We purchased an APC gaming UPS so our reviewer could test it.
A UPS can protect valuable equipment from power outages. Whether you’re in an addicting multiplayer game, a boss fight, or even in the midst of an important unsaved job, the last thing you want is to lose everything to a blackout or burnout.
The APC 1500VA Gaming Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is designed to keep you up and running long enough to restore power in the event of brief power outages and outages, giving you time to safely shut down your equipment and preserve your precious data and hard drives. To find out if this UPS is a worthwhile addition to a gamer’s collection, I spent two weeks testing the APC 1500VA gaming UPS, paying close attention to its design, installation, process, ports, connectivity, and performance.
Design: fits the player
APC 1500VA Gaming UPS provides a smooth gaming atmosphere and seamlessly integrates into most computers and game consoles. It comes in two colors, midnight and arctic, and has an LCD screen surrounded by an RGB ballast circle that doubles as a light indicator. Quickly report any power changes and how much charge is left in the UPS.
The customizable RGB lighting on the ballast rim matches any RGB light on the device or peripherals, and there is an additional RGB light on the back of the UPS to provide a glow. The lights make the UPS appear to be part of your setup. An easy to use button on the front changes the RGB colors. Since the ring acts as a light, it changes color during power outages to indicate the percentage of battery left.
The backlight improves visibility and illuminates the sockets, making connections easier. Aside from the lighting and the display, the design is relatively simple. There is sufficient ventilation around the UPS, which promotes good air circulation. There are a few buttons on the front – a power button, a menu button, a mute button, and a button to activate RGB lighting – and the ports are all on the back (except for the device’s three charging ports). Controllers and phones located on the front of the device). The screen is tilted for optimal viewing, but it is not a touchscreen.
The UPS is 11.4 inches long and 4.2 inches wide, so it will fit most cubbies. At nearly 26 pounds, you may not want to get used to moving it from room to room. Overall, the design of the APC 1500VA gaming UPS satisfies both form and function.
Ports: Multiple ports for peripherals
The APC 1500VA has enough ports and sockets to replace the existing surge protector under the desk. A total of 10 outlets are available, six of them with battery backup and surge protection, while four additional outlets offer surge protection only.
The sockets are arranged in five rows on each side, which means there is a backup battery socket on the side of the surge protector. I found this a little annoying because I had to pay more attention to make sure my devices were plugged in in the right places. A formation of four / six would have been better.
Remember that the more devices you connect to the battery backup outputs, the less time and power you have during outages. Oddly, there is a switch in the center of the sockets that I accidentally touch when I plug in appliances. This is not the best position for this button.
The front of the device has three well-placed USB charging ports: one USB-C and two USB-A. This provides easy access to the charging ports for controllers or phones. Also included are surge-protected coaxial ports and a 1GB data line that prevents surges from traveling through Ethernet cables and cables, further protecting your devices?
Installation process: simple, options for more advanced configuration
The APC 1500VA Gaming UPS is very easy to set up, but there is one important step that can make or break the experience: connecting the battery. Smaller UPS units may not require a battery connector before connecting the UPS, but larger UPS units are usually shipped with the battery connector disconnected.
Often UPS units have a large, clear message right on the device, but the APC Gaming UPS did not have such a message. It is in the instructions, but there was no notification directly on the device. If you do not connect the connector or connect it incorrectly, it can be dangerous. Connect the battery by sliding the battery cover out, lifting the battery with the provided jacks, connecting the bare cable and sliding the cover back on. It’s an easy step and you don’t need any tools, but it’s an incredibly important step.
Installation proceeds by plugging the UPS into a regular outlet, then plugging the devices into the outlets and ports on the back of the UPS, making sure the devices you want a backup battery for are plugged into the marked outlets and you just want to plug the surge protector into the properly marked outlets as well. You can also connect coaxial or Ethernet cables from the wall to the UPS and then to a modem or router, or in the case of Ethernet, to a computer, console or router.
Once connected, you can leave everything as it is and play knowing your device is protected. Some additional features are available if you wish to take advantage of them through the available APC Power Chute Personal Edition software.
If you choose to use Power Chute PC software, you can use features such as self-test, hibernation, and OS Master Shutdown, which automatically shuts down your computer in the event of a power outage, keeping your computer safe even when you’re not at home.
Connectivity: some smart features
The APC 1500VA Gaming UPS is relatively simple in terms of connectivity, there really aren’t many smart features or Wi-Fi connections. The only way to communicate with the device, other than the external LCD panel, is to use the Power Chute software, which is only available for PC.
The package includes a USB data port cable to connect the UPS to a computer, and when using the software, you can view device status, performance summaries, test results, and similar results. The main attraction of the software is its ability to automatically shut down the computer, which is an incredibly important feature for PC users.
The package contained a sheet with a QR code, which initially led me to believe that I could download and use the APC app. This was misleading as I was frustrated to see that the QR code was only for support and not for additional connectivity.
Performance: getting the job done
Performance is the essence of UPS. After all, its job is to prevent data loss and catastrophic system damage under worst-case conditions. The APC 1500VA Gaming UPS features Sine Wave and AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulation) to optimize performance and potentially even extend the life of your equipment. It also holds up pretty well during testing, with a few caveats.
Final judgment
A stylish choice for gamers.
The APC Gaming UPS looks and works well, but lacks some smart features and connectivity. It’s a handy device, with which the gaming computer and monitor work for about 30 minutes, but the office full of devices only for a short time. However, it is a good option for players who want peace of mind.