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APC Back-UPS Pro USB 500 Clear

This $199 unit's stylish, frosted, translucent case, combined with its excellent overall design, makes it really stand out. The Back-UPS, 5 by 7.9 by 9.4 inches (width by depth by height), has a slanted top that keeps cable clutter to a minimum--and allows you particularly easy access to its outlets. It offers four battery-backed/surge-protected outlets, three outlets with surge protection only, and RJ-11 telephone jacks to surge-protect your modem.

The Back-UPS Pro USB 500 connects to your computer via a USB cable, and APC's power-management extensions integrate directly into Windows' own Power Management control panel, where they have their own tab. The extensions provide all the feedback on battery and power status that the average user needs; they did an excellent job shutting down our test bed when we pulled the plug. The Back-UPS almost matched the SmartPro 450RT in battery performance, powering our test bed for an outstanding 18 minutes, 22 seconds. Setup documentation is clear and concise, and APC backs its product with a two-year warranty and a $25,000 equipment replacement policy.