So your computer’s a few years old, and it’s not running as well as it used to. Unfortunately, this happens over time but if you’re not ready to give up on your old computer just yet, these tricks can help you get it running better.

Perform regular maintenance

One of the first things to do is a maintenance check, to make sure nothing’s causing your PC to slow down. You’ve probably got a built-in virus scanner, but if not you can get a good one online for free. If it’s just getting old, then this won’t make things start running super-fast, but it will make sure everything is working at its best. When it comes to an older machine, every little helps.

Use lighter programs

Some programs, like iTunes, are very big and use a lot of an older machine’s power to run. Older machines can struggle under the demands of these programs, so it’s worth checking if there’s an alternative. If you’ve got an iPhone, you’ll need iTunes to sync your devices, but when it comes to playing music, using a program like Spotify can really speed things up.

Use older programs

When there isn’t a ‘lightweight’ version of the program you want to use, there might be an older version. These are usually smaller programs than their newer versions, because they have fewer features. For example, if you don’t have the minimum system requirements to run Photoshop CS5, you can find a copy of CS4 and use that instead. Usually, the older version will be cheaper too, which is always nice.

Install a lighter operating system

One of the easiest ways to improve performance is to install a new operating system altogether. If it’s not something you’re familiar with, we suggest looking up a tutorial, or doing some research first, because it can completely change the way you work. The upside is a major speed boost. Linux is a popular choice, but you’ll want to find something that suits your needs.

Upgrading your hardware

If you’ve got a bit of money to spend on improving your computer, but don’t want to buy a new one, then upgrading the hardware is a good option. It’s not always possible on certain laptops and desktops, but you should still be able to upgrade the RAM and the hard drive as a minimum. RAM can give you a boost in some areas, but you’ll see the most benefit from upgrading the hard drive to an SSD (solid state drive).

Repurposing old kit

There’s a few things you can do to keep your old computer in use. The smaller it is, the more options you’ve got. An old laptop could be repurposed into a kitchen helper, being used for videos or recipes while you’re cooking.

Alternatively, you could turn it into a networked FreeNAS (Free network attached storage) box. This is basically a storage box that’s attached to your network, and any computer on that network can see the files on the NAS. It’s a great option for bigger households, or just when you don’t want to store a bunch of external drives.

Make Windows faster and more reliable by performing a set of simple household chores to keep it lean and mean

It’s frustrating trying to find things in a house full of clutter and the same can be said for your PC. The messier it gets, the longer it takes your computer to get stuff done and the more likely it is to crash during the process. So, we’ve come up with some simple steps to help you maintain and tidy up your PC, leading to a faster, more stable experience.

1. Disk Cleanup

The Disk Cleanup tool helps remove redundant files from your computer. You access it by clicking Start and selecting Computer. Right-click your hard drive icon and choose Properties, then click the Disk Cleanup button. Once your drive has been scanned, a list of files will appear. Choose one to find out more about the files then tick the items you want to clean.

2. Clean up system file

To clean up more files using Disk Cleanup, click the Cleanup System Files button. If Service Pack Backup Files is available, and your PC is functioning well, select it and you’ll save more disk space. Choose More Options and choose to delete all but the most recent restore point to claw back even more space. Finally, click OK to clean your computer.

3. Disk check

It’s a good idea to ensure that your hard drive is working properly. Disks can pick up software errors that stop data being managed effectively, or they can have physical damage on the disk surface. From the same disk properties dialogue you used to open Disk Cleanup, switch to the Tools tab. Click Check now, under Error Checking, and tick both options. Click Start then restart your computer for the check to take place. It takes a bit of time so be patient.

4. Remove unnecessary programs

Getting rid of programs you don’t use can also help keep your PC ticking over in trim condition. Choose Start > Control Panel > Uninstall a program. When the program list appears, look for applications you definitely don’t use – if in doubt, leave it alone. To remove a program, select it and click the Uninstall button, then follow the wizard to delete it from your PC.

5. Defragment disk

Fragmented data basically means files that are stored in multiple pieces, scattered all over your hard drive. It takes your drive longer to stitch the files back together, which increases the wear and tear on it and reduces its lifespan. Defragging the drive fixes this problem, speeding up performance and protecting your hard drive.

