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Eaton 3S Gen2 UPS 3S550B vs Eaton 5S 1000i

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against UPS units at a similar price

The Eaton 5S 1000i scores 7.0/10 overall, ahead of the Eaton 3S Gen2 UPS 3S550B at 5.6/10.

The Eaton 5S 1000i leads on topology and waveform, NAS and server integration, capacity, runtime and battery and UK outlets and build.

Eaton 3S Gen2 UPS 3S550B

5.6/10verdict: good, not the best

The Eaton 3S Gen2 3S550B is a small standby UPS for a home desk or a compact homelab. It suits someone protecting a NAS, router and switch who wants USB-triggered shutdown and a user-replaceable battery. It doesn't suit anyone who needs a confirmed waveform, a published runtime or network management.

Typically about £83.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Eaton 5S 1000i

7.0/10verdict: buy

The Eaton 5S 1000i is a line-interactive UPS with four battery-backed outlets and four surge-only outlets. It suits buyers who want automatic shutdown over USB and batteries they can replace themselves. It doesn't suit anyone who needs network management cards or SNMP.

Typically about £309 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightEaton 3S Gen2 UPS 3S550BEaton 5S 1000i
Topology and waveform25%4/106/10
NAS and server integration25%7/108/10
Capacity20%6/107/10
Runtime and battery15%5/107/10
UK outlets and build15%6/107/10
Overall5.6/107.0/10

Specifications

SpecEaton 3S Gen2 UPS 3S550BEaton 5S 1000i
Capacity (VA / W)550 VA / 330 W1000 VA / 600 W
TopologyOffline/StandbyLine-interactive
Outlets6 UK outlets: 3 with battery backup and surge protection, 3 surge-only8 IEC C13 outlets: 4 battery-backed with surge protection, 4 surge-only; C14 input
Runtime at half loadnot listed14 min at 50% load; 2 min at full load
USB / network managementUSB port (HID-compliant), Eaton UPS Companion software, auto shutdown function; no Ethernet or network cardOne USB port (HID compliant), cable supplied; no network card, no SNMP
Battery12 V / 5 Ah sealed VRLA, one battery, user replaceableTwo 12 V / 7 Ah sealed lead-acid, user replaceable

Strengths and weaknesses

Eaton 3S Gen2 UPS 3S550B

  • + USB port is HID-compliant, with automatic shutdown support
  • + Battery is a single user-replaceable sealed unit
  • + Six UK outlets, three of them with battery backup
  • − Half-load runtime isn't published by the manufacturer
  • − No Ethernet port or network card

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need a confirmed pure sine wave output
  • Anyone needing network-card monitoring for several servers
  • Users who need a published runtime figure before buying
Read the full Eaton 3S Gen2 UPS 3S550B review ›

Eaton 5S 1000i

  • + 1000 VA / 600 W rating with four battery-backed outlets
  • + HID-compliant USB port with cable supplied
  • + User-replaceable batteries, 2-year warranty including batteries
  • − No network card and no SNMP

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need a network card or SNMP monitoring for several servers
  • Anyone who needs the output waveform confirmed before connecting sensitive equipment
  • People placing a UPS in a bedroom or quiet room who are sensitive to fan noise
Read the full Eaton 5S 1000i review ›

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