APC 600VA Back-UPS (BE600M1) Review
Most UPSs available in the market provide adequate power to keep your electronics running for a few minutes.
After that, the electronics will go off. If you are looking for the best way to keep yourself entertained during power outages, you will need to consider the APC 600VA Back-UPS.
The APC 600VA Back-UPS is among the UPS systems made for home networks and SMBs. With the UPS, you can charge your smartphone or any other mobile device and power any other device, if it requires a power supply below 300Watts.
The manufacturer designs it to offer the features that are important to you such as runtime, many battery outlets, and a USB port. It is also lighter and smaller than the previous BE55OG mode.
Quick Overview of APC 600VA Back-UPS
APC 600VA Back-UPS
The old BE550G offers 330W backup and comes with 8 outlets – 4 battery backup and surge protected and other 4 surges protected only – in a single unit that measures 12 inches by 3.3 inches by 7 inches and weighs 12.1 pounds.
And now, the BE600M1 comes as a 330W battery backup with 7 power outlets – 5 battery back and surge protected plus 2 surges protected only – in a smaller unit that measures 10.8 inches by 4.1 inches by 5.5 inches and weighing only 7.7 pounds.
APC did not include the RJ45 port (Ethernet line surge protector) but included a 1.5 amps USB port on the BE600M1 model.
Immediately you start checking the technical details, you will realize the various differences between the BE550G and the BE600M1. A quick example, the BE600M1 offers a 6ms general transfer time (10ms max) while the BE550G offers 8ms general transfer time 912ms max).
Put differently, the BE600M1 will switch faster to its battery, around 25 percent faster, than the other model. A typical recharge will take only 10 hours on the APC BE600M1, while it can take up to 24 hours on the BE550G – that is a 2.4x improvement.
The BE600M1 switches to the battery around 25 percent faster than the previous model. The BE600M1 has 490 joules surge energy rating while the B3550G has a 340 joules rate. That is around 44 percent boost in protection.
The manufacturer has rated the buzzing/humming noise on the BE600M1 when the battery is in use at 35dBA from a 1-meter distance. That is a significant reduction from the previous 45dBA – expected with the old model.
The APC BE600M1 will last for around 67 minutes when powering a 40-watt load, while the BE550G can only last for 43 minutes when powering the same load. The manufacturer was able to offer nearly 55 percent added battery life with the new model, which should sound impressive.
These are several massive differences in the key areas and possibly great reasons to upgrade to the BE600M1.
What to Expect in the Package
APC 600VA Back-UPS Package
The manufacturer supplies the BE600M1 inside a cardboard box. After opening the cardboard box, you should expect to find the battery backup unit, a 5-foot long hardwired cable, a USB Type-A cable that is important for people who would want to use the power-management software.
You will also find the usual paperwork. And because the battery does not come as connected, you will have to slide off the unit’s bottom battery cover to plug in the offered positive cable to the connector.
You can also purchase the battery separately, but APC claims that it has an expected life of 3 years after which you will need to replace it. The manufacturer offers a 3 years warranty on the product in addition to a $75,000 connected equipment policy.
After removing the warning sticker, you will clearly see all the seven outlets. APC spaces some of the surge outlets and battery apart, but your bulky wall adapters are likely to block some of the outlets.
You will find a green power button that silences the alarm and if you would want to control the alarm in a better way, you will have to install the APC PowerChute software.
On the backside, the UPS boasts the quality assurance done at the factory to show that the model passed the tests and the testing date. To the left of the print, you will see all the holes that make the BE600M1 wall mountable. The feature is great and something that most of the old battery backups do not offer.
You will also find a circuit breaker switch near the end of this UPS. The USB data port and the indicator for building wiring fault are also present. The product comes with a 3-prong wall prong (a low-profile design that allows the cord to come out of the building at a right angle.
You can connect your Wi-Fi Router, security camera system and your cable modem to the unit for uninterruptible power supply. The power draws from the three devices will be around 30 watts. The rating of the model shows that it can power a 100 watts load for 23 minutes.
