Uninterrupted Power Supplies (UPS) allow you preserve your equipment, and prevent data loss when the electricity goes out. Acting as a fancy power bar, it has a built-in rechargeable battery that can give you some 10-15 minutes of power in case of a power failure, enough to save your files safely, and shut down your computer.

I own two APC Back-UPS. The first one has a LCD screen and plugs in the computer via USB to provide better control and cooperation between the two. I plug in my desktop computer, USB drive, and anything valuable on this one. The second is smaller and I use it more for laptops and smaller peripherals.

APC products at Adorama

The ones I have are similar to these two (Adorama links):

  • APC 1500V Power Saving Back-UPS Pro, 865W
  • APC 550VA Back-UPS with 8 Outlet Surge Protector and Battery Backup, 330W