The 9 Best UPS Battery Backups of 2023

When the power goes out, an uninterruptible power supply lets you keep working

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more.

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a big battery that kicks in when the power goes out. We will focus on testing smaller desktop models that give you enough power for a desktop PC and leave the whole-house models to other experts.

If you need a UPS, buy the APC Back-UPS Pro 1500VA. It has a big enough battery to save your work and safely shut down without having to panic.

Amazon

LCD display

Numerous outlets

Small footprint

Hot swappable batteries

No USB Port

Large and in charge

Our reviewer, Jeremy, tested the APC Back-UPS Pro 1500 with his own equipment (a desktop computer and monitor) and found it had more than enough power to allow him to wrap up what he was doing, save all of his work, and properly shut down his computer.

While this APC model has 10 outlets, only five of them are connected to the battery (the other five do have surge protection, though). We feel five outlets should cover most setups adequately. This unit is vertically oriented, so while it doesn't have a large footprint, it will resemble a computer tower.

You could buy this one without reading the rest of our list and know you got a solid, reliable unit.

Outlets: 5 battery, 5 surge-protected | Battery backup power: 1500VA/865W | Sine Wave: Simulated

The APC Back-UPS Pro 1500 is a fairly utilitarian device, but it comes with a little LCD screen that shows vital information like your input voltage, battery status, and the current load, which is a nice touch. While simulating a power outage by flipping a circuit breaker in the house, the UPS immediately kept my computer running with plenty of time to save my work and shut down. This device is also capable of delivering over 800 watts of power, so you can safely charge any device at the same speed you would normally experience by plugging the same charger directly into a wall outlet. It's a bit expensive, but it's a great battery backup for medium applications. — Jeremy Laukkonen, Product Tester

Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen

Amazon

Lots of outlets

Inexpensive

Documentation is sparse

The Tripp Lite AVR750U is an affordable unit for very modest uses. Despite its smaller battery, the Tripp Lite will still give you enough time to save your work and shut down safely.

Keep in mind: If you decide to go this route, the Trip Lite lays on the floor horizontally, so it takes up more space than you might be used to.

Outlets: 6 battery, 6 surge-protected | Battery backup power: 750VA/450W | Sine Wave: Simulated in battery backup mode, pure in standard mode

Walmart

Easy to use

Small footprint

Inexpensive

Low power output

No LCD screen

The APC Back-UPS 425VA UPS is our favorite budget option, and not only because of the clever name. The Back-UPS is designed to keep some low-power devices online when the power goes out. It won't keep a desktop PC going, but it can keep you connected when you need it the most.

It's small enough to keep on your desk if you want. There's no LCD screen, which is something we always like to see on a UPS, but if you have just a few smaller devices to power, this UPS can get the job done.

Outlets: 4 battery, 2 surge-protected | Battery backup power: 425VA/225W | Sine Wave: Simulated

Amazon

LCD panel

Eco mode

Twelve outlets

Short-term power

This CyberPower EC850LCD is a UPS like the others on this list, but it has a trick up its sleeve. Three outlets (of the 12) shut down their output when the CyberPower unit detects the device that's plugged in is in standby or vampire mode. That can end up saving you real money.

So, the EC850LCD is a pretty modest unit, but it will allow you to save your work and safely shut down.

Outlets: 6 battery, 3 surge-protected, 3 Eco | Battery backup power: 850VA/510W | Sine Wave: Simulated

Amazon

Tiltable LCD panel

USB ports

Pricey

The Cyberpower CP1500PFCLCD has a lot of what we like to see in a UPS. Its vertical orientation makes for a smaller footprint. The LCD screen tilts up to 22 degrees so it's more easily readable from the floor, and it displays a lot of information like wattage and remaining runtime. Speaking of runtime, at 1,000W, you'll get 83 minutes.

