REVIEW: APC Back-UPS ES (BE325-UK)
American Power Conversion’s (APC) Back-UPS ES is the company’s best value product for protecting your home office computer system from power outages. The major benefit of the weighty (4kg) charcoal-coloured unit is that it provides battery backup power that allows you to work and save files through short power outages. It also safeguards your equipment from damaging surges and spikes that travel along your utility and phone lines (coax cable surge protection is also included on selected models).
The Back-UPS ES is available in a range of models. The differences between each model boils down to how many devices you want to protect at one given time, plus the estimated runtime you require based on different power draws (i.e. 200W, 300W, 400W and so on).
For instance, in the event of complete power failure the entry-level 50-Watt (230V Output/230V Input) model reviewed here (£41.80) has a typical backup time at half load of 11 minutes (92.5Watts) from a full recharge time of 24 hours - dropping to 2.9 minutes at full load (185Watts). Generally speaking, each model gives just enough time to save a document and shut down your computer and other attached peripherals safely.
What’s particularly neat about the Back-UPS ES is that it offers both battery-protected and surge-only outlets. Each reserves power capacity and run time for connected equipment that require battery backup while providing surge only protection for less critical equipment. Power conditioning protects connected loads from surges, spikes, lightning, and other power disturbances, while data line surge protection provides protection of connected equipment from power surges on the data lines. For further piece of mind, APC offers a ‘Lifetime’ data recovery warranty in the event data is lost due to the failure of the unit (not available on all models).
APC has been making UPSs for years now, so it knows the market very well. The BE325-UK is a nice entry-level product particularly well suited to home workers. It’s a relatively compact unit (at least for a UPS!), is easy to hook up, and doesn’t require any computer software.
Additional features like audible alarms, an LED status indicator, user replaceable battery, push-button circuit breakers and transformer-block spaced outlets make the Back-UPS ES a cost-effective unit to protect your productivity from the threat of power outages and lost data. The only downsides are that it provides power backup on only two of the four power outlets and the warranty requires the whole unit be sent to APC, which would be costly due to the weight. For individuals who don’t need a whole lot of outlets and power autonomy, the BE325-UK would make a good choice. [7]
