Updated: October 22, 2026
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A NAS that loses power mid-write can corrupt files. A UPS buys it a few minutes to shut down cleanly, and keeps your router up through short blips. The specs to check are the waveform, the battery outlets and whether your NAS can read the UPS over USB. In our view, many home setups need less capacity than people expect.
How we chose: research-based. We used CyberPower’s US product pages, CyberPower’s NAS compatibility tool and Synology’s DSM help page (cited below). This guide covers three CyberPower tower UPS models only. Other CyberPower models (including rack-mount and Smart App units) and other brands are not compared. We have not physically tested these units. Runtime and power figures are CyberPower’s. CyberPower doesn’t sell direct, so our buy links go to Amazon, the only store we link in this guide.
Which UPS fits
- NAS plus router, sine wave output: CP850PFCLCD. CyberPower rates it at 850VA/510 W with “Sine Wave” output and 5 battery-backed outlets [1].
- More capacity, simulated sine wave: CP1500AVRLCD3. CyberPower rates it at 1500 VA / 900 W with “Simulated Sine Wave” output [2].
- Most capacity here, sine wave: CP1500PFCLCD. CyberPower rates it at 1500VA / 1000W with “Sine Wave” output [3].
Sine vs simulated sine
CyberPower describes its sine wave output as power “identical to, or cleaner than the utility company’s power grid” [3]. It describes simulated sine wave as “a manufactured waveform output to supply cost-effective battery backup power for equipment that does not require sine wave output” [2]. CyberPower’s PFC Sinewave pages describe sine wave output for equipment “requiring active PFC power source compatibility” [1][3]. If your NAS power supply uses active PFC, check with the NAS maker which waveform it needs.
Side-by-side
| CP850PFCLCD | CP1500AVRLCD3 | CP1500PFCLCD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity (CyberPower) | 850VA/510 W [1] | 1500 VA / 900 W [2] | 1500VA / 1000W [3] |
| Waveform | Sine Wave [1] | Simulated Sine Wave [2] | Sine Wave [3] |
| Runtime, half / full load (CyberPower)* | 9 min / 3 min [1] | 12 min / 3 min [2] | 10 min / 2.5 min [3] |
| Battery + surge outlets / surge-only | 5 / 5 [1] | 6 / 6 [2] | 6 / 6 [3] |
| Communication | USB, Relay [1] | USB, Serial [2] | USB, Relay, SNMP (remote management “with optional RMCARD205”) [3] |
| Management software (as listed) | PowerPanel® Personal [1] | PowerPanel® Personal [2] | Conflicting: PowerPanel® Business on the product page [3] and in the datasheet’s feature list [6]; PowerPanel® Personal in the datasheet’s spec table [6] |
| Data line protection | Network [1] | Ethernet, Coaxial [2] | Network [3] |
| Weight (CyberPower) | 14.9 lb [1] | 23.8 lb [2] | 24.9 lb [3] |
| Warranty (CyberPower) | 3 year [1] | 3 year; CyberPower says it includes “coverage of batteries” [2] | 3 year; CyberPower says it includes “coverage of batteries” [3] |
| Price tier (from CyberPower MSRP) | Budget | Mid | Premium |
\*Runtime depends on the load you connect. CyberPower lists figures at half and full rated load. A lighter NAS-and-router load will usually run longer, and a heavier one shorter. Check CyberPower’s runtime figures against your own equipment’s wattage.
Price tiers are relative to the products in this article. Each tier is based on CyberPower’s listed US MSRP [1][2][3], checked October 12, 2026 (ET); CyberPower doesn’t sell direct and links to resellers. We don’t list street or retail prices because they change. Check the current price before you buy.
CP850PFCLCD: sine wave for a small setup
CyberPower lists 850VA/510 W, sine wave output, 5 battery-and-surge outlets plus 5 surge-only, and runtimes of 9 min at half load and 3 min at full load [1]. Its communication ports are USB and Relay, and the listed software is PowerPanel® Personal [1].
- Good fit: a small NAS plus a router and modem.
- Trade-off: the lowest capacity here [1].
