What are the best inverters to choose in 2024?

In order to protect your PCs and other electrical devices during frequent power outages, investing in an electrical inverter may seem like the right solution. However, it is necessary to clarify any gray areas around these products before making an investment. Here is our complete comparison of the best inverters for your PC or your home.

Electric current management is the main enemy of your devices. With the energy crisis resurfacing and all the problems it entails, it is important to find a solution to protect your PC, your TV and the rest of your equipment. The best solution for this is to invest in a PC inverter which will be part of your arsenal of objects to save energy.

Before diving further into the guide, it is necessary to decipher a little the use of an inverter. It is not an independent electricity generator. Inverters take over in terms of electricity to give you between 10 and 30 minutes of autonomy. Some of them benefit from a surge protection feature. Among the things to look at, you will need to pay attention to the power you need. To do this, identify which devices will be connected and above all pay attention to the values ​​in VA and not in Watts. With a connected power strip, it is one of the most effective devices for monitoring your consumption.

To anticipate your purchase, we advise you to look at our component guides to build your desktop PC:

Eaton Ellipse ECO 1200 FR: our PC UPS recommendation

This inverter model is offered in different configurations, but it is the one emitting 1200 VA of power or 750 Watts that interests us here. In its construction there are 8 FR type sockets, three of them are connected to the emergency battery while the last one is protected against overvoltage. The machine measures 23 centimeters long and 26 centimeters high. You also have a USB port and two Ethernet ports.

In terms of performance, the Eaton Ellipse allows a PC to last 10 minutes while saving your files. The inverter is off-line to protect against voltage interference, but especially lightning. It is easy to install and above all pleasant on a daily basis. The inverter promises a maximum noise of 25 decibels. Finally, the device can save your energy consumption by 25%.

APC Back-UPS Pro: the high-end PC UPS

Are you looking for the best product available? As it happens, the APC Back-UPS Pro UPS is the reference that we recommend for the high end. This requires a fairly attractive technical sheet. The inverter promises a power of 1500 VA or 865 Watts deployed and above all a complete construction. It’s about a Interactive line technology with a lead-acid battery inside. It offers a lifespan of approximately 3 to 5 years and costs 119 euros to replace it.

There are 6 sockets compatible with French standards which are placed on the product. Three of them are protected against power outages and the other three are surge protectors. Two RJ45 input and output sockets protected against surges are also included. Finally, it is possible to connect an additional battery. On the front there is an LCD screen which displays the endurance of the inverter.

Last element, the Powerchute Personal Edition software allows you to know the energy consumption of your products, electricity management or even the electrical voltage of the device. In short, it is the ultimate high-end device with the price to match. In this configuration, the inverter is sold from 430 euros.

Eaton 3S 700 FR: the easy-to-install computer UPS

For this type of product, it is first and foremost an aesthetic choice. Indeed, most inverters look like fairly massive boxes and are therefore difficult to integrate into your installation. The Eaton 3S is closer to the slightly more imposing power strip. This plugs directly into a 230V earthed wall socket.

The off-line UPS consists of eight FR type sockets, two RJ45 slots and two USB type A ports. It also offers a power of 700 VA, or 420 Watts. This is more than enough for an office PC to last up to 20 additional minutes. On the other hand, it is too tight for a high-performance gaming PC.

The Eaton 3S also comes with companion software called Eaton UPS Companion which turns out to be quite austere and above all dispensable. The lead-acid battery installed has an estimated life of between 3 and 5 years. It even turns out to be easy to replace. We recommend the 700 VA one, but be aware that the product is available in several power levels ranging from 450 to 850 depending on your needs.

Infosec Z1 Zenergy Cube EX 400 VA: the inexpensive inverter for the home

Are you looking for an inverter designed for living room equipment or for your office PC? The Z1 Zernergy Cube EX from the Infosec brand is the ideal product which remains accessible in terms of price and with a compact format.

In terms of power, the inverter delivers 400 VA and is characterized as being off-line. These are three FR type sockets which are protected. It can therefore provide up to 10 minutes of additional battery life to a PC. The product protects against voltage variations and warns you when an outage occurs. The noise emitted does not exceed 40 decibels.

