Alas, it’s okay to be power hungry. That is to say, if the power goes out, or even flashes, you’ll have an uninterrupted stream of juice flowing to your electronic device. Eaton, the manufacturer who sent us one of their new products, the 3S750 (450W) Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS), is always looking to raise the bar on excellence. The 3S series can be used as a home or a small business solution. The other models are the 3S350 (200W), and 3S550 (330W). Eaton is a brand name that represents quality. The last review we did on one of their products, the 5PX UPS , received an excellent rating. I promise you, this model takes no shortcuts.
The Outlook
My first impression was that this UPS seemed like your run-of-the-mill home UPS. The device has a glossy black finish on the top panel with bright white letters and symbols. Underneath the top panel sits a black non-reflective case. The power button, which about the size of the tip of my thumb, is a solid green light. When in backup mode, the button flashes green.
Energy Efficiency
This model was designed for energy efficiency. The proprietary EcoControl Function automatically powers down the EcoControl outlets when the load connected to the master outlet is turned off. This feature can be enabled with the Personal Solution-Pac software. I find this useful because you would put your PC into the master and have peripheral devices in the EcoControl outlets power down at the same time. I can see this working well with speakers, fans, printers, scanners, etc… The Layout
With 10 outlets, half battery backups and the other half surge, you’ll have a lot of freedom to connect multiple devices. I like how 4 outlets (2 backed up) are separated so that you can have the room to plug those fat AC adapters. Those adapters are kind of like the guy who takes up 2 seats on the plane. This model like many others compensates for those extra-large plugs. Not only is there a USB port, but they also provide you with a short USB cable so your UPS can interact with your computer. Also included are the network cable in and network cable out ports.Power Monitoring & Protection
The 3S series works with Eaton’s current Intelligent Power Protector software so that you may monitor and manage your power devices anytime on the network. The software shuts down your devices safely when a power outage occurs. You can get all the software for free through Eaton’s website .
Battery
The battery is fairly easy to take out. You simply slide the panel off using a thumb groove. Then the battery is exposed and easy to change if necessary. I tested this UPS out on my home PC (You can take a look at what I’m working with by clicking my name at the top of this article). I unplugged it from the wall and I was golden. I was powering a 21 inch monitor, a printer, speakers, my rig, and my home server. I had enough time to save what I was doing and shut everything down.
What kind of review of a UPS would be complete without it being pushed to the limit? We tested this UPS out on a 2009 iMac just to see how long the battery would last. Since we like to have fun here at DaniWeb, we played one of our favorite movies, “Napoleon Dynamite,” on iTunes at full screen and volume. While on battery mode, you hear slow and steady beeps periodically. As the battery gets closer to full drain, the beeps become more frequent. After about a minute a thorough, constant beeping, the battery finally drains and all power is lost. This process took about 20 minutes.
Warranty & Support
product is covered under a two year limited warranty. You can also get an extension for a 3 year warranty, but you’ll need to contact Eaton for the details. If you have any technical questions, you can always reach Eaton on their 24/7 toll free hotline for their Customer Reliability Center.Conclusion & Price
Eaton’s 3S750 does the job right. It fits exactly what the consumer needs are and more. I believe that the software that you can use with this device makes it very extraordinary. This product is so new that it’s hard to consistent price on it. I found sites selling it for $70 to $90 online. For that price, this UPS is well worth it. It brings power management to the next level while saving on your energy costs. Replacing your old UPS with this one will certainly pay for itself over its lifetime as long as you’re using its energy saving features. With the reliable support and price tag, Eaton scores another 9/10.
