When comparing APC BX850M vs APC BE425M, the Slant community recommends APC BE425M for most people. In the question“What are the best UPS (uninterruptible power supply) units under or around $100?” APC BE425M is ranked 1st while APC BX850M is ranked 2nd. The most important reason people chose APC BE425M is:
This is an extremelly money-efficient UPS for desktop computers with relatively low power requirements. A single workstation up to 225W can be protected for just under $50, which is great if you’re planning to buy a set of UPS systems for several computers.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Can be controlled via a computer
It can be plugged to a computer via USB and, this way, controlled or configured via the operating system. Users can do operations like schedule an automatic shutdown.
Pro Easy to monitor
The BX850M has an LCD display for quick stat monitoring. It gives out info such as current voltage, battery time remaining or load.
Pro Batteries are easy to replace
If there's ever a need to replace this unit's battery, a replacement battery is quite easy to find online. As for the replacement operation itself, it's very simple and requires virtually no technical knowledge: you just need to remove the battery cover, take out the battery, unplug the connectors, and then the opposite steps in reverse order for the new battery.
Pro Good for domestic or small office workstations
This unit's 510 W power and surge protection up to 1103 J make it a good option for protecting most home electronic equipment and even some office-level devices, if they are not too demanding.
Pro Great value for low-powered desktops
This is an extremelly money-efficient UPS for desktop computers with relatively low power requirements. A single workstation up to 225W can be protected for just under $50, which is great if you’re planning to buy a set of UPS systems for several computers.
Pro Provides enough backup power time to save all data and properly shutdown your system
It has enough battery capacity to let you use a 225W system for approximately six minutes after a power outage. This should give you enough time to save your data and appropriately shut down the machine, preventing a potential loss of hours of work.
Pro In case of UPS failure, APC refunds your loses
APC has a lifetime $75,000 equipment protection policy, meaning the company guarantees to refund your equipment should their UPS fail to protect it.
Pro Protects your system from short voltage surges
This UPS provides enough protection for short voltage surges, absorbing 180 Joules of energy before failing permanently. It can deal with pretty much all standard network voltage surges, although it’s not intended to be used in environments with consistently bad voltage supply.
Pro Adequate output power for common, low-power systems
This UPS is rated at 225W, which may seem insufficient at first. However, a business desktop computer requires only about 150W of power to run. Adding a common 24W monitor would result in a total of approximately 174W of power consumption, leaving you with a safety margin of 50W.
Cons
Con Not all outlets have power backup
Despite having a total of 8 outlets, all with surge protection, only 4 of them have power backup.
Con Incapable of running demanding systems
The APC BE425M’s low power rating makes it unsuitable for high-power systems, including pretty much any gaming machine. This UPS is for advanced users who carefully measure their system’s total power output to maximize cost efficiency.
Con It outputs a square wave, which decreases power efficiency and can lead to premature failure
This UPS produces a square wave output, and not a simulated sine wave. Feeding square waves to computer's PSU usually results in loss power efficiency and, in some cases, can lead to premature failure. Nevertheless, the majority of PSUs available on the market can tolerate square waves. Make sure to check your PSU’s manual if it supports a square wave output before buying this UPS.