CP1500AVRLCD3: more capacity, simulated sine
CyberPower lists 1500 VA / 900 W, simulated sine wave output, 12 outlets (“6 surge, 6 surge + battery backup”), and 12 min / 3 min runtime at half / full load [2]. It also lists two USB charge ports (“1 USB-A 2.4A, 1 USB-C 15W”) [2].
- Good fit: equipment that, per CyberPower’s description, “does not require sine wave output” [2].
- Trade-off: simulated sine wave rather than sine wave [2].
Buy the CP1500AVRLCD3 on Amazon
CP1500PFCLCD: sine wave with the most headroom
CyberPower lists 1500VA / 1000W, sine wave output, 6 battery-and-surge outlets plus 6 surge-only (2 widely spaced), and 10 min / 2.5 min runtime at half / full load [3]. CyberPower says it “comes with a three-year warranty (including coverage of batteries)” [3]. It lists SNMP and remote management “with optional RMCARD205” [3].
- Good fit: a NAS, router, switch and modem on one unit, with sine wave output.
- Trade-off: the top tier here, and the heaviest at 24.9 lb [3].
Buy the CP1500PFCLCD on Amazon
Will my NAS shut down automatically?
That depends on your NAS, not just the UPS. CyberPower’s NAS compatibility tool asks you to pick your NAS brand and model to see listed CyberPower UPS models [4]. CyberPower notes that the list “signifies that CyberPower product has undergone interoperability testing by NAS vendor(s)” and that “series approval practice may apply” [4]. Synology’s DSM help says to connect the UPS by USB and enable USB UPS support. It also warns that “some UPS devices do not support shutting down by DSM” and recommends a power-outage simulation test [5]. We haven’t confirmed compatibility for any specific NAS and UPS pair.
Our take: Plug the NAS and router into battery outlets, not surge-only ones, and run the outage test before you rely on it. (Opinion, not a test result.)
How to choose
| If you… | Look at |
|---|---|
| Have a small NAS and router and want sine wave | CP850PFCLCD [1] |
| Want more watts and your gear doesn’t need sine wave | CP1500AVRLCD3 [2] |
| Want sine wave and the most capacity here | CP1500PFCLCD [3] |
| Need automatic NAS shutdown | Check your NAS model in CyberPower’s tool [4] and your NAS maker’s guide [5] |
FAQ
How long will it run my NAS?
CyberPower lists runtime only at half and full rated load [1][2][3]. Your runtime depends on the load you connect.
Which outlets should I use?
Only the “battery & surge protected” outlets keep running on battery. The surge-only ones don’t, according to CyberPower’s outlet split [1][2][3].
Related: Best Budget NAS for Plex and Jellyfin · NAS vs DAS vs External Hard Drive
Related: CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD3 vs CP1500PFCLCD · Best NAS hard drives: WD Red Plus vs Red Pro vs IronWolf Pro
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Sources (all checked October 12, 2026, ET)
- CyberPower, CP850PFCLCD product page and specifications (MSRP): https://www.cyberpowersystems.com/product/ups/pfc-sinewave/cp850pfclcd/ (specs)
- CyberPower, CP1500AVRLCD3 product page and specifications (MSRP): https://www.cyberpowersystems.com/product/ups/intelligent-lcd/cp1500avrlcd3/ (specs) (warranty line rechecked October 22, 2026, ET)
- CyberPower, CP1500PFCLCD product page and specifications (MSRP): https://www.cyberpowersystems.com/product/ups/pfc-sinewave/cp1500pfclcd/ (specs) (software line rechecked October 22, 2026, ET)
- CyberPower, NAS Compatible Products tool: https://www.cyberpower.com/global/en/tools/compatibility/nas
- Synology Knowledge Center, DSM help: UPS: https://kb.synology.com/en-us/DSM/help/DSM/AdminCenter/system_hardware_ups
- CyberPower, CP1500PFCLCD datasheet (PDF, linked from the product page): https://images.salsify.com/image/upload/s–oMTfEGGZ–/53ea2bc2a4d8e5790b069ae439a9e03cb629e205.pdf (specs) (checked October 22, 2026, ET)
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