Originally posted by: nwrigley Using the APC selector tool it recommends a UPS 500VA or higher. I really don't care about how long it can run off the battery since I would just shut it down as soon as it kicked on. I do want a model with Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR), as this is as important to me as the battery backup feature.
Are higher priced models with the same VA rating better at powering that same system (my thinking is along the lines of how not every PSU with the same wattage rating is the same)?
Do I need to connect a UPS directly to my computer (USB or serial) or can I configure the computer to shut down automatically with a low battery under XP Pro (such as with a laptop)?
I'm no expert but I couldn't see an advantage for my home PCs in shelling out more for SmartUps vs Backups LS. The LS has AVR, I'm pretty sure. I don't think there is any quality difference between 500 and 700 in the LS series. I've found though, that like hard drive size my needs only grow over time as i add more peripherals, monitors, etc. that I had not planned.
I don't know about configuring Windows to shut down automatically, but the APC units come with software that that connects the UPS to the PC with USB. It's a nice program that you can configure to shtdown your computer 5 minutes after power goes down, 10 minutes, etc., and it keeps a log so you can see if there were short lived power events when you weren't around.
I bought on LS unit with the Trade-ups program and another in a special 2 for 1 deal they had at the time. They are often available refurb, too and I wouldn't have a problem with that, personally.