CONCLUSION
I’ve been using both the APC BX1400U-GR and the Legrand Keor SP 1500VA for almost a month now with no problems at all during my tests. The APC unit did fail to perform 1 out of the 5 self-tests I ran during that time but since the returned error was nothing to worry about (inability to run self-test at this time) it doesn’t really matter. As for performance it’s clear as day that both units perform roughly the same in terms of battery life but when it comes to noise levels the active (60mm fan) of the Legrand Keor SP is clearly a lot noisier when the unit runs on battery power (most UPS models in these charts are passively cooled and just produce a buzzing noise when running on battery power). When it comes to available connectors, I honestly prefer the 4 schuko ones of the APC model over the 2 schuko and 2 IEC ones of the Legrand model primarily because you need to have IEC power cables in order to use them (and those are not available for most devices). Now if would like to see a USB port with the APC unit as well so I do hope this happens in upcoming models. Electrical protections however also matter and here’s where the Legrand Keor SP takes the lead and even though I didn’t notice any difference in performance these 3+ weeks the specifications sheets clearly place it in front of the APC unit.
Currently the BX1400U-GR by APC retails for roughly USD180 inside the USA and for 159.90Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) whereas the Keor SP 1500VA by Legrand seems to be currently for sale inside the EU for just 92.42Euros (Amazon.de – unless the price is wrong). At the end of the day both models are very good at what they are designed to do but even though APC is clearly the better name in this specific industry the Legrand Keor SP doesn’t just cost almost 45% less but it offers almost the same set of features and produces the same performance which is why it gets the Golden Award.
PROS
- Very Good Performance
- 4 Schuko Plugs (BX1400U-GR)
- Low Noise Levels (BX1400U-GR)
- 1500VA/900W (Keor SP)
- 1A USB Charging Port (Keor SP)
- 3 Color LED Bar (Keor SP)
- Electrical Protections (Keor SP)
- Price (Keor SP)
CONS
- Availability
- Noise Levels (Keor SP)
- Electrical Protections? (BX1400-GR)