Q: I am looking for a UPS for a home gaming computer. I have a lot of peripherals too. What VA rating do I need? Do I need AVR? Does the outlet it plugs into absolutely have to be grounded?
A: Yes, the outlet needs to be grounded. The APC Back-UPS NS 1250 is what I use. I have a 19" CRT monitor and a 22" flat-screen monitor hooked up to it, as well as a fairly powerful gaming machine (750w power supply) and a sound system with a 90 watt sub-woofer. I can get 10-15 minutes off of it with all that running. (Considerably more if I power down the non-necessities). I'd go for 1250 or higher. Anything smaller than that tends to not last very long, even if the box says it does. Oh, and both Belkin UPS devices that I've owned went bad within 6 months. None of the APC ones have had the slightest malfunction.