What is the best inverter to choose in 2023?

To protect your PC and other electrical devices during too-frequent power outages, investing in a power inverter may be the perfect solution. However, it is necessary to clarify all the gray areas around this product before making any investment. Here is our full comparison of the best inverters.

Current management is the archenemy of your device. With the resurgence of the energy crisis and all the problems it has created, it is necessary to find solutions to best protect your PC, TV and other appliances. The best solution for this is to invest in an inverter. which will become part of your object arsenal to save energy.

Before starting any further in this guide, it is necessary to elaborate a bit on the use of this product. This is not an independent electricity generator. The inverter takes over in terms of electricity to offer between 10 and 30 minutes of autonomy. Some of them have a surge protection function. Among the must-see elements, you should pay attention to the power you need. To do this, identify which device to connect and most importantly note the value in VA and not in Watts.

To better anticipate your purchase, we recommend that you take a look at our components guide for your desktop PC.

Eaton Ellipse ECO 1200 FR: our PC UPS recommendations

This model is offered in different configurations, but one that transmits 1200 VA or 750 Watts of power. In its construction there are 8 FR type sockets, three of which are connected to the backup battery while the last one is protected against overvoltage. The machine is 23 centimeters long and 26 centimeters high. You also have a USB socket and two Ethernet ports.

In terms of performance, Eaton Ellipse allows the PC to last 10 minutes while backing up your files. Off-line inverter to protect against interference on the voltage, but especially from lightning. Easy to install and most importantly fun every day. The inverter promises a maximum noise of 25 decibels. Finally, it can save 25% of your energy consumption.

The initial price of the product is displayed at 259 euros.

APC Back-UPS Pro: High end PC UPS

Are you looking for the best products available? In this regard, APC Back-UPS Pro is our recommended reference for the top of the range. This requires a fairly interesting technical sheet. The inverter promises 1500 VA or 865 Watts of power deployed and most importantly, complete construction. This is Line Interactive technology with a lead acid battery inside. It offers a lifespan of around 3 to 5 years and costs 119 euros to replace.

There are 6 sockets which comply with French standard installed on the product. Three of them are protected against blackouts and the other three are lightning rods. Two input and output protected RJ45 sockets are also included. Finally, it is possible to connect additional batteries. On the front side there is an LCD screen which, among other things, displays the durability of the inverter.

The last element, the Powerchute Personal Edition software allows you to know your product’s energy consumption, power management or device mains voltage. In short, this is a high-end device par excellence at a price to match.. In this configuration, the inverter is sold from 430 euros.

Eaton 3S 700 FR: easy to install

For this type of product, it is primarily an aesthetic choice. Admittedly, most inverters look like quite large boxes and are therefore difficult to integrate into your installation. The Eaton 3S is more like a slightly larger multi-socket. It plugs directly into an earthed 230V wall outlet.

The off-line UPS consists of eight FR type outlets, two RJ45 slots, and two USB type A ports. This UPS also offers 700 VA, or 420 Watts of power. This is more than enough for an office PC to last up to an additional 20 minutes. On the other hand, it’s too fair for a high-performance gaming PC.

The Eaton 3S also comes with a companion software called Eaton UPS Companion which is surprisingly simple and most importantly dispensable. Installed lead-acid batteries have an estimated duration of between 3 and 5 years. Even easy to replace. We recommend the 700 VA one, but be aware that this product is available in several power levels from 450 to 850 depending on your needs.

Infosec Z1 Zenergy Cube EX 400 VA: A cheap UPS

Are you looking for a UPS designed for your living room equipment or for your office PC? The Z1 Zernergy Cube EX from the Infosec brand is the ideal product while remaining affordable in a compact format.

In terms of power, the inverter produces 400 VA and is characterized as off-line. These are three protected FR type sockets. It is thus possible to offer up to 10 minutes of additional autonomy to the PC. The product protects against voltage variations and warns you when a disconnect occurs. The noise emitted does not exceed 40 decibels.

