The CyberPower UPS Lineup: Standby, AVR, PFC Sinewave, Smart App and OL

CyberPower Systems built its reputation on consumer UPS units sold through retail and online stores, and it has since grown a full business range of rackmount, online and network-managed models. The product names are descriptive more often than not, which makes CyberPower easier to decode than some competitors once you know what each word implies. This page describes the series at a family level. Capacities, runtimes, prices and warranty terms change across generations and regions, so confirm the details on the current data sheet before you buy.

Decode the series name first

Almost everything that matters about a CyberPower unit is signaled by the series name:

• "Standby": offline topology. The load runs on filtered utility power and switches to battery only when the input fails or drifts out of range.
• "AVR": line-interactive with automatic voltage regulation, which corrects sags and swells without draining the battery. See automatic voltage regulation.
• "Intelligent LCD": line-interactive with AVR plus a status display. Typically simulated sine on battery.
• "PFC Sinewave": line-interactive, pure sine wave on battery, designed with active PFC power supplies in mind.
• "Smart App": the business line-interactive family, with more management options. Many models, especially those marked Sinewave, are pure sine.
• "OL" (online): double conversion, the load always runs from the inverter.
• "OR" (rackmount): line-interactive rack or rack/tower units; the waveform depends on the specific model.

Model numbers usually embed a VA figure and suffix letters for features such as LCD, rackmount height or tower/rack convertibility. Our guide to reading UPS model numbers covers the common patterns.

Series overview

How to choose: a short decision flow

1. Is the load small and simple? A modem, router, ONT or a couple of low-power devices can sit on a Standby or small AVR unit. Simulated sine is fine for most small power bricks. See UPS for modem and router.
2. Is there a desktop PC with an active PFC power supply? Nearly all modern desktop power supplies have active PFC. If the PC draws more than a light load, step up to PFC Sinewave rather than Intelligent LCD. Details in active PFC power supplies.
3. Does it need to live in a rack? Look at OR rackmount line-interactive models, and check the waveform per model. If several machines must shut down over the network, confirm the unit has an expansion slot for an RMCARD.
4. Is input power bad, or do you run from a generator? If the line-interactive unit constantly clicks to battery, or the load is sensitive to any transfer, the OL series is the family to evaluate. See line-interactive vs online.
5. Size by watts within the chosen series. Use the watt rating, not VA, and leave headroom. The UPS sizing calculator does the arithmetic.

The business range: Smart App, OR and OL

Smart App line-interactive

Smart App is CyberPower's business-grade line-interactive family, available in tower and rackmount forms. Compared with the consumer towers, expect more configurable settings (voltage sensitivity, transfer points, outlet group control on some models), serial and USB ports, and an expansion slot for a network card on many models. Smart App Sinewave models output pure sine on battery.

OR rackmount

OR is the rackmount line-interactive range. It spans budget 1U and 2U units through more capable models, and the waveform is not uniform across it: some OR models have used simulated sine output while PFC or Sinewave-named models output pure sine. In a rack full of servers with active PFC supplies, confirm the waveform before ordering. For rack-specific considerations such as depth and rail kits, see rack-mount UPS installation and rack vs tower UPS.

OL online

The OL series is online double conversion: zero transfer time, regulated output frequency and voltage, and good tolerance of generator power. Many OL models support external battery packs for extended runtime and include a slot for an RMCARD. Like all online units, they run warmer and have continuously running fans, and larger models may use high-current plugs or hardwiring. See UPS outlets and plugs.

Software and management

RMCARD is CyberPower's family of network management cards for UPS units with an expansion slot. Card generations differ in features and in which UPS models they support, so check the compatibility list for your UPS. Background on what a card provides is in UPS network management cards and SNMP.

CyberPower USB units present as standard HID power devices on most models, so they also work with Network UPS Tools, Synology, TrueNAS and macOS energy settings. The vendor software comparison lives at PowerChute and PowerPanel.

Battery replacement notes

CyberPower sells replacement batteries under its own part numbers, and its website lists the correct part for each UPS model. Many consumer towers use common 12 V sealed lead-acid (VRLA) blocks, singly or in pairs, with a user-replaceable battery door on many models. Rackmount and online units often use multi-battery packs.

• Match voltage, capacity, terminal type and physical size exactly. See UPS battery sizes and terminals.
• Aftermarket batteries are widely available; quality and real capacity vary. Read OEM vs aftermarket UPS batteries before choosing.
• Some models let you swap the battery with the load running; many consumer units do not. The manual is the authority.
• Step-by-step instructions are in how to replace a UPS battery.

Common surprises with CyberPower units

• Simulated sine with a big PC. The classic symptom is a PC that powers off the instant the UPS switches to battery even though the load is within rating. See UPS shuts off during outage.
• Region-specific models. CyberPower sells different model lists in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, with 120 V and 230 V variants and different outlet types. A series name that exists in one region may not exist, or may differ, in another.
• Alarm and beep defaults. Units commonly beep on battery and on low battery; the alarm can usually be muted from the front panel or software. Use the UPS alarm decoder if a pattern is unfamiliar.
• Warranty and equipment guarantees. Terms vary by series and region. See UPS warranties and equipment guarantees.

If you are cross-shopping, the APC vs CyberPower comparison lines up the equivalent families from each brand.