The PS1500B uninterruptible power supply from OPTI-UPS is an excellent choice for any high end computer system.
The biggest advantage of the PS1500B over your typical consumer-grade 1500VA battery backup is the fact that you have a full 8 outlets providing backup power. This means that not only are your PC and monitor kept alive during an outage, but so are your router, high speed modem, speakers, and anything else you require for normal use.
If you're a gamer or other power user that needs several components running during a power outage, the OPTI-UPS PS1500B would be a great fit.
- 8 outlets, all supplying battery backup protection
- Massive 1050W capacity
- Ready out of box - no battery connections required on your part
- Resettable input and output breakers
- LED display packs lots of information in a small area
- Included PC interface method is a 9-pin serial cable
- Fan is louder than similar sized units
- Maximum capacity on the PS1500B is a powerful 1050 Watts / 1500 VA - full support for a gaming or other powerful PC.
- UPS features eight outlets, allowing concurrent protection for all of your components.
- The batteries in the PS1500B do not require any kind of installation post-purchase meaning an easy setup.
- Features a fast 4 hour charge time, considerably quicker than similar UPS devices.
- PS1500B features cold starting ability, making it more versatile in use than most other battery backups.
- Bright LCD panel makes it easy to see all relevant battery backup information.
- OPTI-SAFE Xtreme power management software included free with the PS1500B.
- This battery backup weighs in at 55 lbs, much heavier than many 1500VA UPS devices.
- The default PC interface in the PS1500B is a serial connection but a USB/Serial adapter is optionally available.
- True sine wave output produces cleaner and safer power compared to step wave UPS devices.
All things considered, I think OPTI-UPS's PS1500B battery backup is a solid choice in the 1500VA class. The price and features make the PS1500B more suited for a small business server but any serious gamer or other power user would be very pleased with this UPS from OPTI-UPS.
The best thing about the PS1500B is the availability of eight outlets providing battery backup. With eight outlets, you can connect just about everything in and around your computer to the PS1500B, giving you a completely functional computer system during a power outage. With many battery backups, as few as two to four outlets are connected to the UPS's batteries, providing only surge protection via the remaining outlets.
One thing I really liked about the PS1500B is its ability to cold start. This means that you can turn on the UPS and provide power to your computer without having the AC power connected. An everyday user might not find a lot of use for this feature, but if you move your computer around to LAN parties or might need to turn your PC on during an outage, this is a very useful ability for your UPS to have.
I have a high performance PC with a large power supply, two large LCD monitors, and various small components. With a full battery charge, my system was utilizing 24% of the maximum load on the PS1500B. That's means over 30 minutes of runtime during a complete power outage!
Installation of the OPTI-UPS PS1500B was easy - plug everything in, power it on, and you're off. I should note that the PS1500B weighs around 55lbs - much more than most 1500VA battery backups. Keep in mind, however, that you're getting three batteries and an industry class UPS with the PS1500B - well worth the extra pounds to lift out of the box.
There were two things I didn't like about the PS1500B:
First, the cable included with the OPTI-UPS PS1500B is a 9-pin serial cable. Most battery backups come with a USB connection. This might seem trivial until you realize that some PCs don't have a serial port. If this is an issue for you, OPTI-UPS (or your local electronics store) can supply a serial to USB cable, solving the problem.
Second, I thought the internal fan in the PS1500B was louder than other similarly powered battery backups I've reviewed. It wasn't so loud that you should pass on this UPS due to the noise alone, but it wasn't exactly quiet either. I couldn't hear it individually over the fans in my PC but it did obviously add to the overall noise level in the room.
The eight battery backup outlets, distributed battery load, and resettable input and output breakers are a few of the features that put the PS1500B in more of the small business class of UPS devices but don't let that scare you if you're after a really good UPS for your home PC.
OPTI-UPS's PS1500B UPS is an exceptional battery backup option for high performance computers, especially if you need one that can simultaneous protect the array of devices connected to your computer.