The price of this inverter is 69 euros and it is the cheapest in our selection.

APC Back UPS BX2200MI: the most powerful UPS in our selection

Those looking for a product that centralizes all your equipment or to support a powerful machine, you will need a device capable of holding up. For this, we advise you to invest in the APC Back UPS BX2200MI, an interactive line inverter displaying a power of 1600 VA.

Within its construction, there are 4 FR sockets which are protected by the emergency battery, but also against surges. You also have an “In” and an “Out” RJ45 port. Thanks to this, it is possible to protect your high-performance PC or several devices, including your television. The inverter is capable of managing the electrical voltage itself if necessary.

The lead acid battery is the one that ensures the autonomy of your devices. At a minimum, 25 additional minutes are guaranteed by the machine. Add to that the PowerChute Personal Edition software and you have a machine capable of helping you in the event of a power outage on a daily basis. For example, the latter informs you of the energy cost of your products.

In terms of price, this unique version is priced at 212 euros.

EcoFlow River 2: the electrical station that acts as a solar inverter

This product is a little more special in the sense that it is not an inverter strictly speaking. The EcoFlow River 2 power station is a device with the particularity of integrating LFP batteries. The Lithium Iron Phosphate accumulator present on Tesla cars allows you to accumulate 3,000 charge cycles without damaging the battery below 80%. In use, it is capable of lasting 6 years.

In its construction, the machine contains a grounded FR socket, two USB-A sockets and one USB-C. The battery can be charged from the mains in one hour, or using solar energy. The product delivers a total power of 600 W with the possibility of connecting several devices simultaneously. In the event of a power outage, it is possible to run your Desktop PC for 2 to 3 hours. It is also possible to use it as a “makeshift” inverter. Even if the product does not manage voltage variations, it is quite capable of taking over in the event of a power outage without damaging the battery.

A period of time necessary for your PC or even your NAS server to shut down with the risk of losing your data. The EcoFlow station is still a good investment as it provides a real emergency solution in the event of a power outage. A companion application, available on iOS and Android, allows you to connect via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to your battery. You will be able to monitor the product load in real time and manage it as best as possible.

What is the role of an inverter

What are the types of electric inverters?

There are three types of inverters on the market:

• In-line products also called Line Interactive. They protect against lightning and filter voltage interference with better protection thanks to a regulator. They are great if you have variable electrical voltage, but are a little more expensive and bulky.
• Off-line products. These are the most common products on the market since they protect against lightning and cuts. If you ever experience voltage variations, this type of device is as inefficient as possible. On the other hand, they have the advantage of being compact and often quite inexpensive.
• Online products. These are not present in our selection. Particularly because they are very expensive, but above all because they are mainly designed for professional use. They are bulky and very noisy. These are devices that run constantly on battery power, so there is no latency during a power outage.

What power should you choose for your inverter?

This is also one of the most important features before choosing your inverter. Before you make a purchase, it is necessary to identify the equipment you want to protect. As you have seen, the power expressed in Volt Amps is VA. It corresponds to the battery reserve in place and more or less indicates the autonomy. Most convert to Watts, but roughly the formula to convert Watts to VA is: number of Watts / 0.66. In order to best anticipate your consumption, we advise you to purchase an inverter a little more powerful than the products to be protected.

Which devices to connect to your inverter?

Of course, the purpose of the inverter is to protect your electrical appliances, but you still need to identify which products to connect to this type of product. Automatically, desktop PCs are ideal candidates, but they are not the only ones. NAS can also be protected against power outages. If you have a laptop, don’t panic. Oled televisions can also be protected using inverters.

What is an inverter used for?

This type of product is essential if you want to protect sensitive equipment such as a desktop PC. With the generalization of teleworking, the autonomy provided by the UPS will allow you to save all your files before the PC shuts down. In fact, thanks to the battery, the inverter takes over the current. This also helps protect your electrical devices. The inverter filters the electrical voltage and does not damage the connected products.

---

Some links in this article are affiliated. We’ll explaine everything here.

---