108 MACWORLD AUGUST 2021
WORKINGMAC REVIEW: AMAZONBASICS 360-WATT STANDBY UPSThis is a standby UPS that produces a
simulated sine wave—the change in
voltage from negative to positive and back
in alternating current (AC) power—so it’s not
recommended for most modern computer
systems that use a power supply requiring
a smoother or “pure” sine wave output from
a UPS. Standby UPSes also have a short
delay in cutting over from line power to
their internal battery, which for some
equipment can be too long.
Instead, you’d consider this
AmazonBasics UPS as an option for
keeping networking hardware going during
a power outage, as well as blocking surges
and bolstering power during brownouts to
equipment. That could include a broadband
modem, a Wi-Fi gateway, and an ethernet
switch that, combined, consume less than
100 watts of power.
That would allow this unit to bridge
quick outages and keep power running
for as long as 20 minutes based on
Amazon’s estimates. (Look up the specs
on your devices or at manufacturers’ sites
for all the equipment you want to connect
to the battery-backed outlets and add
their wattage together to get a maximum
load factor.)
Amazon offers a wide array of products
in its AmazonBasics line-up that trade a
non-Amazon brand-name manufacturer
label on the box for ostensibly a lower
price for something of high quality. That
promise falls short here. While this unit
works as expected, it’s not price
competitive with brand names that offer
more: more features, more power, and a
longer warranty.PROVIDES THE BASICS FOR
NETWORK DEVICES
This is a standby UPS, which kicks in
battery power as it’s needed, including
when line-voltage slumps (a brownout) and
to provide juice during an outage. It also
includes protection against short leaps in
voltage in the same manner as a stand-
alone surge protector.
This kind of UPS is cheaper than a
line-interactive model, which conditions
power continuously, and it can supplement
power sags and remove minor surges
without leaning on the battery. A standby
unit should have the advantage of lower
cost, and should work just fine in most
normal conditions. However, because it
takes longer to kick in power than a
line-interactive UPS, it may not switch over
to its battery fast enough to prevent a
computer from crashing.
Amazon equips the UPS with eight
outlets, four of which are connected to
both surge protection and backup power,
while the other four provide just surge
protection. This is typical for UPSes,
allowing you to get two kinds of benefits in
one model.