Compare · UPS
APC vs CyberPower
Two pairs, side by side on what the two makers publish: the small standby units for a router, and the 1,500 VA sine wave units for a desk. The verdict is by what you plug in and which computer you run.
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APC and CyberPower make the same two kinds of home UPS: a small standby unit for a modem and router, and a 1,500 VA line-interactive sine wave unit for a desk. Below, one of each from both makers sits side by side on what the makers publish, including the places where they describe the same thing in different words.
If you have not chosen the size yet, the best UPS page picks by what must stay on, and the line-interactive or standby guide explains the topology row.
For a modem and router: APC BE600M1 vs CyberPower EC650LCD
APC BE600M1 vs CyberPower EC650LCD
| Criterion | APC BE600M1UPS | CyberPower EC650LCDUPS |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 600 VA / 330 W | 650 VA / 390 W |
| Output on battery | Stepped approximation to a sine wave | Simulated sine wave |
| Transfer time | 6 ms typical, 10 ms maximum | 4 ms typical |
| Runtime, as published | 52 min at 50 W; 23 min at 100 W | 8.4 min at half load; 2.8 min at full load |
| Outlets | 5 backed, 2 surge-only; one USB charging port | 4 backed, 4 surge-only, 3 eco-controlled; no USB |
| Battery | APCRBC154, user-replaceable | Not user-replaceable |
| Display | LED bar graphs | Multifunction LCD |
| Weight and warranty | 7.69 lb; 3 years, equipment policy to $75,000 | 6.4 lb; 3 years, equipment guarantee to $100,000 |
APC's runtime is from its per-watt chart; CyberPower publishes half and full load only, so a router's runtime on the EC650LCD is not on record.
Store linkPaid link
One small standby UPS for a modem and router.
Check price on AmazonHoldBackup earns a commission if you buy through this link. Amazon sets the price.
Maker's US pageAPC's US catalog, on Schneider Electric's site, lists it with Where to Buy and marks it not normally stocked in distribution.se.com Checked
What owners reportOwners report connecting it to firewall software over USB for monitoring and automatic shutdown, with mixed results depending on the system.Level1Techs forum, OPNsense issue on GitHub Checked
Store linkPaid link
One small standby UPS for a modem and router.
Check price on AmazonHoldBackup earns a commission if you buy through this link. Amazon sets the price.
Maker's US pageCyberPower's US page lists it with Purchase Online.cyberpowersystems.com Checked
For a desk: APC BR1500MS2 vs CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
APC Back-UPS Pro BR1500MS2 vs CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
| Criterion | APC Back-UPS Pro BR1500MS2UPS | CyberPower CP1500PFCLCDUPS |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 1,500 VA / 900 W | 1,500 VA / 1,000 W |
| Output on battery | Sine wave | Sine wave |
| Topology | Line interactive, AVR | Line interactive, AVR |
| Transfer time | 8 ms typical, 10 ms maximum | 4 ms typical |
| Runtime, as published | 36 min at 200 W; 7 min 55 s at 600 W | 10 min at half load; 2.5 min at full load |
| Outlets | 6 backed, 4 surge-only; USB-A and USB-C | 6 backed, 6 surge-only; USB-A and USB-C |
| Battery | APCRBC163, user-replaceable | RB1290X2 or RB1280X2B by serial, user-replaceable |
| Weight and warranty | 27.6 lb; 3 years, equipment policy to $500,000 | 24.9 lb; 3 years, equipment guarantee to $500,000 |
Both are the makers' figures with new batteries at a resistive load, not HoldBackup tests. CyberPower's own datasheet names PowerPanel Personal in its table and PowerPanel Business in its bullets for this unit.
Store linkPaid link
One sine wave UPS with voltage regulation for a gaming PC or a loaded desk.
Check price on AmazonHoldBackup earns a commission if you buy through this link. Amazon sets the price.
Maker's US pageAPC's US catalog, on Schneider Electric's site, lists it with Where to Buy and marks it not normally stocked in distribution.se.com Checked
Store linkPaid link
One line-interactive, pure sine wave UPS for a desktop, NAS, or modem and router.
Check price on AmazonHoldBackup earns a commission if you buy through this link. Amazon sets the price.