Windows 7 and Vista automatically defrag your drive once a week. For XP users, you need to choose Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. Select the drive to process and choose Analyze disk, followed by Defragment Disk, if necessary. Note you should not defragment a SSD (solid-state drive), if you’ve fitted one in your PC.

6. Startup items

Many programs are set to start automatically with your PC, but if too many are installed your computer will take longer to start. You’ll also find the overall performance of your PC is reduced, as too many programs are using up its resources.

To manage which programs start with Windows, download a free program called Autoruns. For a guide to using Autoruns to remove unwanted programs from startup, click here.

7. Windows update

For optimum performance, you need to keep Windows up to date. Important updates usually install automatically, but optional ones can improve performance too. Choose Start > All Programs > Windows Update and click Check for updates. When the scan completes, check the optional updates offered and install any you think might be useful.

8. Update drivers

The latest driver updates can improve performance, fix bugs and add new features. Check the optional section of Windows Update for the latest driver updates for your Advent PC.

9. Indexing options

Click Start, type indexing options into the Search box and press [Enter]. Choose Modify and pick which folders and drives you want to index, to speed up future searches. If you index too many areas, overall performance is reduced, so try and get the right balance by choosing folders you might need to search in the future.

10. Visual effects

Right-click Computer on the Start Menu and choose Properties. Select Advanced System Settings. Under Performance, choose Settings. Select Adjust for best performance and click OK to turn off all visual effects but improve overall speed.

There are many important stats to keep track of if you’re interested in the working health of your PC, but few are as important as the temperature of major components like your central processor. If you’re not sure how to do so though, don’t worry about breaking out the mercury thermometers, there are a number of quick and easy ways to keep an eye on how toasty your CPU is.

In this guide we’ll walk you through exactly how to check your CPU temperature, from your motherboard’s own reporting tools, to great third-party apps for occasional checks, to software and hardware solutions that keep you in the loop whenever you’re system’s booted.

Windows apps

You don’t need to get into the nitty-gritty of UEFI/BIOS to measure your CPU’s temperature. Monitoring applications use the same physical temperature sensors in your system as your UEFI/BIOS, but make it accessible right through Windows. That means you can check it without a restart and you can also force your CPU to do something difficult so you can see how warm it gets when it’s working hard.

There are a number of first and third-party apps out there that you can use to get quick and easy access to your CPU’s temperature and a lot more information besides. Some of them can be a little overwhelming, but if you’re just looking to find out how to check your CPU temperature, our favorites listed below will see you right.

INTEL XTU

If you have an Intel Core processor, then Intel’s Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU) is arguably the best way to check how hot your processor is running. Although designed primarily as an overclocking tool, Intel XTU comes with a number of built-in monitoring functions as well.

Step 1: To find out how hot your CPU is when running it, download the program from Intel’s download center and install it like you would any application.

Step 2: Booting it up, you’ll be presented with a lot of information, but in the lower panel of the main screen, you’ll see a few pieces of key information about your CPU. Most important for this particular guide however, is the “package temperature,” and associated graph. That’s your CPU temperature.

Step 3: You can also see how hard your CPU is working by its “CPU Utilization” percentage. The higher that is, the more your CPU is having to do. If you want to see how it does under stress, you can use the XTU’s built-in CPU benchmark under the relevant left-hand tab.

AMD RYZEN MASTER

Step 1: If you’re running one of AMD’s new Ryzen processors you can make use of AMD’s own Ryzen Master tool. It works in much the same way as Intel’s XTU, but for Ryzen chips instead. Head on over to its download center to install the program.

Step 2: Alongside its core clock tweaking abilities, it also has a CPU temperature monitor you can view on the left-hand side. Like the XTU, there’s also a graph that can plot your CPU’s temperature over time, even breaking it down by the core, so you can see if individual cores are getting warmer than others.

Step 3: The Ryzen Master tool can also give you average and peak readings, so you can see how hot your CPU gets over a long period of time — great for those concerned about time of day or outside forces affecting CPU temperature.

AN ALTERNATE SOFTWARE OPTION: HWMONITOR

A classic PC monitoring solution, HWMonitor can tell you everything about the various components in your system, from the voltages they require — to the temperatures they run at. It doesn’t feature any sort of overclocking tools and its interface is barebones, but it’s clean, lightweight and easy to parse at a quick glance.

