A reliable UPS acts as your gaming PC’s guardian angel, shielding it from power fluctuations, surges, and unexpected outages. At the same time, it provides you with enough time to save your game and gracefully shut down your system. Taking that into account, here are the best UPS for gaming PCs.
Amazon Basics Standby UPS
- Power: 600VA
- Max Output: 360W
- Total Outlets: 8
- USB Port: No
- Built-in Display: No
If you have a budget gaming PC, the Amazon Basics Standby UPS is an ideal choice. The UPS delivers a maximum supported output of 360W, providing ample power to drive most budget gaming PCs effortlessly. It has eight outlets, four of which are surge-protected/battery-backup outlets, while the others are standard surge-protected outlets.
It’s a compact UPS, and you can easily hide it underneath your desk or behind your PC cabinet. Note that the UPS emits a loud beep when operating on battery power. Additionally, it does not initiate an automatic restart once power is restored. Nevertheless, these inconveniences are minor. Considering the price, the Amazon Basics UPS still represents a great deal.
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See Also: 6 Best UPS for PS5
CyberPower EC850LCD
- Power: 850VA
- Max Output: 510W
- Total Outlets: 12
- USB Port: No
- Built-in Display: Yes
If you prefer a bit more power or desire a slightly extended run time, consider the CyberPower EC850LCD. This budget UPS effortlessly propels your budget gaming PC with its maximum output of 510W. It bundles 12 outlets, with an equal distribution of battery backup and surge-protected outlets.
Interestingly, three of these outlets are ECO-controlled, which automatically shut off power when they detect that the PC is in sleep mode. As a result, you will save power and cut down your electricity bills. The LCD displaying info about battery runtime and input voltage is the cherry on top.
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APC UPS BVK1200M2
- Power: 1200VA
- Max Output: 650W
- Total Outlets: 8
- USB Port: Yes, 2
- Built-in Display: No
The APC BVK1200M2 is a popular pick when you go looking for a gaming PC UPS, and for good reason. It delivers good output, has all the safety features, and is quite compact. Aside from the eight outlets, this UPS brings a USB-A port and a USB-C port. Cool, right? Also, improving upon the Amazon Basics Standby UPS, the APC BVK1200M2 UPS comes with auto-restart functionality.
Unlike the CyberPower EC850LCD, the APC BVK1200M2 has no built-in display. However, it makes up for it by offering a seamless connection to your PC. You can then install the company’s PowerChute Software for easy monitoring and energy management of your UPS. As for the battery backup, APC claims you can expect around 30 mins of backup at 50% load, which is pretty great.
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APC UPS BX1500M
- Power: 1500VA
- Max Output: 900W
- Total Outlets: 10
- USB Port: No
- Built-in Display: Yes
The BX1500M boasts APC’s legendary build quality and proven track record. It has a 1500VA capacity, ensuring that even high-performance gaming rigs stay powered up during unexpected outages. It also features an Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR), which shields your gaming PC from potential voltage-related issues.
Regarding battery management, the APC UPS BX1500M excels and is suitable for most PC gamers. The user-replaceable and hot-swappable battery feature enhances convenience and ensures minimal downtime. At the same time, it bundles 10 outlets and an LCD panel that provides real-time information ports. There are no USB ports on offer here, though you can choose to spend a bit more on the APC BR1500MS2 if that matters to you.
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CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
- Power: 1500VA
- Max Output: 1000W
- Total Outlets: 12
- USB Port: Yes, 2
- Built-in Display: Yes
CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD offers a combination of clean power delivery, ample backup, intelligent battery management, a user-friendly interface, and gamer-centric features. This makes it a compelling choice for any battle-hardened PC warrior. Moreover, you get the bells and whistles like a color LCD display, Automatic Voltage Regulation, and USB-A & USB-C ports.
At the heart of its appeal is the Pure Sine Wave output, a crucial feature for safeguarding sensitive electronic equipment like gaming PCs. Unlike simulated sine wave UPS, the CP1500PFCLCD delivers a clean and consistent power flow, minimizing the risk of potential damage to high-performance gaming rigs. If you want even more control, you can connect the UPS to your PC via CyberPower’s PowerPanel software.
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CyberPower OR2200PFCRT2U
- Power: 2000VA
- Max Output: 1540W
- Total Outlets: 8
- USB Port: No
- Built-in Display: Yes
If you own a powerful PC, it makes sense to get a powerful UPS like the CyberPower OR2200PFCRT2U. Unlike most gaming-focused UPS options, the OR2200PFCRT2U packs a serious punch. Its 2200VA capacity and 1540W output power can keep even the most demanding gaming rigs humming happily during an outage. Like the one above, it also delivers pure sine wave power.
There are a couple of things to note here, though. First, it’s quite expensive, so make sure that you require this much power. Second, the OR2200PFCRT2U is a 2KVA UPS. As such, it requires a lot of current to be pulled from a single 120V plug. While it doesn’t give you hours of battery backup, you will have enough time to end the mission, save your progress, and shut down your PC safely.
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Do I Need a UPS for My Gaming PC?
A UPS doesn’t just provide battery backup. Most UPS can act as a surge protector for your gaming PC coupled with AVR. These can help protect your PC from damage caused by power surges, effectively extending the lifespan of your PC components and peripherals.
How to Choose UPS for a Gaming PC?
There are multiple factors to consider when choosing a UPS battery backup for a gaming PC. The first thing to note is the size of your PC’s power supply or PSU. The UPS should have a capacity that is equal to the wattage of your power supply.
Secondly, you need to figure out how much battery backup you want. You can get away with a smaller UPS if you only need a few minutes of backup power to save your work. However, you will need a larger UPS if you need more time to shut down your computer properly. Or a UPS with an external battery pack.
Apart from this, some UPSs also have additional features. These include a USB port for charging devices, or a network port for keeping your internet connection up during a power outage. If these features are important to you, you will need to factor them into your decision. Lastly, it’s always nice to get a warranty for your UPS. Some brands even offer a warranty for the connected equipment, so keep an eye out for the same.
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Last updated on 10 May, 2024
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