The 9 Best Rack Mount Battery Backups
Editor's Notes
January 07, 2021:
We largely stuck to our guns in this latest update, believing that our previous choices are still currently the best rack-mountable UPS systems available to buy, although we did add a couple of affordable options to balance our list. While neither of these additions provides the same comprehensive remote management, connectivity options, and power as some of the more expensive, 2-unit models ranked here, they give you peace of mind and protection when running sensitive electrical equipment.
First is the Tripp Lite 500VA, which, while it won't see your system through a lengthy power outage, will certainly regulate your supply during brownouts and give you enough time to safely shut down your equipment and save any data, if necessary. Secondly, we added the APC Smart UPS SCL500R, which has higher-performing lithium-ion batteries and a sequencer to safely power your system on and off, while it also keeps temperatures in check.
March 20, 2019:
Rack-mountable battery backups take the power of a traditional uninterruptible power supply and put it in a convenient form factor. They're mostly intended for commercial use in media closets and network setups, and if you're in the market for one, you've probably got at least a little professional IT experience. So, we consulted with a couple online resources to see which brands and models are preferred by industry pros. Notably, Eaton apparently makes highly reliable units, and although their brand doesn't reach quite as far in the consumer market, they receive considerable praise from those in the know. For a very well-known option, it's hard to go wrong with anything by APC, and here we've highlighted their newest and most reliable line-interactive as well as on-line versions. CyberPower is another company that's a bit obscure, but makes a handful of high-quality and reasonably priced models. Similarly, Tripp Lite makes some affordable options, and the one listed gets good marks from technicians, and is relatively full-featured. Finally, Vertiv is a renowned power-distribution manufacturer, and particularly their Liebert PSI-5 is among the highest-performing models, though it is considerably expensive.