APC BE500R Back-UPS 500VA for Home/Office Computers

by APC

Product Details

• Item Weight: 14 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 14 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000BFWJM6
• Item model number: BE500R
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 7, 2004

Product Description

APC BE500R Back-UPS 500VA for Home/Office Computers

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality Product & Ease of Use, November 22, 2005

By 

Randy M "Ranmc" (Klamath Falls, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: APC BE500R Back-UPS 500VA for Home/Office Computers (Electronics)

After losing a computer to a power surge, I purchased the APC BE500R Back-UPS for my new computer. I am runninig a 3.2Ghz Tower PC with a 17" LCD Monitor, I have approx. 15 minutes of Battery Runtime on my system, & the software that is very easy to install & manage, saves any open programs that I am running & safely shuts down my computer when the battery gets to within 5 minutes of running out of power if I am away from it. Money Well Spent! You don't need to spend a fortune on Larger units unless you want a longer runtime on Battery.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for the price! Must-have!, February 9, 2007

By 

a professional student (NY, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: APC BE500R Back-UPS 500VA for Home/Office Computers (Electronics)

If you work in an office with a data center and a generator, then plug your computer into your office power supply... But if you don't, and you value the data on your computer (as well as the computer itself), you absolutely need a backup power supply. This one is excellent for the price (less than the cost of a good replacement battery for a laptop).

Because it's a battery backup system, it protects your computer from both high voltage spikes AND low voltage problems. I live in NYC, and the power is pretty steady, but every now and then there is a momentary flicker in the power supply that wreaks havoc on the data on my computer. Laptops have a backup battery built-in, but when this happens to a home computer, all sorts of nasty things can happen. If the CPU doesn't get fried then the data on your computer can become corrupted, the OS can freeze, or crash, or...like Frankenstein, get a mind of its own.

PROS -

Some nice features with this unit include: there is a usb connector and software that allows your computer to monitor the voltage, the amount of charge on the battery, keep a record of power problems, and to tell your computer what to do in case of problems...automatically.

Also, the battery pack is removable, so eventually you can replace the battery pack rather than the whole thing.

CONS

- It's a small battery so don't expect to work on your computer thru a blackout. It's designed to give you enough time to save your work and shut down...and NOT to work off the battery.

- It's heavy and bulky - weighs a ton - but still fits under the bottom shelf of my desk.

- There are 8 outlets, but only 4 that connects to the backup battery (which doesn't matter because the more things you plug into the battery backup, the quicker it will run out during a blackout - you want to just plug in the essentials to the battery: CPU, Monitor, and maybe an external drive or a printer).

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars APC BE500R Back UPS and Surge Protector, July 9, 2006

By 

J. Leach (Hague, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: APC BE500R Back-UPS 500VA for Home/Office Computers (Electronics)

This is a great product. I bought it after losing my old computer to intermittent power one more time than I was able to revive the PC. The new APC BE500R Back UPS has work flawlessly since I installed it several weeks ago, and has already intervened for 3 power losses and 19 instances of noisy power. The APC control panel says I have 45 minutes of Estimated Battery Time with my Compaq Presario and 19" flat panel monitor. I think I will get another BE500R for my television and VCRs....