Meet APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming uninterruptible power supply - A life-saving essential?
We pushed the APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming uninterruptible power supply with a 230W gaming laptop with an Intel Core i9 processor and RTX 4080 GPU.
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| APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming is fully charged! |
Schneider Electric has an answer for abrupt power interruptions plaguing gamers and is now available in the Philippines called the APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming.
According to the company, the APC Back-UPS Pro aims to offer a protected and uninterrupted gaming experience.
In the Philippines, the APC Back-UPS Pro gaming is priced at PHP 25,500 and is available for purchase through Schneider Electric's flagship online stores in Shopee and Lazada or via select authorized retail stores beginning August 15.
We got to try and push it with a 230W gaming laptop equipped with an Intel Core i9 CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU.
Below is our experience with it.
Meet the APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming UPS
Over the years, we have innovated and created technologies that have made life easier. As our reliance on digital devices and infrastructure grows, so does the electricity demand and our need to be always connected to the grid.
Unfortunately, several factors affecting the electrical grid including severe weather conditions, equipment failure, grid overload, and planned maintenance can result in abrupt disruption of daily life, safety risks, and economic consequences.
When these power interruptions do occur for whatever reason, productivity or gaming PCs are at risk of data corruption and hardware damage. These could all lead to loss of work and valuable gaming time.
The increasing power needs of modern technology coupled with the challenges posed by electrical power interruptions highlight the importance of uninterruptible power supplies or UPS. It serves as a safeguard against sudden power cuts by providing a backup battery. The benefits include data loss mitigation, hardware protection (from voltage spikes and surges), and continuous operation.
The majority of these UPS were designed for business and productivity. Yet, there has been a small but growing market for gaming-focused UPS that caters to gamers and enthusiasts.
Schneider Electric's answer to this market is the new APC Back-UPS Pro gaming. It is designed to protect and sustain power to the PC or gaming console.
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| Schneider Electric APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming packaging |
It comes in a large black and green box with the Schneider Electric and APC branding, key features, and regulatory information.
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| Box inclusions Part 1 |
Inside are the safety guide, two sets of power cables with two different plugs, a wall adapter, and a USB cable.
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| Massive yet slee |
We noticed right away the size and sleekness of the APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming. The rounded corners give it an elegant and slimmer look. The exterior is mostly made of high-quality polycarbonate.
An elegant and slimmer look
It measures 292.1 x 104.1 x 408.9 mm and weighs 12.24 kg. Its sleekness is deceptive. The UPS is designed to sit vertically with rubber feet at the bottom. It comes in either Midnight or Artic colorways.
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| premium polycarbonate enclosure |
On top are exhaust vents, the two screens (rectangular and circular), and the control console (includes the menu, power, lights, and audio buttons).
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| Front and rear ports |
In front are the single USB-C port and the two USB-A ports while at the back are the C-shaped RGB LED light strip, 3 IEC + 3 universal output connections, 2 IEC + 2 Universal Battery outlets, and 1 IEC + 1 Universal Surge outlets.
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| Screen and Reactor circle LED ring light |
The unique and functional design of the reactor circle is that it is angled at 160 degrees to be visible from nearly every angle. The reactor circle LED ring light ticks down to visually represent how much time and power is left.
It updates on battery and power status, keeping gamers informed and prepared.
The LEDs also notify users of the current power through color:
- Green - 51 percent or more
- Yellow - 21 to 50 percent
- Red - 6 to 20 percent
- Flashing Red - 5 percent or less
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| Control buttons |
Above the reactor circle are the APC LCD screen, menu button, power switch, light switch, and audio switch.
Easy to use
During a power outage, the rear RGB LED lights illuminate the UPS outlets to aid you in seeing where the gaming cables are plugged in. The Rear LEDs also color sync with the reactor circle and will offer an ambient glow behind the gaming rig.
Other key features include a built-in Automatic Voltage Regulator and Sinewave Power. Schneider Electric says that Sinewave power maximizes the electronic's life span, provides stable power, and will run cooler and more efficiently.
