Hey everyone! I'm considering upgrading to either a 4080 or 4070 soon and need some advice on what size UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to get. I live in an area that sees some pretty bad storms, so I'm looking for something that can protect my PC from power surges and give me a minute or two to shut everything down safely. My PSU is 1000W—would a 1000W UPS be sufficient for this?
3 Answers
Just a heads-up, not all UPS units advertise their capacity in watts—many list it in Volt-Amps (VA). You'll want to look for something around 1500VA for the best results. A 1000W load might not give you much extra time, but it should be enough to keep your PC safe during a power flicker. And don’t forget to budget for battery replacements every few years, usually about $70.
Wouldn't a simple surge protector be better if surges are my biggest concern? I don't do anything critical on my PC, mainly just want to avoid frying components.
Yeah, a 1000W UPS should work fine for your setup. You can expect to get around five minutes of runtime, which should be enough for a safe shutdown.
Just so you know, UPS systems aren't the best for surge protection. If that’s your main worry, you might want to stick with a high-quality surge protector. I use a powerline conditioner that works wonders!
What's the difference between a powerline conditioner and a standard surge protector? What brands do you recommend for both? Can you use both types for different protection against data loss and surges at the same time?
I've just had to replace the batteries on three of my UPS units after five years. I'm starting to reconsider if it's worth having my TV on a UPS too.