Hardware monitors

If none of the above methods are quite what you’re looking for when it comes to checking your CPU temperature, you could always opt for a hardware monitor. These typically come as part of fan controllers which slot into one of the optical drive ports on desktop systems. They sometimes use your onboard temperature sensors, but many come with their own wired thermometers to give you additional information about how hot your CPU is getting.

Note: These hardware monitors do require installation to some degree, so be prepared to open up your system to fit them, or pay to have it done by a professional.

When your iPhone’s battery is depleted, it can’t charge fast enough. Being stuck without your phone often means being stranded without social contact, your map, your music library and your video game collection among other things.

The iPhone doesn’t have quick charging technology built-in like some Androids do, but there are a few things you can do to make your iPhone charge slightly faster. The less your iPhone is doing, the faster it’s battery will recharge. This is why many believe switching your phone into Airplane Mode helps it charge more quickly, since this cuts off the phone’s ability to connect to the Internet and fetch information. If you still want to receive texts and calls while charging, there are some other settings you can change to make your iPhone charge faster. Turning off Wi-Fi, lowering the screen brightness, and disabling app notifications can help.

Apple also says removing your iPhone’s case may help it preserve battery life, especially if it’s overheating. If you have an iPad charger readily available, try charging using it to charge your iPhone to speed up battery replenishment.

Discover how to keep your PC free from dust and other dirt in this simple step-by-step guide

The build-up of dust and dirt in your PC does more than simply make it look scruffy. Over time it can affect its reliability and performance too, as the dirt clogs up your airways and fans, your PC runs hotter and components wear out faster and struggle to perform at their best. In this tutorial, we’ll reveal ways of safely cleaning out the dirt to keep your PC running at its best for longer.

1. Assemble your toolkit

Start by putting together the tools you need for cleaning. Start with an anti-microbial cleaning cloth for cleaning the outside of your computer – PC World stocks an ESSENTIALS washable cloth that’s sensibly priced. Hard-to-reach areas can be cleaned using a can of compressed air, like this FELLOWES Mini Turbo Air Duster. You may also need a small handheld vacuum cleaner and a small, soft brush that won’t shed its hairs easily – a make-up brush or soft paint brush is ideal.

2. Prepare to clean

Switch off your computer and unplug it from the mains before removing any other cables from the main chassis. Leave it a good 20-30 minutes to cool down, particularly if you plan to open it up to clean the inside. Place it on an accessible, clean surface such as a table.

3. Clean the outside

Use your vacuum cleaner to carefully remove obvious dust from the vents and various ports (USB , network, monitor and so on). Try to avoid spinning the fans in the wrong direction when vacuuming near them to prevent possible damage – for this reason don’t use a can of compressed air. Once complete, use your anti-bacterial cloth to give the PC’s exterior a good clean, removing any additional dust and grime you find. Earbuds are a good cleaning tool for crevices, grills and other small gaps.

4. Clean the keyboard

Don’t forget to clean your laptop’s keyboard – the can of compressed air and soft brush can help dislodge the worst of the dirt that’s fallen down inside it. Cleaning the keys themselves might require a brush with harder bristles to gently scrape off the dirt. If you plan to use a cleaning solution, use isopropyl to moisten a paper towel or damp rag to clean the tops of the keys, and a moistened ear bud to clean between them. Do not pour the solution directly on to the keyboard!

5. Clean other devices

Use the cloth to clean all your cables and peripherals such as printers, removing any obvious dust and grime. Use your soft brush to clean inside any small holes to help dislodge any dirt inside. Look for dedicated cleaning products for certain elements, such as monitor screens.

6. Clean inside your desktop

If you’re a confident user, comfortable with opening up your desktop PC, you can go further and carefully clean its insides too. We strongly recommend you wear an anti-static wristband, which should be clipped to the side of your case after removing the cover.

Start by using your vacuum’s nozzle to remove the worst of the dust inside, but make sure it doesn’t touch any of the components. For a more thorough clean, use short bursts of compressed air (any longer and you might introduce moisture) in conjunction with your soft brush or cloth to shift more stubborn dirt. Advanced users may also wish to take out expansion cards and cables to clean them, but make sure you know exactly where they came from!