Performance
The APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming has varying run times depending on which device is plugged in.
- Nintendo Switch - 35 minutes
- PlayStation 5 - 11 minutes
- Gaming Desktop - 10 minutes
- XBox Series X - 15 minutes
- Gaming Laptop - 20 minutes
To test the APC, we decided to play Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree on the recently released ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR 16 (G634JZR-RA091WS). It features the Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, 240Hz 16-inch screen, 16GB DDR5-5600 RAM, and 1TB PCIe NVME SSD. To power these powerful specs, it needs up to 230W of power which the APC Back-UPS Pro is more than built for with its 1,320W maximum output capacity. In fact, Schneider Electric says that a load of 450W should yield a run time of 14.5 minutes.
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| 4/5 bars yield 20 minutes of gameplay on a gaming laptop |
The Reactor circle displays several important information including current battery capacity, power load, audio status, and power source status (plugged-in or battery).
An answer for abrupt power interruptions
When we ran the test, the Back-UPS was at 4 out of 5 bars of battery. The reactor light is color green but with part of the circle missing. We launched the game at 7:31 PM and were in-game at 7:32 PM. We played Shadow of the Erdtree continuously. When we reached the 18-minute mark at 7:50 PM, the reactor light was bright red and was pulsing while the alarm was ringing continuously. Then at 7:52, we got to 0 of 5 battery capacity bars.
The UPS gave us give or take 20 minutes of game time on the UPS after we pulled the UPS from the Power outlet. This means that at a maximum of 5 out of 5 bars, we would probably have gotten up to 25 minutes of run time. Maybe more. It will depend on the power draw and the number of devices plugged into the UPS.
We also have to emphasize how bright the LED lights were and how loud the notification alarm was especially when reaching critical power levels.
APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming Specs
Screen: Multifunction LCD status
Alarm: Alarm when on Battery, Distinctive low battery alarm: Overload continuous tone alarm
Battery: 24V Lead Acid with 15A overcurrent protection and 3-5 year life span
Main Input Voltage: 230V AC 1 Phase
Main Output Voltage: 230V 1 Phase
Input Voltage limits: 168...302V
Rated Power in W: 1,320W
Rated Power in VA: 2,200 VA
Input Connection Type: C19/C21
Maximum Input current: 12A
Switching Current Capacity: 15A
Output Connection Type: 2 IEC 60320 C13 surge, 1 IEC 60320 C13 surge, 2 Universal C13 surge, 1 Universal C13 surge
Maximum configurable power in W/VA: 1,320W/2,200VA
Output frequency: 50/60Hz
Full load runtime: 00:30:00
Surge Energy Rate: 1080J
Noise Suppression: Full-time multi-pole noise filtering: 5 percent of IEEE surge let-through: zero clamping and instantaneous response time
Box Inclusions: USB cable, Safety Guide, 2 Power Cables, 1 Power Adapter
Mounting Position and Support: Vertical, Floor
Dimensions: 292.1 x 104.1 x 408.9 mm
Weight: 12.24 kg
Price: PHP 25,500
Price: PHP 25,500
Quick thoughts
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| Is a heavy-duty backup power needed? |
In our short experience with the Schneider Electric APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming uninterruptible power supply, we found it to be an essential investment.
Aside from the benefits of safety and peace of mind, we loved how easy it was to use. The controls and the menu are intuitive and easy to learn. It is the epitome of plug-and-play.
Schneider even included two power cables, a power plug adapter, and a USB cable in the box.
We were impressed that the UPS ran the advertised 20 minutes of run time on a gaming laptop. In fact, we think we had a few more minutes had we started at full 5 out of 5 bars instead of the 4 bars.
The one concern we had is that it takes 14 hours to charge.
Overall, we highly recommend the APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming for gamers and enthusiasts who are in a situation where they will need a form of insurance when their power grid isn't reliable or stable or are in locations where weather can be a huge influence on the power grid.
Again the UPS is priced at only PHP 25,500 in the Philippines and is now available from Schneider Electric's flagship Shopee and Lazada stores as well as select authorized retail stores beginning August 15.
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