APC UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector with USB Charger
Bottom line: The APC UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector with USB Charger: 9 outlets split 6 battery-backup plus surge and 3 surge-only; main trade-off: 450W ceiling is thin for a high-wattage gaming rig.
As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ 9 outlets split 6 battery-backup plus surge and 3 surge-only
- ✓ 850VA/450W handles a desktop, monitor, and network gear
- ✓ Two 2.4A USB charger ports free up wall outlets
- ✓ Battery is user-replaceable (RBC17), no unit swap needed
Cons
- ✗ 450W ceiling is thin for a high-wattage gaming rig
- ✗ Battery lasts 3-5 years and RBC17 costs extra
- ✗ 354J is modest next to dedicated surge strips
- ✗ 8-hour recharge time after a full discharge
Manufacturer description
The APC BE850M2 Back-UPS pairs 850VA / 450W of battery backup with 354-joule surge protection, making it a practical guard for a retro PC bench, a home office, or a small-business workstation that cannot afford an abrupt shutdown. Nine NEMA 5-15R outlets split the job: six give you battery backup plus surge protection for the machine, monitor, and external drive you actually need to survive an outage, while three surge-only outlets absorb the printer, speakers, and chargers that do not warrant runtime. Two USB charger ports share 2.4A, so a phone or tablet tops up without stealing a wall…
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored APC UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector with USB Charger using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the power protection category. APC's power protection lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for power protection of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much equipment can the BE850M2 actually run?
It supplies 850VA / 450W, so total connected load on the six battery outlets must stay under 450 watts. A desktop, monitor, and router fit comfortably; a 450W-plus gaming build does not.
How many of the 9 outlets have battery backup?
Six of the nine NEMA 5-15R outlets provide battery backup plus surge protection. The remaining three are surge-protection only, intended for printers, speakers, and other non-critical gear.
Can I replace the battery myself when it wears out?
Yes. APC rates the battery for 3-5 years and sells a replacement as part number RBC17, purchased separately, so you swap the cell instead of the whole unit.
What warranty and equipment coverage does APC include?
APC backs the BE850M2 with a 3-year warranty plus a connected-equipment policy. Review APC's policy terms on the product listing for current coverage limits and claim requirements.
Does it work with a Mac, and do the USB ports charge a phone?
The free power-management software is Windows-only; macOS uses its native Energy Saver settings. Two USB charger ports share 2.4A for phones and tablets.
Key Features
- 850VA / 450W Backup Battery power supply
- 9 Outlets (NEMA 5-15R): 6 UPS Battery Backup with Surge Protection Outlets, and 3 Surge Protector Only Outlets
- Two USB Charger Ports (2.4A shared)
- 5' Power Cord, right-angle 3-prong wall plug (NEMA 5-15P), wall-mountable, plus FREE Windows PC power-management software (Mac OS uses native "Energy Saver" Settings)
- 3-5 Year Battery Life. APC UPS replacement battery sold separately (part # RBC17)
- Backed by APC's 3-YEAR warranty, plus a $75,000 connected-equipment policy
Full Specifications
| Brand | APC |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Runtime | 8 hours |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Wattage | 450 watts |
| Amperage | 15 |
| Unit Count | 33.6 Ounce |
| Form Factor | Tower |
| Connectivity | USB |
| Model Number | BE850M2 |
| Compatibility | PC, Mac |
| Input Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Maximum Power | 850 Watts |
| Built-In Media | UPS^User Manual^USB Cable |
| Connector Type | NEMA, USB |
| Item Type Name | APC Back-UPS 850VA 9-outlet Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with USB Charging Ports |
| Output Voltage | 120 Volts (AC) |
| Output Wattage | 450 Watts |
| Frequency Range | 60 Hz |
| Item Dimensions | 12.87 x 4.13 x 5.47 inches |
| Full listing title | APC UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector with USB Charger, 850 VA Uninterruptible Power Supply (BE850M2), Black | 850va/450w Ups, 9 Outlets, 2 USB Ports, 354j Surge Protection, 3-Year Warranty |
Ready to buy?
APC UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector with USB Charger, 850 VA Uninterruptible Power Supply (BE850M2), Black | 850va/450w Ups, 9 Outlets, 2 USB Ports, 354j Surge Protection, 3-Year Warranty is vintage hardware; the used and vintage market on eBay carries most of the live inventory. Prices and condition vary by seller and move in real time, so we link the live listing rather than quote a cached price. It also has an Amazon listing — check it for current price and availability. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
Related Power Protection
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- Jellyfin on a Ryzen 5 5600G: 4K Transcoding on a $400 Mini-Server (2026)
- Best Mini PC Deals 2026 for Local AI and Home Labs
- Best Budget GPU for Local LLMs in 2026: The 12GB RTX 3060 Case
- Best Budget PC Gaming Peripherals and Desk Setup in 2026
- Building a Period-Correct Windows 98 SE Gaming PC in 2026
- Best CPU for a Budget AI + Gaming Rig: Ryzen 7 5700X vs 5800X vs 5600G
- RX 9060 XT vs RX 9070 XT: OLED 1440p or 4K IPS?
- Jetson Orin Nano Super vs Raspberry Pi 5: Real Edge-AI Benchmarks (2026)
- Forza Horizon 6 Is the Highest-Rated Game of 2026: What Metacritic's 94 Says About Where Racing Sims Are Going
- RTX 5090 AI Cores: What the Specs Actually Mean in 2026
- Best GPU for Local Stable Diffusion at 1080p/1440p in 2026
- Voodoo5 5500 PCI Boots on a Modern Z77 Board: Retro-on-Modern Just Got Easier
- Best Raspberry Pi Accessories for Home-Lab Builds in 2026
- Best AM4 Gaming CPU in 2026: Ryzen 7 5800X vs 3700X vs 3900X vs Intel i7-9700K
- HiDream-O1 1.5 Lands #3 in Text-to-Image: Can You Run It Locally on a 12GB GPU?
- How Sega's $5M bet saved Nvidia in 1996 — and shaped every GPU launch since
- Local AI on Raspberry Pi 5: Sourced Benchmarks for Llama, Phi, and Gemma (2026)
- Anthropic Extends Free Fable 5 as GPT-5.6 Sol Heats Pricing War
- KOORUI 27-inch 4K QD-Mini LED: A Budget HDR Gaming Monitor?
- NVIDIA's AI Servers Run on Hot Tub Coolant — No Evaporators Neede
- Best Parts for a Multi-User Local LLM Server in 2026
- Sony Trinitron FW900 Setup for Retro Gaming: Resolution Sweet Spots, Calibration, and Refresh-Rate Math
- Intel Arc Pro B60 vs RTX 3060 12GB for Local LLM
- Best CPU for a Local-LLM Homelab Under $300 in 2026
Earliest SpecPicks reviews
Browse full archive →- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 8B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 14B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 70B (2026)
- Best GPU for DeepSeek-R1 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 405B (2026)
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 14B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run DeepSeek-R1 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090