MGE can't seem to keep it UPS

The Protection Centre from MGE UPS systems is still bulky and heavy, but that's basically unavoidable in an item that is essentially a battery pack. Aesthetically, though the MGE Protection Centre is a lot more appealing than most UPS units I've seen, in fact it reminds me a lot of an engine.

MGE have released this UPS range in three flavours, with model numbers representing the number of Volt Amps capable by the unit. There is the 420, a 250 W option designed for just a basic PC and monitor to be connected to it. Next in line is the 500, a 300 W version designed for an entry level PC, monitor and one or two peripherals. Finally there is the 675, a 450 W block designed for more high power PC's and bigger monitors to be attached. It was the 675 version that I was given to test.

The unit has eight power sockets in total, four universal plug sockets and four PC power sockets. All eight sockets are protected by the UPS's surge protection systems but only four of them, two of each kind, are connected to the battery. This means you can protect all your PC peripherals, but in the event of power failure, only the essential items you've connected to those plugs will remain running, thereby minimising the power draw. The unit also has network in and out sockets to provide protection from your network or modem line.

Finally there is one data socket that connects the UPS to a USB port in your PC so that you can monitor the status of the unit. Of course this is entirely optional, but recommended as it provides a range of useful options.

Once you've hooked up the UPS and installed the bundled software you'll find a new tab in your Power settings relating to the UPS. From here you can monitor the status of the unit, including such exciting things as battery levels, estimated remaining time, power load and voltage output. The software also allows the option of automatically shutting down your computer when the battery reaches a predefined level, as well as email notification of a power failure and the option to specify a time to shut down the PC and restart it. The low battery level alarm is also configurable here.

There is the option of wall mounting the unit, although I given that it weighs five kilos I would only recommend fixing it to quite a strong wall. There are also several LEDs on the UPS to keep you informed of its status.

Ultimately though, now matter how good it looks or how many bells and whistles it has, a UPS serves a single primary function, to keep your PC running for a time when the lights go out. According to the diagram on the box I should get up to 30 minutes run time.

Attached to the UPS was a Shuttle PC, a 17" LCD monitor and a small notebook. Upon flipping the switch the load jumped from 18% to 42% and the estimated remaining time plummeted from 36 minutes to just 14. The battery reached its shut down battery level of 30% after just 10 minutes. Now remember, the notebook was not running the software so it continued on and managed for another 2 minutes before the UPS gave up completely.

Now I realise that the that the 30 minutes advertised is a laboratory figure, but I think achieving just a third of that, from their top model in the range, that is supposed to for Pro systems according to them is pushing the envelope a little far. That said, 10 minutes should be enough time to finish up and save what ever you're doing, even if it's burning a DVD or finishing an online transaction.

Conclusion
At around £80 this is one of the cheapest UPSes I've seen in this power range, so working under the assumption that you get what you pay for, this unit isn't too bad. If you're looking for surge and lightning protection and a bit of time to wrap up whatever you're doing if the power fails then the MGE Protection Centre is worth considering, just make sure you know you're in for more like 10 minutes rather than 30. Based on the performance of the 675 and its low cost, I certainly wouldn't bother considering any of the lower models, even if you're running an entry level PC. ?

L'INQ
MGE UPS Systems