Customer Ratings & Reviews

It can be said with utmost certainty that all of us have experienced inclement weather or unforeseen power outage events at some point in our lives. The frustrating nature of it certainly is one in which we all can relate to on some level. As such, investing in a battery backup can be a preventive measure that one can at least proactively take to better be prepared for the future in case any incidents arise. Unfortunately, there will always be those detractors who will balk at it as if preparation is a new synonym for panicking; of which they will ignorantly view battery backups as an unneeded additional cost. Ironically, that could not be further from the truth as battery backups are absolutely critical, especially for data sensitive environments. As such, I was quite excited to test the APC Back UPS Pro Battery Backup (Model: BN1500M2) and to see how it would perform! As for setup, the APC battery backup should be relatively straightforward; sliding the side panel off of the unit was fairly easy (LED screen facing your left). Once removed, you will need to connect the corresponding battery terminals to its respective cable. Once completed and you slide the panel back in place, you are now ready to go. Depending on your needs, you may decide to install the USB cable to a computer to test out the downloadable PowerChute software, but naturally it is completely optional. As for the battery, depending on its partial charge, you should expect at least 12-16 hours. While not explicitly stated, I went ahead and charged my unit first before I plugged anything into the unit. On the back of the BN1500M2, you will note the outlets are divided out accordingly: those with only surge protection and the others that provide both battery backup and surge protections. The latter ports, obviously, will be used for mission critical components such as computers, monitors, and routers. Lastly, you will note one USB Type- A and one USB Type-C port on the front for added convenience (keep in mind the unit is rated for 15 total watts for both USB ports combined). As for the display, everything should be fairly self-explanatory here, though I do want to mention by using the display button, you can cycle through various modes that showcase the unit’s load in percentage, power consumption, and how many event triggers have occurred. Another interesting feature is that you can also set the sensitivity of the unit with regards to how it handles voltage fluctuations and thus how quickly it will switch to its battery. Overall, everything should be fairly easy to setup; the included manual was also a huge plus and fairly informative. I was extremely happy that it came with a physical instruction manual and not some piece of paper with a QR code on it! For testing the APC backup, I used a total of three devices beginning with my ATT router (Model: BGW320-500) to test the load percentage, power consumption, and the battery’s estimated uptime for the devices. Subsequently, I then added my Xperia 5 III smartphone to the front USB Type-C port, and then finally I added an HP laptop that uses a 65w adapter. With just my router attached, the BN1500M2 barely even flinched; load percentage was noted at 1% and power consumption fluctuated between 6-9 watts. In addition, perhaps what is most impressive is the unit estimated about 6 hours (300 minutes) of uptime just for the router! Next, as I added my smartphone to the front USB Type-C on top of the aforementioned router, the unit spiked its load percentage slightly to 2% (the phone also registered one bar on the load capacity meter). Additionally, the power consumption increased marginally up to 25 total watts. As for expected, the estimated uptime took a sharp decline down to around 3 hours (180 minutes), though its value would continuously change as its load shifted accordingly. Lastly, I connected my laptop adapter to the back of the unit; the laptop itself had around 10% battery remaining. As expected, the estimated uptime took a nose dive down to 90 minutes. Additionally, the load percentage increased further up to 7%; total power consumption also increased up to around 62-67 watts. Interestingly, once I put the laptop to sleep, the uptime rebounded back up to around 110 minutes. While most will probably not charge a laptop on a battery backup, it was nonetheless interesting to see the drastic shift in load values; certainly, by all means, a worst case scenario test if you will. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the performance of the APC battery backup, especially with how quickly it was able to switch over to battery power. For small devices, and especially your internet router, the BN1500M2 should provide plenty of power! Furthermore, while you might be able to power some larger devices than what I have listed here, keep in mind your results will vary depending on each device’s power requirements! Lastly, around the time of this writing, I ironically experienced several small power outages before completely going out due to a wind advisory; fortunately, the last power outage was only off for about an hour, but luckily I was able to keep my internet up and charge my phone with plenty of battery left to spare. In conclusion, the APC Back UPS Pro battery backup is an ideal choice for peace of mind in case of inclement weather or an unforeseen power outage. With 900 watts of total load power, two USB front ports for convenience, and plenty of outlet connections, the BN1500M2 performs exactly as it was intended. With that said, while there are smaller battery backup units, the extra cost of the BN1500M2 will prove its worth whenever the next power outage occurs; preparation is always key! Thus, if you are shopping for a battery backup, the APC Back UPS Pro BN1500M2 comes highly recommended!