This inverter costs 69 euros and is the cheapest in our selection.

APC Back UPS BX2200MI: The most powerful UPS in our selection

Those looking for a product to centralize all your equipment or to support a powerful machine, you need a device that can hold its own. We suggest you to invest in APC Back UPS BX2200MI, Line interactive UPS featuring 2200 VA power.

In construction, there are 4 FR sockets which are protected by spare batteries, but also against power surges. You also have “In” and “Out” RJ45 ports. Thanks to this, you can protect your high-performance PC or several devices, especially your television. The inverter is able to adjust its own voltage as needed.

Lead battery is the battery that ensures the autonomy of your device. At a minimum, an additional 25 minutes is guaranteed by the machine. Add to that PowerChute Personal Edition software and you have a daily machine capable of assisting you in the event of a power outage. For example, the latter tells you the energy costs of your product.

In terms of price, this unique version is billed at 354 euros.

EcoFlow River 2: the power plant that saves the day

This product is a bit more special in the sense that it’s not an inverter. The EcoFlow River 2 power plant is a device with the particularity of integrating an LFP battery. The Lithium Iron Phosphate battery found in Tesla cars can accumulate 3,000 charge cycles without draining the battery below 80%. In use, can last 6 years.

In construction, this machine contains a grounded FR socket, two USB-A connectors, and one USB-C connector. The battery can be charged from the mains in an hour, or from solar energy. The product provides a total power of 600 W with the possibility of connecting multiple devices simultaneously. In the event of a power cut, you can run your desktop PC for 2 to 3 hours. It is also possible to use it as a “makeshift” inverter. Even if the product does not regulate voltage variations, it is quite capable of taking over in the event of a power outage without draining the battery.

The length of time it takes for your PC or even your NAS server to shut down at the risk of losing your data. The EcoFlow station is still a good investment as it provides a real backup solution in the event of a power outage. The companion app, available on iOS and Android, lets you connect via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to your battery. You will be able to follow product loads in real time and manage them in the best way possible.

All about PC UPS

What are the types of power inverters?

There are three types of inverters on the market:

• In-line products are also called Line Interactive. They make it possible to protect against lightning, to filter out voltage disturbances with better protection thanks to regulators. They’re great if you have variable mains voltage, but are a bit more expensive and bulky.
• offline product. This is the most common product on the market because it protects against lightning and cuts. If you’re ever experiencing voltage variations, this type of device is the least efficient. On the other hand, they have the advantage of being compact and often quite inexpensive.
• Online products. It’s not in our selection. Mainly because they are so expensive, but mainly because they are designed for professional use. They are big and very noisy. They are always battery operated devices, so there is no latency during power outages.

Which power to choose for your inverter?

This is also one of the most important features before choosing your inverter. Before starting your purchase, it’s important to identify the equipment you want to protect. You can see that the power expressed in Volt Ampere is VA. It corresponds to the existing battery reserve and more or less demonstrates autonomy. Most are converted to Watts, but roughly the formula for converting Watts to VA is: sum of Watts / 0.66. In anticipation of your consumption, we recommend that you purchase an inverter that is slightly stronger than the product to be protected.

Which product is connected to your inverter?

Of course, the purpose of the inverter is to protect your electrical equipment, but it is still necessary to identify which product to connect to this type of product. By default, the PC still serves as an ideal candidate, but not the only one. NAS can also be protected from power outages. If you have a laptop, don’t panic. OLED TVs can also be protected using an inverter.

Why do you need an inverter at home?

This type of product is essential if you want to protect sensitive equipment such as a fixed PC. In this age of teleworking, the autonomy provided by UPS will allow you to save all your files before the PC shuts down. Indeed, thanks to the battery, the inverter takes over the current. It also protects your electrical devices. The inverter filters the mains voltage and does not damage the connected product.

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