Power to the People

If the previous week is any indication of things to come, I only have one thing to say. POWER PROTECTION! All too often we spend our time worrying about what is going on inside of our computers, and far too little about what is feeding the hungry beasts. Therefore, this week we explore the three basic types of PC power protection.

Before we dive right into the juicy bits, however, let us take a look at what power protection means to the modern PC. Computers plug into the wall. Simple, right? For some odd reason, with all of the advancements in modern technology, we still can’t seem to get our electricity to hold still. Spikes, surges, brownouts, dips, and just plain dropouts are an inevitable part of our lives, and they can wreak havoc on our PCs. Our delicate computer innards are extremely susceptible to fluctuations in power.

Ok, let’s move on to the three types of basic power protection you should be aware of. The first is the simple surge protector. Everyone has one somewhere. A simple bar of 4 to 12 plugs that we usually plug our entire room into and call it good. The premise behind these marvels is simple enough. A fuse across the power input shuts down the whole system if there is a significant power surge. For most home users, this seems like enough, but dips and sags in power can cause almost as much damage as a spike or surge.

The second type of protection is the advanced surge protector. These may look like their lesser brethren, but they all have one significant difference. They protect you against sags and dips in power. Most have a discrete battery system inside that while less of a help than the more advanced battery backup systems, does help to regulate the voltage and keep a steady and consistent supply of juice to your PC. These usually run in the $50 to $75 dollar range and are worth every penny if you don’t have any interest in the next step up in protection.

Finally, we come to the crème de le crème of home power protection. The Universal Power Supply. A UPS takes the technology of the previous systems and steps it up a notch with a full-fledged battery backup system, and often a USB interface that will shut your system down and save your work in the event of a total outage. A heavy beast, the UPS contains a large battery that can keep your computer going for anywhere from 10 minutes to 3 hours depending on your system and the amount of peripherals. Most have 8 to 16 outlets, but usually keep only half on the battery. This keeps less used accessories like your printer and scanner from hogging the juice while you save your work and shutdown when the power goes out. They also give full protection from all of the electricity nastiness mentioned above. This is the way to go if you have notoriously bad power in your area, or work for hours without saving your work.