APC BR1500MS2 vs CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD: which UPS battery backup should you buy?

Specs side by side

Specs as each maker states them.

The key differences at a glance

Both are rated 1500 VA. APC lists 900 W and CyberPower lists 1,000 W. The APC has 10 outlets, 6 on battery and 4 surge-only. The CyberPower has 12, 6 on battery and 6 surge-only. APC's datasheet gives a transfer time of 8 ms typical and 10 ms maximum, though its manual says 8 ms maximum. CyberPower lists 4 ms typical. The APC weighs 27.6 lb and the CyberPower 24.9 lb. CyberPower's published runtimes are measured in minutes, not hours. For hours of power, see our power station guide.

Outlets, load and what to plug in

Only the battery outlets keep running in an outage. APC's manual says to put a desktop computer, monitor, modem or other data-sensitive device on them, and printers and scanners on the surge-only outlets. CyberPower's FAQ says the same for a computer and monitor. Its manual warns against plugging a laser printer, paper shredder, copier, space heater, vacuum cleaner or sump pump into the battery outlets, and says to keep the load below 80% of the rating. Check your load in watts against the watt rating. For a modem and router alone, our router battery backup guide covers smaller options.

Both have two USB charge ports, one Type-A and one Type-C, that keep working on battery. APC lists 15 W in total and CyberPower lists 3.1 A shared. The APC has a bar-graph display with load and battery levels and an estimated run time. The CyberPower has a color LCD that tilts up to 22 degrees. APC lists 45 dBA. CyberPower lists no noise figure.

Runtime and batteries

CyberPower publishes 10 minutes at half load and 2.5 minutes at full load. APC points to an online runtime graph rather than a fixed figure. APC's battery is one lead-acid module, APCRBC163, with a typical life of three to five years, and APC says to replace it at least every 5 years. CyberPower uses two 12 V, 9 Ah sealed lead-acid batteries, to be replaced together, with a typical life of 3 to 6 years. Its battery model is RB1290X2 or RB1280X2B depending on the serial number, and its battery is not hot-swappable. Both list a user-replaceable battery.

APC lists a typical recharge time of 16 hours. CyberPower lists 8 hours, from total discharge under 100% load, per its manual. Both makers frame the UPS as time to shut down safely. CyberPower says its backup supplies power long enough for equipment to properly shut down. APC's manual says its PowerChute software supports graceful shutdown in an extended outage.

Voltage regulation, surge and data lines

APC's manual lists regulation that boosts by 11.5% when input voltage drops below the limit and trims by 11.5% when it goes above, with an input range of 88 to 147 V. CyberPower's page lists single boost, with a correction of +11.5%, though its manual says the AVR icon shows when the unit is automatically correcting low or high AC line voltage. Its manual says the unit switches to battery below 90 V or above 140 V, while the page lists an 88 to 144 V input range, so treat the exact window as approximate. Surge energy is 1,080 J for APC and 1,445 J for CyberPower.

CyberPower lists network protection for one Ethernet line in and out, 10/100/1000 and PoE compatible. APC's documents disagree with each other. The datasheet lists coaxial protection only. The manual's rear-panel page shows Ethernet in and out ports as well as coaxial ports. If Ethernet surge protection matters to you, check the unit you receive.

Warranty and fine print

CyberPower's page says it will repair or replace a defective UPS, including batteries, within three years of purchase. APC's datasheet lists 36 months on the UPS and 12 months on the battery, though its manual states a three-year standard warranty without that split. CyberPower's warranty statement excludes use with items such as laser printers, appliances, aquariums and medical or life support devices, and damage when the unit was used in conjunction with generator power. Its manual says not to use the UPS for medical or life support equipment. APC's manual says the UPS is for indoor use only, and to plug its power cord directly into a wall outlet, not into surge protectors or extension cords. Read our power outage checklist before you plan around either one.

Which to choose

Choose the APC BR1500MS2 if you want regulation listed to trim high voltage as well as boost low voltage, one battery module to swap, and 900 W covers your gear. Choose the CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD if you want the 1,000 W rating, 12 outlets, the faster 4 ms typical transfer time, published runtimes and a battery that falls under the 3-year warranty. For a desktop PC and monitor, CyberPower's pages name active PFC compatibility, which APC's do not. APC's page names high performance computer systems, routers and modems, external storage and game consoles. Both list sine wave output on battery. For only a modem and router, start with the router battery backup guide.

Common questions

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