Worth the money, by far. I am highly confident in this beast. Some people report the beeping/chirping, but if you hook up the battery correctly that isn't an issue, as far as I know. So far love it. However, because of the battery, it is WAY heavier than you think! It has everything I need for my office!

Nice to have during this storm prone spring season here in TN. Keeps my cable modem and TV powered on so we have a TV with the Tornado warnings on. Cable modem used to take over 5 minutes to recover just from a 2 second interruption in power.

Works perfect for keeping up a pc and monitor to finish your work if you experience power issues.

This is a real treat. Went from a cheap UPS to this and wow. Slightly old software but I opted not to use it as the display had enough info for my needs.

Replaced a 5 year old APC as the battery was no longer working. Needed an upgrade with more outlets. This APC was easy to setup and I am comfortable that my products are protected. Have relied on APC for many years and continue to be happy with the products.

Nice small size for the 1500 watt unit. easy to setup and use.

Does exactly what it supposed to do. Very easy setup. Going to have to find out if it works when the power goes out.

This battery back up has saved my computer from crashing 3 times already in the first week since I purchased it. Our power is not the best and then someone hit a pole. It is a great comfort to know it will keep the computer from crashing.

I highly recommend APC uninterruptible power supplies. I’ve purchased three for the past 10 years and only now am I beginning to replace them. Not because of catastrophic failure, but because it’s recommended to me to do so. They are solid as a rock.

Had it 3 months and no complaints. Had one power outage and it kicked on exactly as it should and lasted long enough for me to save my work and shut down my computer. Just be sure and note which plugs on the back are actually being given battery backup.

great product! would buy again! definitely recommend!

Solid built unit. With my 3900x gaming rig it will only power it for 12 minutes but I didn't purchase it for that reason. The protection warranty it comes with is amazing. Lightning strikes power loss exc. This product can save your device. Small piece of mind to protect thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

I purchased two of these APC Back up surge protectors. They came in handy during the covid quarantine while tele a working. The power went completely in my building and these guys came in handy allowing me to still work and meet my deadlines. I highly recommend purchasing one.

Works perfectly! I have a high-end gaming PC, which usually draws (on average) around 145 watts - The other night we lost power for almost an hour, and I was able to run my computer and all peripherals for the entire time just on battery power - Definitely worth the investment!

I recently added a few external drives and want to make sure they would have power when needed for my iMac. I added this to my system to help make sure they were protected and was very surprised the first time it was needed and last almost two hours. I really like the added security this provides me.

Nice UPS. I am using it in my home office. It was easy to get setup and I installed the Personal monitoring software on the PC that is connected to it. Have used APC products for years and the quality continues with this model.

Fantastic device. I use mine for my TV, internet and consoles. I live in Hawaii and the power goes out randomly or flickers quite often, this will help keep my electronics safe and alive for longer.

We frequently have blackouts in my area. I have my cable modem , wireless router, nvidia shield and tv hooked up to this unit..with tv in power save ( brightness and backlight very dim) I have four hours solid of internet access and netflix for me and the kids , they dont even realize the power is out most of the time.

I purchased this to run my cable mode and wireless router in case of a power failure which happens often in the area I live. There are multiple people in my household who have been using electronics for meetings and school. Worked like a charm during a 20 minute outage.