investment. In the NW where I used to live the power didn't even flicker in 10 years (reliable hydro-electric). Here in FL (lightening capital of the US) power flickers and shut downs are a daily occurrence. I also thought that because of that a UPS with voltage regulation (smoothing) would be a good idea because peak demands like summertime AC etc. trigger brownouts which can alter line voltage but not necessarily abruptly. I know this happens because I visited an FAA repair station and they had a big refrigerator size unit because they repair avionics and must have a reliable constant source.
Yes, Florida being equatorial would have very drastic weather. Particularly if you believe in climate change and global warming.
bbwi you seem to be missing the point of the UPS. The main point of which is to keep your Mac running when the power sags. Where I live we get so many power bumps my computer would flicker off dozens of times a year if it weren't a laptop with a battery. Not much fun when you're trying to get work done.
I guess I was confused since you said you wanted "voltage regulation" and didn't mention needing the battery backup. I thought some Geek was trying to up sell you
Yes, Florida being equatorial would have very drastic weather. Particularly if you believe in climate change and global warming.
You left out the Easter Bunny.
I guess I was confused since you said you wanted "voltage regulation" and didn't mention needing the battery backup. I thought some Geek was trying to up sell you
That's why the APC ones are nice. Good voltage regulation, and a model I got for about $100+ USD equivalent, lets my overclocked PC and monitor, say about 300+W run for about 15 minutes on battery alone.
Well I just pulled the trigger on a CyberPower 685AVR for $72 w/free shipping at Amazon. Good reviews and what sold me was the fact that when connected via USB to a Mac, it is managed by system software. I have an APC brand at work and would have preferred a known brand, but to get voltage regulation the cheapest APC was around $110 for the LS700. Will post my experiences with it later. Thanks to all.
So what really drives you is price. For 38 bucks I would rather have the peace of mind that comes with a known quantity. YMMV
Well I just pulled the trigger on a CyberPower 685AVR for $72 w/free shipping at Amazon. Good reviews and what sold me was the fact that when connected via USB to a Mac, it is managed by system software. I have an APC brand at work and would have preferred a known brand, but to get voltage regulation the cheapest APC was around $110 for the LS700. Will post my experiences with it later. Thanks to all.
The system software which works with a Mac might be quite cool actually... I see for that model it might be compatible with the OS X Energy Saver UPS panel.