How to select the best UPS for your needs

UPSs are an essential component of the “new normal” work from home environment. 

It has never been more important to safeguard critical home and small office applications with an uninterruptible power system (UPS). Due to the increasing number of professionals working from home, along with the widespread use of online learning and the increasing popularity of eSports, many utility companies are struggling to support the proliferation of power-hungry devices in households. As a result, electronic equipment is more vulnerable than ever to harmful surges and power cuts.

A UPS with surge protection is one of the most simple and cost-effective investment that can prevent data loss and equipment damage during a blackout or surge. It seamlessly switches to battery mode and continues to power connected equipment until the disruption is resolved or you're able to safely shut down your devices.

To assist you in finding the best UPS solution for your needs, we have compiled the following 9 buying tips:

Even a brief power surge or outage can cause serious damage to sensitive electronic equipment in homes and small offices, with sudden shutdowns corrupting files and damaging or destroying household electronic devices. But it is not just your PCs, routers, modems, small servers, switches and storage devices that need protecting. UPSs are also ideal for protecting a wide range of other home devices such as televisions, gaming consoles, home theatre solutions and security systems. 

A small, inexpensive UPS can keep home Wi-Fi and Internet systems online during short outages or power cuts, while more advanced models can allow home office equipment and workstations to remain operational during office hours, or at least long enough to save work in progress and shut it down safely. The same applies to gaming PCs and video consoles, where the use of an UPS prevents gamers from losing their hard-earned progress or getting early-quit penalties.

2 - Consider the level of protection you need

Different UPS topologies offer various levels of protection against power problems. Selecting the most suitable UPS for your home or office applications depends on your budget, equipment and environment. Standby and line-interactive UPS systems properly support and protect your small office/home office (SOHO) applications, whether you are working, enjoying a movie on TV or simply playing your favorite game online.

Standby or off-line UPSs allow equipment to run on mains power while providing surge protection and switches to battery mode  in the event of a power failure or blackout, making them ideal for equipment such as LED monitors, docking stations, modems and routers.

Line-interactive UPSs regulate the voltage by boosting or decreasing the mains voltage as needed before passing it on to the protected equipment, making them suitable for high-end PCs and other valuable, sensitive electronics in areas with unstable power supplies or frequent storms.

3 - Add up the watts

Most home and office UPSs are rated between 450 and 2200 VA and are designed to fit standard household outlets. While a UPS is rated in both volt-amperes (VA) and watts, the watts measurement is the key rating because it represents the amount of real power available. It's important to understand the relationship between watts and VA to correctly size an uninterruptible power system. For more information on the topic, please visit this page.

To prevent overload during an outage, a UPS must support the total maximum wattage rating for each of the connected devices. Refer to the manufacturer's documentation or nameplate of each device to determine its wattage. To account for fluctuating power demands and leave a margin for error during operation, choose a UPS with an output capacity (VA) rating that is 20% higher than the estimated power requirements of your connected equipment. You should also consider leaving room for future expansion. For more information on how wattage affects UPS runtime, please visit our battery runtimes page.

4 - Make sure the UPS has enough outlet receptacles

When selecting an UPS system, it is crucial to ensure that it has enough output sockets to accommodate all your equipment. The recently improved 3S Gen2 UPS features 6 or 8 output sockets, half of which have surge and battery protection and the other half surge protection only. In addition, the 3S Gen2 700VA and 850VA models come equipped with 2 extra 2A USB ports to charge any of your mobile devices (mobile phone, tablet, etc.), even during power outages.

A UPS system needs space to properly dissipate heat, so it is important not to install the unit in a confined area or enclosed space. If space is a concern, consider the sleek design of an UPS with surge protection, such as our 3P Ellipse, whose with its slim form factor allows it to easily fit into small spaces, with the convenient option of using it as a tower or as a desktop monitor stand. 

7 - Want to see the UPS status at a glance?

When comparing UPS models for home use, be sure to check the warranty. How long does it last? Does it cover both the UPS and its batteries? Is shipping included? Are the batteries replaceable by the user?​ Eaton products come with an industry-leading, comprehensive warranty that covers both the UPS unit and its batteries. And for even more protection, check out our extended warranty plans that include standard replacements and repairs of electronic parts and batteries together with professional helpline support. 

9 - Add another layer of protection with software

UPS battery backups are designed to protect connected equipment from power anomalies and provide a backup source during a power failure. However, if power is not restored before the battery is depleted, they cannot provide any further protection. By pairing an Eaton UPS with Eaton's UPS Companion, data loss can be avoided. The software allows easy configuration of the shutdown parameters and user-friendly access to the UPS settings.