INTRODUCTION

    One of the very first things I tell people to get when they are about to buy a new PC (or even an expensive home theater system) is a UPS (uninterrupted power supply) since I can't really count the times, they've saved both my work and potentially even my systems. Unfortunately, more people tend to ignore my recommendation than the ones that do (primarily due to cost) and so it's not a surprise that many of the former have come to regret their decision. On the other hand, just like with everything else the market is currently filled with UPS models and well, it's not the easiest thing to pick the right one for the job. Eaton has been one of the leading companies in the field for as far back as I can remember and today with me, I have yet another of their best-selling models, the Ellipse ECO 1600.

    Eaton is an intelligent power management company dedicated to protecting the environment and improving the quality of life for people everywhere. We make products for the data center, utility, industrial, commercial, machine building, residential, aerospace and mobility markets. We are guided by our commitment to do business right, to operate sustainably and to help our customers manage power ─ today and well into the future. By capitalizing on the global growth trends of electrification and digitalization, we’re accelerating the planet’s transition to renewable energy sources, helping to solve the world’s most urgent power management challenges, and building a more sustainable society for people today and generations to come. Eaton was founded in 1911 and has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange for more than a century. We reported revenues of $23.2 billion in 2023 and serve customers in more than 160 countries.

    The Ellipse ECO line of UPS currently includes 500/650/800/1200/1600VA models (available with either Schuko, FR or IEC outlets) which unlike the higher end PRO line they all follow the standby/offline topology. Now as I've stated in previous reviews standby/offline topology may not be quite as good as line interactive (due to voltage regulation, battery life and even power transfer) but compared to just even 10 years ago standby/offline models have improved considerably and so they are more than sufficient for most uses, including PCs (still for very sensitive equipment I'd clearly go with either line interactive or online topology models). The Ellipse ECO series also features automatic surge reduction (protection against power surges, IEC 61643-1 standard), telephone line & modem/fax protection (two RJ11 connectors), front activity LEDs, horizontal or vertical placement, EcoControl function (automatically shuts down attached devices of specific outlets when your workstation/system is turned off) and a USB host port via which you can use Eaton's UPS Companion software (enables safe system shutdown, energy usage metering and easy configuration of UPS settings). The Ellipse ECO 1600VA/1000W model which I have here with me today sports a total of 8 Schuko outlets (4 battery powered and surge protected and 4 surged protected only) and uses two 12V 9.0Ah maintenance-free sealed lead-acid batteries (charge/discharge/storage temperature range: -15°C/45°C) easily replaceable by the end user.