Once you’ve finished cleaning your laptop or desktop PC, you should find it runs smoother, quieter and cooler – all without upgrading or repairing it.

A well-cared-for iPhone or iPod can last many years, but there’s a downside to that longevity: sooner or later, you’re going to need a battery replacement.

A device that’s used regularly can start to show decreased battery life after 18-24 months (though some last much longer). If you’ve still got the device after two or three years, you’ll likely notice that the battery holds less juice, making it less useful.

If you’re still satisfied with everything else about your iPhone or iPod, you may not want to buy a whole new device when all you need is a new battery.

But, the battery on both devices is not (easily) replaceable by users because the device’s case has no doors or screws. So what are your options?

iPhone & iPod Battery Replacement Options

Apple—Apple offers a battery replacement program for both in- and out-of-warranty models through its retail stores and website. There are conditions, but many older models should qualify. If you’ve got an Apple Store nearby, stop in and discuss your options. Otherwise, there’s good information on Apple’s website about both iPhone repair and iPod repair.

Apple Authorized Service Providers—Apple isn’t the only company authorized to provide repairs. There’s also a network of authorized service providers whose staff has been trained and certified by Apple.

When you get a repair from these stores, you can be sure that you’re getting good, knowledgeable help and your warranty won’t be voided (if your device is still under warranty). Find an authorized service provider near you at Apple’s website.

Repair Shops—Many websites and mall kiosks offer iPhone and iPod battery replacement services.

Google “ipod battery replacement” and you’ll likely find a decent selection, often with prices lower than Apple’s. Be wary of these options. Unless they’re Apple authorized, their staff may not be experts and they could damage your device by mistake. If that happens, Apple may not be able to help.

Do It Yourself—If you’re handy, you can replace your device’s battery yourself. This is a little trickier,  but Google will supply you many companies willing to sell you the tools and battery you need to do this. Make sure you’ve synced your iPhone or iPod before you start to back up all your data and know what you’re doing. Otherwise, you could end up with a dead device.

iPhone & iPod Battery Replacement Prices

For the iPhone, Apple will service the battery on models as old as the iPhone 3G up to the most recent. As of this writing, the company charges US$79 for iPhone battery service.

For the iPod, prices range from $39 for an iPod Shuffle to $79 for an iPod touch. For iPods, though, Apple only services the battery on more recent models. If you’ve got an iPod that’s a couple of generations old, you’ll probably have to seek out other repair options.

Is Replacing an iPhone or iPod Battery Worth It?

Replacing the dead or dying battery in your iPhone or iPod may seem like a good idea, but is it always worth it? It really depends on how old the device is. I’d recommend approaching the issue like this:

• Ÿ If your device is still under warranty, yes, definitely replace the battery.
• Ÿ If it’s recently out of warranty and still working well for your needs, it probably makes sense to replace the battery.
• Ÿ If it’s out of warranty and a couple of generations behind/a few years old, it probably doesn’t make sense to replace the battery.

In the last case, you need to weigh the cost of replacing the battery against the cost of a new device.

For example, if you’ve got a 4th gen. iPod touch that needs a new battery, that will cost you $79. But buying a brand new iPod touch starts at just $199, a little over $100 more. For that price, you get all the latest hardware and software. Why not take the plunge and get a better device?

How To Make Your iPhone or iPod Battery Last Longer

You can avoid needing battery replacement as long as possible by taking good care of your battery. Apple suggests doing the following things to give your battery the longest possible lifespan:

• Ÿ Keep your device in a cool area—iPhones and iPods function best when they’re used in an ambient temperature between 32 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (0-35 C). Operating the device outside of these temperatures can permanently damage the battery. You especially don’t want to charge your device if the ambient temperature is above 95 degrees, as this can also damage the battery.
• Ÿ Remove cases before charging—Some protective cases can cause your device to get too hot while it charges. Taking off the case can help them stay cool while getting power.
• Ÿ Charge the battery before long-term storage—If you’re planning not to use your iPhone or iPod for a long time, charge its battery to 50% and then turn it off. If you store it for very long periods of time, charge it to 50% every 6 months.

