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Tripp Lite SmartPro 450RT

The jet-black, $299 SmartPro 450RT is the priciest UPS we tested, and it offered the longest run time, keeping our test bed running for a whopping 18 minutes, 40 seconds. Its bundled PowerAlert software also shut down our test bed safely. You can place the 450RT--17 by 11 by 1.75 inches (width by depth by height)--under your monitor, on the wall, or even into a standard 19-inch rack with the included side brackets. It connects to the computer via the serial port only, a bit of a drawback--unless you want to use it with an older, non-USB system. This model is a more likely choice for a corporate setting, where Internet access comes through a network, as it doesn't offer phone-line surge suppression.

The 450RT has four battery-backed/surge-protected outlets, and a single surge-protection-only outlet on the back, along with the DB-9 serial port and a circuit reset switch. Among the front-panel indicators, there are alerts for a low battery, overload, and for wiring faults (such as reverse-wired outlets). Tripp Lite backs the 450RT with $50,000 of equipment damage liability insurance and a two-year warranty.

The PowerAlert software, while more complex and difficult to use than APC's power management extensions, provides extensive details about power and UPS conditions for troubleshooting technicians. However, the interface is a bit arcane for the average consumer. Both server and client software are included so network administrators can monitor the UPS remotely across a LAN.