There are 12 plugs on the back of the tower. Six of those are battery backup plugs and the other six have only surge protection. You'll also find a USB-A and USB-C plug for charging your mobile devices. It's a little on the expensive side, but we like this as a solid pickup for mid-sized computer systems.

Outlets: 6 battery, 6 surge-protected | Battery backup power: 1500VA/1000W | Sine Wave: Pure

Amazon

Remote monitoring

Power to spare

Green mode

Very expensive

Very heavy

Whoa, a new player has joined the game. There is very little chance a regular home computer user needs this big, beefy UPS, but if you run a small office or a small server then stop right here.

If that server is not in your office, then you can take advantage of the software that lets you control the APC UPS 2200VA remotely. Keep in mind these two points: It's 100 pounds and costs around $1,000. But it's hard to believe this off-the-shelf unit won't meet your needs.

Outlets: 8 battery and surge protected, 2 surge-protected | Battery backup power: 2200VA/1980W | Sine Wave: Pure

Amazon

Widely spaced plugs

Vertical orientation

Short runtime

While a UPS can be useful for keeping a computer alive and working, for those of us working on laptops, keeping the internet up is just as important. The Cyperpower CP800AVR is designed for keeping your networking gear up and running.

There are four plugs with battery backup and an additional four plugs with surge protection. The outlets are nicely spaced out so you can plug devices in with larger plugs (such as those that come with routers and modems). Automatic voltage regulation can fix minor power fluctuations without fully kicking in the battery power. That's better for your power consumption and overall battery health. You can stand the UPS up or lay it down, depending on what's best for you.

Outlets: 4 battery and surge protected, 4 surge-protected | Battery backup power: 800VA/450W | Sine Wave: Simulated

Amazon

Low price

Small size

Seven outlets

Some plugs not spaced out

If you're working at home, in a dorm, or someplace where space is at a premium, a compact UPS is just what the doctor ordered. Our reviewer Jeremy noted the UPS "switches to battery backup so fast that I never lost my internet connection." That's an important consideration, especially if you're working from home.

This is designed to sit on a table, which gives you easy access to your plugs. Some of the plugs are pretty close together, while others are spaced apart, so you'll need to put some thought into plug placement with this unit. There's also a USB-A port for charging your mobile devices. That's a nice addition, but in 2023, we'd like to see a USB-C port here.

Outlets: 5 battery and surge protected, 2 surge-protected | Battery backup power: 600VA/330W | Sine Wave: Simulated

For smaller UPS devices like this one, this is my preferred form factor. The outlets are all easy to reach, and the unit can fit nicely on an end table or bookshelf if you aren't using it at your computer desk. The battery compartment cover slides off easily, and the battery itself also pops out without issue. The spacing of the outlets is a little less satisfying, as some of them are quite close together, and others are quite far apart. While it's a plus that there's a USB port for charging devices, it's sluggish, and some devices may not charge at all due to consuming power at a faster rate than the port can supply. — Jeremy Laukkonen, Product Tester

Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen

Amazon

RGB lighting

Lots of ports

Large battery

Expensive

Nothing says "gamer" like a UPS with built-in RGB lighting and 900W of power. The APC Gaming UPS brings exactly that with 10 total outlets. There are five outlets with battery backup and five with just surge protection.

Our reviewer, Erica, fired up a mid-range gaming PC and LCD monitor and pulled only 14 percent of the capacity, which lasted around 40 minutes, including 30 minutes of gaming. That's more than enough to finish up your game, save, and shut down.

The software for the APC also allows some neat tricks like automatic power shut down of your computer in the event of a power loss. Our reviewer had a storm knock out her power, and she was pleased to find when she woke the next morning that the computer had shut itself down.

If you have a high-end gaming rig, the last thing you want is for a power loss to mess up anything. This gives you peace of mind that even if you're away, your PC will be just fine.