Therefore, it can power the three devices for more than one hour. Most of the UPSs in the market is unlikely to last for that long, which means that the BE600M1 is a better way of keeping your appliances running and safe when the grid fails. Keep in mind that the product will not power anything that requires over 330W power supply such as a 3D printer.
Key Features of APC 600VA Back-UPS
Battery backup will keep any critical component running
The BE600M1 UPS provides guaranteed battery power backup for all electronic devices. If the power supply fluctuates outside the safe level or is interrupted, the APC 600VA will provide clean battery power instantly to the sensitive electronics.
In other words, you will manage to work safely throughout the brief power outages or save any data and shut down your electronics safely during an extended outage. Moreover, the BE600M1 is lighter and smaller than the previous models, which means that after your purchase you will manage to relocate and position the UPS easily in any environment.
Protection from the dangerous spikes and surges
The BE600M1 boasts seven power outlets that will shield your devices against the dangerous voltage spikes and surges. Five of the power outlets are battery backup outlets that will provide instant power to any critical device like your home networking equipment or computer when there is a power outage.
The UPS provides a single USB charging port that will allow you to charge your mobile devices like portable gaming consoles, smartphones, and tablets conveniently in case of an emergency.
The UPS system offers a transform block spacing too for three outlets so that you can connect any bulky transformer without covering the other outlets.
Maximized runtime for the low and heavy power consumption devices
The manufacturer designs this UPS to maximize the runtime for any device like your personal computer and any AV equipment that consumes a high amount of power.
After shutting off your devices safely, the UPS will continue to run the low power loads such as the home networking equipment for around 4 hours during the extended outages.
Prevent data corruption with the PowerChute Software
APC PowerChute Personal Edition software for managing power and energy is also present. The software will prevent corruption of personal data by the automatically saving files, which means that you shut off your system safely in case of an extended power outage or a low-battery condition.
In fact, PowerChute software will monitor and display the energy usage and reduce the costs through customized management planning. You can connect the offered USB cable with your UPS backup unit to your personal computer so that you can download the software easily and use it.
ENERGY STAR rated for more efficiency
The Back-UPS BE600M1 is ENERGY STAR certified. That means that its operation is efficient and it will help you reduce your energy costs.
The warranty
The Back-UPS BE600M1 comes with a three years limited warranty. The manufacturer also offers a lifetime warranty along with an equipment protection policy up to $75,000. The company will replace or repair any attached device that sustains surge-related damage. That is only if the user had connected it properly to a registered Back-UPS.
Pros & Cons of APC 600VA Back-UPS
APC 600VA Back-UPS
Here are some of the pros and cons of the APC 600VA Back-UPS:
Pros
- You can swap batteries for longer runtimes
- You can easily debug issues and tailor the performance
- The UPS offers a lot of power
- It is energy efficient
Cons
- It is large and heavier than the competition
- Offers slightly lower coverage on surge replacement
APC 600VA Back-UPS FAQs
Q: Why do you need the APC 600VA Back-UPS?
A: Each time the grid power goes out, including for less than one second, you are likely to suffer data loss or hardware damages that will shorten the life expectancy of your devices.
The APC 600VA Back-UPS provides adequate emergency power supply, which you need to close the open files and shut down the electronics if a power outage occurs. Moreover, the unit will safeguard your electronics from the common power surges that result from activities on the power grids, storms and turning off the high-powered equipment.
You just need to turn off the devices that you are not using to minimize the power consumption and reduce your energy bills.
Q: Which are the main uses of the APC 600VA Back-UPS?
A: The APC 600VA Back-UPS provides energy saving power backup and surge protection for small office and home computers, wireless and wired network routers, and modems.
It also powers personal electronics, game consoles, and home theatre systems. You can use it to safeguard your valuable documents, videos, photos, and music files from damage or loss due to common power surges and power fluctuations in addition to uncontrolled equipment shutdown that occur due to power interruptions.
Conclusion
The APC 600VA Back-UPS is relative cheap compared to other similar products, and that feels fair considering the many features that it offers. The UPS will charge when connected to the power source whether you have switched it on or not.
If the Building Wiring Fault indicator goes on, the unit’s wiring might present a shock. To correct that, you will need the services of a qualified electrician.
