UPS Buying Guide
Choose the right battery backup for your home or business.
Find the Perfect UPS
Not sure which UPS is right for you? This guide walks you through everything you need to know — from sizing and features to choosing between home and enterprise solutions.
APC by Schneider Electric
20+ million installations worldwide
Protecting 500+ Fortune companies
What is an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)?
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) offers guaranteed power protection for connected electronics. When power is interrupted, or fluctuates outside safe levels, a UPS will instantly provide clean battery backup power and surge protection for plugged-in, sensitive equipment.
APC, our flagship brand, offers UPS options for computers, peripherals, networks, servers, as well as data centers and facilities.
Need help choosing a UPS battery backup?
Use our UPS Selector to receive a customized UPS battery backup recommendation for your home or business.
Launch UPS SelectorInstant Battery Backup
When utility power fails, a UPS switches to battery in milliseconds — keeping your equipment running and your data safe.
Why Do You Need a UPS in Your Home or Business?
The electronic devices you rely on every day for communication, security, and entertainment are at risk for damage and failure due to unexpected blackouts, voltage fluctuations, or other power disruptions. A UPS provides battery backup power and protection for:
- Routers & Modems
- Computers
- Televisions
- Security Systems
- Gaming Consoles
- Mobile Devices
Downtime caused by power outages is frustrating for anyone, but can be financially crippling for a business. Every year, billions of dollars are lost due to preventable power disruptions.
For Fortune 1000 companies:
- Average annual unplanned downtime cost: $1.25–$2.5 billion
- Average hourly infrastructure failure: $100,000
- Critical application failure: $500,000–$1 million/hr
Small to medium-sized businesses may be at most financial risk due to a limited ability to generate revenue during downtime.
Network & Server SolutionsWhat Size UPS Do You Need?
Electronics have both maximum watt ratings and maximum volt-ampere (VA) ratings. Neither rating may be exceeded by the attached equipment. Watts measure real power drawn by the equipment, while volt-amps are the product of the voltage applied to the equipment times the current drawn by the equipment.
For computers and UPS units, watt and VA ratings can differ significantly, although VA rating is always equal to or larger than watt rating. The ratio of watts to VA is called the "power factor" and is expressed either as a number (i.e. 0.8) or a percentage (i.e. 80%).
Rule of Thumb: Your UPS should have an Output Watt Capacity 20–25% higher than the total power drawn by any attached equipment.
Runtime refers to the amount of time a UPS will be able to power its attached equipment in the event of a power disruption. The more equipment you have plugged in to your UPS, the less runtime you will have, so it's important to make sure your UPS is only providing backup power to your most critical equipment.
Not Sure What Size?
Our UPS Selector helps you find the right capacity based on your exact power requirements.
Launch UPS SelectorKey Features When Choosing a UPS System
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User-Replaceable Batteries
Increases availability by allowing trained users to perform battery upgrades and replacements.
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Surge-Only Outlets
Protect secondary electronics from surges without reducing battery power for primary equipment.
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Building Wiring Fault Indicator
LED indicator that informs users of potentially dangerous wiring problems in wall circuits.
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Transformer-Block Spaced Outlets
Protect equipment without blocking access to other receptacles.
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Automatic Self-Test
Periodic battery check ensures early detection of batteries needing replacement.
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Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR)
Corrects low and high voltage conditions without using the battery.
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Pure Sine-Wave Output on Battery
Simulates utility power for the highest compatibility with active PFC servers and sensitive electronics.
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SmartSlot
Customizes UPS capabilities with network management cards.
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Scalable Runtime
Allows additional runtime via external battery packs.
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Power Conditioning
Protects connected loads from surges, spikes, lightning, and other power disturbances.
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Adjustable Voltage Transfer Points
Maximize battery life by widening the input voltage window or tightening output voltage regulation.
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Temperature-Compensated Battery Charging
Prolongs battery life by regulating charge voltage according to battery temperature.
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Intelligent Battery Management
Maximizes battery performance, life, and reliability through precision charging.
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Predictive Failure Notifications
Early-warning fault analysis for proactive component replacement.
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Plug-and-Play External Batteries
Ensure clean, uninterrupted power when adding extra runtime to a UPS.
What Power Conditions Will a UPS Protect Against?
Many power problems originate in the commercial power grid, which, with its thousands of miles of transmission lines, is subject to damage from weather variations such as hurricanes, lightning storms, snow, ice, and flooding, as well as equipment failure and traffic accidents.
For more information on the different types of power problems, please see our white paper: The Seven Types of Power Problems.
APC UPS Solutions for Every Environment
From home offices to enterprise data centers, APC has a power protection solution designed for your specific needs.
Home & Office Electronics
Battery backup and surge protection for computers, home networking, external storage, gaming, home servers, and more.
Networks & Servers
Power availability and management for entry-level to high performance servers, storage, and business networking systems.
Racks & Accessories
Enclosures, cable management, power distribution, and cooling solutions for your IT infrastructure.
UPS Replacement Batteries
Replacement battery cartridges (RBC) for Back-UPS, Smart-UPS, and Smart-UPS On-Line.
UPS Selector
Quickly and easily find the right UPS for your applications. Filter by capacity, form factor, and topology.
Need Help?
Start your sales inquiry online and an expert will connect with you. Toll free: 1-800-223-3574
Still Not Sure?
Our APC specialists have been helping customers find the right power protection for over 20 years. Whether you need help sizing a UPS, comparing models, or placing a bulk order — we're here to help.
- Same-day processing before 4:15 PM PST
- Authorized APC Reseller — genuine products only
- Toll Free: 1-800-223-3574
- Email: [email protected]
- APCGuard.com — A division of BlueAlly
The information provided in this UPS Buying Guide is for general informational purposes only. It is subject to change without notice and is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Different solutions address different needs; please contact an APC sales representative to discuss the best solution for your specific requirements.