Beware the signs of a potentially malware-infested PC: slower-than-usual performance, the recent occurrence of lots of pop-ups, and other weird issues. It’s possible your system has been infected by a virus, spyware, or other nefarious entity—even if you have an antivirus program installed. Yes, out-of-the-ordinary behavior is sometimes the result of hardware issues, but it’s best to first rule out malware if your PC is acting up. Here’s a step-by-step guide for taking action.

Step 1: Enter Safe Mode

Before you do anything, you need to disconnect your PC from the internet, and don’t use it until you’re ready to clean your PC. This can help prevent the malware from spreading and/or leaking your private data.

If you think your PC may have a malware infection, boot your PC into Microsoft’s Safe Mode. In this mode, only the minimum required programs and services are loaded. If any malware is set to load automatically when Windows starts, entering in this mode may prevent it from doing so. This is important because it can make removing the nefarious files easier since they’re not actually running or active.

You may find that your PC runs noticeably faster in Safe Mode. This could be a sign that your system has a malware infection, or it could mean that you have a lot of legitimate programs that normally start up alongside Windows. If your PC is outfitted with a solid-state drive it’s probably fast either way.

Step 2: Delete temporary files

Now that you’re in Safe Mode, you’ll want to run a virus scan. But before you do that, delete your temporary files. Doing this may speed up the virus scanning, free up disk space, and even get rid of some malware. To use the Disk Cleanup utility included with Windows 10 just type Disk Cleanup in the search bar or after pressing the Start button and select the tool that appears named Disk Cleanup.

Step 3: Download malware scanners

Now you’re ready to have a malware scanner do its work—and fortunately, running a scanner is enough to remove most standard infections. If you already had an antivirus program active on your computer, you should use a different scanner for this malware check, since your current antivirus software may not have detected the malware. Remember, no antivirus program can detect 100 percent of the millions of malware types and variants.

There are two types of antivirus programs. You’re probably more familiar with real-time antivirus programs, which run in the background and constantly watch for malware. (Another option is an on-demand scanner, which searches for malware infections when you open the program manually and run a scan. You should have only one real-time antivirus program installed at a time, but you can have many on-demand scanners installed to run scans with multiple programs, thereby ensuring that if one program misses something a different one might find it.

Step 4: Fix your web browser

Malware infections can damage Windows system files and other settings. One common malware trait is to modify your web browser’s homepage to reinfect the PC, display advertisements, prevent browsing, and generally annoy you.

Before launching your web browser, check your homepage and connection settings. For Internet Explorer right-click the Windows 10 Start button and select Control Panel, then Internet Options. Find the Home Page settings in the General tab, and verify that it’s not some site you know nothing about. For Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, simply go to the setttings window of your browser to check your homepage setting.

You’ve heard of a watch, right? And you’re likely fully aware of smartwatches, and how the two differ. But you may have also read about hybrid smartwatches. Confused as to what a hybrid watch does? We’re here to explain everything, from what a hybrid smartwatch is and what they can do, to a few examples of the best out there.

What is a hybrid smartwatch?

A hybrid smartwatch is a fusion between a regular mechanical watch and a smartwatch, in that it combines some connected features with traditional watch mechanics. It doesn’t have a touchscreen, doesn’t usually require charging up every day, and doesn’t look like a piece of technology. It looks like a normal watch. If the Apple Watch, Samsung Gear Sport, or touchscreen Android Wear watches like the Emporio Armani Connected, don’t appeal because they don’t really look like watches, then the hybrid is your gateway to the smartwatch world.

Show, don’t tell

The best way to understand what a hybrid smartwatch does is to see and play around with one. The above photo shows off the Fossil Q Crewmaster. We chose it as our example because the design is based closely on an existing Fossil watch, which the company chose to augment with smart connected features. You can see it has an analog dial, traditional watch styling, and it’s slim and stylish.

It’s smart because it has Bluetooth connectivity built-in, and it pairs with your smartphone through an app. The app is available for iOS and Android, which means there’s a high chance whatever phone you have works with the watch. It’s not like the Apple Watch, which only works with the iPhone.

What does a hybrid smartwatch do?

The vast majority of hybrid smartwatches share similar functionality. A hybrid watch will track your steps, while the app works out calorie burn and activity time. Some watches will also track your sleep, but it’s not as common considering most people are unlikely to wear the watch 24-hours a day. The watch will alert you of notifications on your phone with vibrations, and some kind of visual hint about which app is alerting you.