Outlets: 6 battery backup, 4 surge-protected | Battery backup power: 1500VA/900W | Sine Wave: Pure

The APC Gaming UPS is stylish. The customizable RGB lighting on the reactor circle can match any RGB lighting you have on your rig or peripherals, and there's an additional RGB light on the back of the UPS that provides a glow. The backlighting helps with visibility, illuminating the plugs to make connections easier. The UPS provides basic connectivity options but lacks smart features or Wi-Fi. It did an excellent job of taking over the power without a hitch, and it started making a beeping noise to alert me that the power was off. A full charge takes about 14 to 16 hours according to the product documentation, and I found that to be pretty accurate. — Erika Rawes, Product Tester

Lifewire / Erika Rawes

Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen

When buying a UPS, the most important factor to consider is its compatibility with the power supply. Before hooking anything up, check what your devices require and make sure there's a match.

Generally, you don't need a UPS to last too long but it should be sufficient to start a standby power source or properly shut down the protected equipment. Some run for just a few minutes, while others will provide power all night long. Depending on your needs, make sure the on-battery runtime is ample.

"A good run time for (a UPS) is relative to the load (Watts) of devices powered by UPS. You want enough time to be able to safely shut off your systems or enough time to replace a power cable. You can also use external batteries for added runtime." — Aaron Johnson, senior product manager at ATEN

How many devices will you need to connect to your UPS? Some can accommodate as many as 12 devices, while others top out at just two. Some also provide USB ports, but not all.

Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen

Some UPS devices are made for home or business use, while others are built for travel and the outdoors. If you’ll need to take your device with you, you’ll want something with a more portable design that can fit in a handbag easily. You might even want a solar charging port so that you aren't entirely dependent on electricity.

"Remote monitoring gives the homeowner the ability to remotely monitor the status of the UPS, know if it is charging (power is on and the UPS is available to protect) or if there is a power disruption and the UPS is providing backup power. It can also provide notifications of state (discharging or charging) and time left of protection, real-time power consumption, voltage-current draw all via email or SMS." — Sean Dion, owner of Mr. Electric

This answer is largely dependent on what devices your UPS will be supporting and for how long. If you're hooking up a couple of desktop computers or a home entertainment system, you can typically get away with a 750 VA battery backup, which will give you ample time to save your work and shut down your devices properly without incident. However, for commercial setups like server farms, you'll need something quite a bit larger. Something closer to a 2200 VA backup can provide ample insurance to even the most power-hungry tech.

Not all UPS have replaceable or "hot-swappable" batteries. But unless you need to have your UPS remain on battery power for an extended period, having "hot-swappable" batteries isn't entirely necessary, and the lifespan for a typical battery can be anywhere from 3 to 5 years, meaning you shouldn't have to replace your battery very often. However, this isn't standard for every UPS.

Just about any appliance can benefit from being connected to a UPS, but items that should absolutely be tethered to a UPS are any sensitive electronics. These can be TVs, home theater receivers, or computer desktops. While a UPS can effectively act as a power strip for any appliance, prioritizing anything that might be damaged by abruptly losing power will let you get the most out of your UPS. Some other use cases for a UPS include electronics that should not lose power for any reason, like fish tanks, home security systems, cordless phones tied to a landline.

Anything you plug into the wall with a plug runs on alternating current or AC. For a battery to power a device designed for alternating current, it must provide power in a sine wave. A pure sine wave, which has a much cleaner output, is suitable for sensitive electronics like newer TVs, servers, computers, audio equipment, and appliances that use an AC motor, like refrigerators or microwaves. Older TVs, water pumps, and motors with brushes can use modified sine wave output because they're not as sensitive. With modified or stepped sine wave output, motors will run hotter, and devices like computers will run less efficiently. For a UPS typically used for computer equipment, we recommend using a battery backup that produces a pure sine wave whenever possible. If you lose power infrequently and you're on a budget, you can probably get away with a modified sine wave, but we recommend shutting down your computer as quickly as possible in the event of a power loss.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day