APC EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS Reviewed.

Having lived through a power surge and suffering the wrath of Thor is by no means a fun experience. No joke, lightning actually struck my property and took out all of the stuff hooked up to sockets. My PC, numerous appliances…even my damn Xbox One. If I knew then what I know now, I wish I’d had something like the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS.

When Sal was approached to review an UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply); I was the first person he thought of. He knew how screwed I was when lighting K.O.ed my stuff…TWICE! Yeah, Thor (and whatever other lightning deity out there) hates me for some weird reason.

With the APC EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS in hand, I’m tempted to try my luck again!

Am I now safe from the wrath of the lightning gods?

Continue reading to find out.

What is EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS?

Before I start, here’s a short primer for those who have no idea about the terms used. I had no idea too so here’s a cheat sheet for some terms I use in the review.

Let’s start off with an easy one. What’s an UPS?

UPS is short for uninterruptible power supply. It’s pretty much what it says right there. In the event that there’s a power outage (or surge), the UPS will cut in so that your devices don’t fail or worse, get fried by a power surge. Usually, a surge protector just protects from power surges, but that’s not the case here.

That’s the beauty of the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS, it’s packing two gizmos in one handy dandy box.

Speaking of boxes, thanks a ton to the awesome folks over at APC! They kindly sent us one of their EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS to review.

Wondering what the machine does?

Wonder no more! Here are the key features.

Here’s the main biggie; the Easy UPS BVX700LUI-MS has a maximum configurable power output of 360 Watts/700VA.

To put that into perspective, a typical desktop computer with monitor will require about 250 Watts to power. Therefore with a maximum output of 360Watts, the BVX700LUI-MS will be able to handle most general computer set-ups in Singapore with no problem. Your whole house might be out of electricity but your PC will keep on ticking thanks to the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS.

In the event of a power failure, you will be able to safely save your work and shut down your computer. Hopefully there’s no update pending!

However, if you’re running a gaming (or mining or rendering) rig, you might want to get a beefier UPS, just in case. While the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS should be able to keep your stuff going in theory, unless you know the exact power draw from your components, it’s always better to err on the side of more power!

Just head on over to APC. The price of a basic UPS from APC costs S$109, with a mid range option (with a power output of 900Watts) costing S$379. Higher power capacity of up to 1200Watts are also available for more elaborate setups.

If you can afford it, why not just splurge on a hardcore one right?

The Easy UPS BVX700LUI-MS weighs about 4.2kg and will fit nicely on most home or office table. It comes with 2 universal outlets with an output of 230V which is typical to what you can find in any home or office in Singapore. It also provides a 5V USB-A charging port for our phones or small devices.

Using it is simplicity itself…you just plug whatever you want to protect into its input sockets and then hook up the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS to your wall socket. Done! Gadgets protected. Nothing to configure, nothing to mess around with. It’s literally plug and play.

While ease of use is definitely a selling point for the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I wished that it had more USB charging ports. 1 measly port at the unit’s front is hardly enough for those of us with multiple USB devices to charge at once. With all the space up front, a couple more ports would’ve sweetened the deal for the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS even more.

Oh yeah, there’s no battery life indicator on the machine. It’s a weird omission but for the life of me, I didn’t notice it if it was there. It’s kind of a big deal actually, especially if you’re using the machine as backup. If you don’t know how long you have left, wouldn’t it stress you out more? The only indicator comes from the blinking LED and beeping alarm. If the battery is low, the LED will flash and there will be constant beeping from the alarm.

One thing to note though, the UPS isn’t an transformer. If you have items from overseas that are 110V, you cannot use them with the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS or it’d fry them.

Why do I need an UPS?

The main features of the Easy UPS is the surge protector and power backup. Treat it as an insurance plan for your devices, which can be very costly to replace when disaster struck. You have insurance you say? That’s cool…but what if you lose data (such as pictures or videos) that’s not backed up? Insurance can’t replace that.

Remember what I mentioned in the opening?

I had a very unforgettable and expensive experience in 2020. My house was struck by lightning during the monsoon season. All my network systems and most of my devices connected to a wall plug got fried and its adapters melted into an oily mess. Fortunately, no one was touching any of the devices connected to the wall plug when the lightning hit.

It would definitely be fatal if anyone were to be holding onto a charging phone or even a hair dryer.

Since then, I’ve upgraded my lightning protection but I’ve always felt that more needed to be done to give me peace of mind. With the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS, I finally have that.

After that incident, I would highly recommend one to get devices with a surge protector or in this case a UPS which also doubles up as a surge protector. Saves you a ton of space and having to mess around with multiple machines.

Speaking of machines, the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS comes with Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) Technology. Fancy talk aside, it’s a power stabilizer. By ensuring that there is a stable current output, the UPS helps to prolong the lifespan of the connected devices. It will also prevent any sudden surges from shorting the connected devices with a surge energy rating of 273 Joules. That’s more than enough to put a stop to regular surges.

If you wondering whether you can use the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS in the office, yes you can!

In a professional environment, the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS can be used to protect network servers and other high dollar value assets. Again, depending on your power draw, you might want to also consider something beefier if there’s something that hogs power.

The Bottom Line.

Everybody needs a UPS. That’s a fact. It’s not a well-known one, but that doesn’t make it less true. Sure, you’re living in Singapore, one of the most modern cities in the world. Sure, power fluctuations and surges won’t happen here right? Wrong. I’m living proof of that. I’ve lived through the hell of getting my devices shorted out. It’s no fun at all.

It is definitely a worthwhile investment to protect your computer or network system setup. You might not want to get the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS if you’re handling heavy loads. No biggie. Get a beefier one then. APC offers a range of UPS which is easy to use for different needs; with a lineup with output capacity of 360Watts to 1200Watts, you can be assured that you will be able to find one that suits your needs.

I do appreciate the EASY UPS BVX700LUI-MS. It’s not obtrusive and it’s incredibly easy to hook up and use. It’s decently priced too which is always a consideration. I only wish APC added in more USB ports to the damn thing!

TLDR:

Great surge protector but with some caveats.