The method for notification alerts varies. Fossil, for example, makes the watch hands zip around to point at a single number, which you designate to a certain app or contact when you first set up the watch.

For example, if email notifications are linked to the number 3, the hands will move to 3 o’clock on the watch and will linger there long enough for you to take a glance. Other watches do it it different, such as the NYSW GTS Activity Tracker, which has a dedicated sub-dial for notification alerts. Hybrid watches from Guess and Martian have a small LCD screen for alerts.

You can also expect features like alarms, world time zones, and a programmable button that can be configured for different functions. This can include working as a remote shutter for your phone’s camera, for music control, or to make your phone ring in case you can’t find it.

Don’t expect most hybrid smartwatches to run apps, have watch faces you can change, or include more complex features like a heart rate sensor (though there are some like the Nokia Steel HR).

No charging?

Because most hybrid smartwatches don’t have a touchscreen, they don’t consume anywhere near the same degree of energy as one that does. Paired with Bluetooth Low Energy, a hybrid smartwatch can usually survive on a coin-cell battery, and therefore doesn’t require nightly charging.

The battery can last up to six months before it needs replacing, which can be done at home, and for a very low price. This makes hybrid smartwatches perfect for anyone that wants to avoid owning yet another device to recharge every day.

Anything else?

Because a hybrid smartwatch doesn’t deviate very far from traditional watch styling and design, you get many of the benefits associated with mechanical watches. Almost all are water resistant, and usually down to at least 5ATM (underwater up to 50 meters), not just a simple IP68 rating (limited to about 1.5 meters), and the standard size lugs mean you can pick and choose your own straps. Also, because the designs are more watch-like, there’s greater choice for women in the hybrid smartwatch world.

Finally, because hybrid smartwatches aren’t as technically complex as a full smartwatch, they’re often much cheaper.

A computer mouse translates the movement you make with the mouse over a surface into actions of the cursor on the computer screen. The original mechanical mouse has given way to optical mice and laser mice. What is the difference between them? For the average user, the answer is there isn’t much of a difference in how it will work for most purposes. It may come down to cost, as an optical mouse is usually less expensive than a laser mouse.

Illumination Source Is the Difference Between Optical and Laser Mice

Optical and laser mice differ by the types of technology they use to track movement. The optical mouse uses an LED light as an illumination source, while the laser mouse, as its moniker indicates, uses a laser for illumination. Both use CMOS sensors, a tiny, low-resolution video camera such as in our smartphones, to take photos of the surface it’s on and to use those to determine movement.

Higher DPI With Laser Mouse

Laser mice have a higher dpi, which means that they can track more dots per inch, which in turn means that they’re more sensitive. But while this may have been an issue in the past, both optical and laser mice are now able to hit high dpi marks, and your average user will never notice the difference. Gamers and graphic designers may still perceive one and have personal preferences for a device. Optical mice have a resolution around 3000 dpi, while laser mice have a resolution around 6000 dpi.

Surface Vs. Deeper Illumination

Meanwhile, optical mice mostly sense only the top of the surface they are on, such as a fabric mouse pad. But the laser light looks more deeply, so it is more likely to sense peaks and valleys in a surface, giving it a jittery movement at slow speeds. It’s picking up too much useless information.

Optical sensors have less than a one percent variation in tracking at different speeds, while laser mice can have five percent or more variation. An optical mouse works well on a mouse pad or any non-glossy surface. A laser mouse will work on any surface. If you plan to use the mouse on glossy surfaces, you may want a laser mouse.

The different performance of a laser mouse at different speeds is noted as acceleration. Your hand movement translates into a different distance of movement by the cursor if you move it at a slower or faster speed. It is the resolution error versus speed as the laser mouse picks up more noise or less noise in the image of the mousing surface at different speeds. This can be annoying for someone who is gaming or trying to draw graphics.

Which Mouse Should You Use?

If you are trying to decide which mouse to buy, an optical mouse is likely to be less expensive. A laser mouse might be preferred if you are going to use it on a variety of surfaces.

Do you need a UPS? How much will a battery backup protect your computer?