Maker's US pageCyberPower's US page lists it with Purchase Online.cyberpowersystems.com Checked
What owners reportOwners report it works with home server and NAS shutdown software and lasts for years with fresh batteries. Forum owners also say the batteries can give out with no warning from the unit.TrueNAS forum, Unraid forum, The FPS Review forum Checked
The two makers, on their own statements
The two makers, on their own statements
| Criterion | APC | CyberPower |
|---|---|---|
| How they name the cheaper waveform | Stepped approximation to a sine wave; square wave on the BE425M | Simulated sine wave |
| Their own warning about it | A PFC power supply can draw a full inrush at the transfer and overload the unit; size by input power times 1.25 | Newer, more efficient equipment may not function properly on simulated sine wave |
| Transfer time, typical | 6 to 8 ms, 10 ms maximum | 4 ms |
| Runtime published as | A chart by watts, per model | Half load and full load only |
| Shutdown software | PowerChute Serial Shutdown: Windows 10, 11, Server; no macOS; Back-UPS not supported on Linux | PowerPanel Personal: Windows 10, 11, Server; macOS 14 and up; Linux |
| Battery replacement, of the units here | User-replaceable on both | User-replaceable on the CP1500PFCLCD; a technician on the EC650LCD |
| Warranty | 3 years on the UPS, 1 year on the battery | 3 years limited |
| Recalls on cpsc.gov | Back-UPS CS350 and CS500, 2003 | None found |
Read from se.com and cyberpowersystems.com on Nov 1, 2026. APC's US product pages now live on se.com, Schneider Electric's site.
Who should get which
Get APC if
- A Windows PC, where PowerChute shuts it down cleanly
- Knowing the runtime at your load before you buy: APC publishes the chart
- Replacing the battery yourself, on both units here
Skip APC if
- You run macOS or Linux and want the maker's software
- You want the faster stated transfer: APC says 6 to 8 ms, CyberPower 4
- You want an LCD on the small unit
Get CyberPower if
- A Mac or a Linux machine, with PowerPanel Personal
- The faster stated transfer time, 4 ms
- An LCD even on the smallest unit
- 1,000 W instead of 900 W at 1,500 VA
Skip CyberPower if
- You want a runtime figure at a light load: CyberPower publishes half and full only
- You want to swap the battery on an EC-series unit yourself
- You want USB charging on the small unit
- You read the CP1500PFCLCD datasheet and want one software name: it gives two
How we compared
- The makers' own wording for the waveform, and their own warnings about it.
- Transfer time as stated, typical and maximum where the maker gives both.
- Runtime as each maker publishes it, on its own terms.
- Software and the operating systems each maker lists for it.
- Battery replacement, warranty and the equipment protection program, as worded for the US.
- The CPSC recall list for both brands.
Every number is the maker's, from the spec page or manual linked beside it. HoldBackup has no lab, so nothing on this page was tested by us, and Amazon sets the price the button shows.
Owner lines summarize public forum threads, linked beside them. We don't verify what owners say.
Questions
Is APC or CyberPower more reliable?
Neither publishes failure rates, and HoldBackup has no units to run, so there is no honest answer from the outside. What we found on the CPSC's site: one APC recall, the Back-UPS CS350 and CS500 in 2003, and none for CyberPower. Both makers give 3-year warranties on the units here.
What is the difference between simulated sine wave and pure sine wave?
On battery, a cheaper UPS makes a stepped waveform instead of a smooth one. CyberPower says newer, more efficient equipment may not function properly on it, and APC says a power supply with power factor correction can draw a large inrush at the transfer and overload the unit. For a router it does not matter. For a computer, buy the sine wave unit.
Which software works on a Mac?
CyberPower's PowerPanel Personal lists Windows, macOS 14 and up, and Linux. APC's PowerChute Serial Shutdown, which replaced PowerChute Personal Edition, lists Windows and Windows Server only; APC says macOS is not supported and that Back-UPS models are not supported on Linux. macOS can still shut down on a USB-connected UPS using its own energy settings.
Is the equipment protection policy a warranty?
No. APC's policy page says so in capitals. Both makers' programs cover connected equipment up to a stated amount, under their own terms: APC requires registration and a claim within 10 days of the damage. The warranty on the unit itself is separate and runs 3 years for every unit here.
Where does the price button go?
Straight to Amazon. Amazon sets the price and availability, and both can change.
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