A battery backup, or uninterruptible power supply (UPS), is primarily used to provide a backup power source to important desktop computer hardware components.

In most cases, those pieces of hardware include the main computer housing and the monitor, but other devices can be plugged into a UPS for backup power as well, depending on the size of the UPS.

In addition to acting as a backup when the power goes out, most battery backup devices also act as power “conditioners” by ensuring that the electricity flowing to your computer and accessories is free from drops or surges.

If a computer is not receiving a consistent flow of electricity, damage can and often does occur.

While a UPS system is not a required piece of a complete computer system, including one as part of yours is always recommended. The need for a reliable supply of electricity is often overlooked.

Uninterruptible power supply, uninterruptible power source, on-line UPS, standby UPS, and UPS are the different names for a battery backup.

Popular UPS manufacturers include APC, Belkin, CyberPower, Tripp Lite, and Ultra, among many others.

Battery Backups: What They Look Like & Where They Go

The battery backup sits between the utility power (power from the wall outlet) and the parts of the computer. In other words, the computer and accessories plug into the battery backup and the battery backup plugs into the wall.

UPS devices come in many shapes and sizes but are most commonly rectangular and freestanding, intended to sit on the floor near the computer.

All battery backups are very heavy due to the batteries located inside.

One or more batteries inside the UPS provide power to the devices plugged into it when power from the wall outlet is no longer available. The batteries are rechargeable and often replaceable, providing a long-term solution to keeping your computer system running.

The front of the battery backup will usually have a power switch to turn the device on and off and will also sometimes have one or more additional buttons that perform various functions. Higher-end battery backup units will also often feature LCD screens that show information about how charged the batteries are, how much power is being used, etc.

The rear of the UPS will feature one or more outlets that provide battery backup. In addition, many battery backup devices will also feature surge protection on additional outlets and sometimes even protection for network connections, as well as phone and cable lines.

Battery backup devices are manufactured with varying degrees of backup ability. To determine how powerful of a UPS you need, first, use the eXtreme Power Supply Calculator to calculate your computer’s wattage requirements. Take this number and add it to the wattage requirements for other devices you would plug into the battery backup. Take this totaled number and check with the UPS manufacturer to find your estimated battery runtime when you lose power from the wall.

On-Line UPS vs Standby UPS

There are two different types of UPSs: A standby UPS is a type of battery backup that’s similar to an on-line uninterrupted power supply but doesn’t go into action as quickly.

The way a standby UPS works is by monitoring the power that’s coming into the battery backup supply and not switching over to the battery until it detects a problem (which can take up to 10-12 milliseconds). An on-line UPS, on the other hand, is always providing power to the computer, which means whether a problem is detected or not, the battery is always the computer’s source of power.

You can think of an on-line UPS as if it were a battery in a laptop. While a laptop is plugged into a wall outlet, it’s getting constant power through the battery which is getting a constant supply of power through the wall.

If the wall power is removed (like during a power outage), the laptop is able to remain powered on because of the built-in battery.

The most obvious real-world difference between the two types of battery backup systems is that, given the battery has enough power, a computer won’t shutdown from a power outage if it’s plugged into an on-line UPS, but it might lose power (even if just for a few seconds) if it’s attached to a standby UPS that didn’t respond to the outage quick enough… although newer systems can detect a power issue as soon as 2 ms.

Given the benefit just described, an on-line UPS is normally more expensive than a line-interactive UPS.

More Information on Battery Backups

Some battery backup systems you find may seem pointless because they only supply a few minutes of power. But something to consider is that with even 5 minutes of extra power, you can safely save any open files and shut off the computer to prevent hardware or software damage.

Something else to remember is how frustrating it is for your computer to immediately shut off when the power turns off for even a few seconds. With the computer attached to an on-line UPS, such an event may even go unnoticed because the battery will have been providing the power before, during, and after the power break.

If your laptop has ever gone to sleep or shut down on you after you’ve stopped using it for awhile, but only when it’s not plugged in, you’re familiar with the fact that battery-powered devices can behave differently than desktops.

This is due to built-in power options in the operating system.

You can set up something similar on a desktop computer that uses a UPS (if the UPS is able to connect via USB) so that the computer will go into hibernation mode or safely shut off if it switches over to battery power during an outage.