Best Surge Protector

Don’t let the wave of excitement sweep away the need for a surge protector - it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Ben Atkins Chafer

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Surges in power are a not uncommon yet potentially devastating occurrence, as they could end up frying your expensive gaming equipment. That’s why, although it might not be the most exciting purchase you’ll make, it’s vital to get a good surge protector for your PC.

It’s a cheap and simple way of protecting the investments you’ve made, both in terms of time and money, into your existing gaming set-up thus far. They keep the components safe from damage that could be inflicted by the very power source that keeps them running.

The surge protector does this by limiting the voltage that can pass through at one time so the components aren’t overwhelmed which could negatively affect its performance. To save you the time and effort of doing it yourself, we’ve done the research for you and come up with five of the best options that will protect your gaming PC from power surges.

Our Top Picks

APC 11 Outlet Surge Protector

Belkin 12 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 12 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 11 Outlet Surge Protector

Belkin 12 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Anker Power Strip 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Tripp Lite TLP1208TELTV 12 Outlet Surge Protector

In-depth Review

APC 11 Outlet Surge Protector

Editor's Rating

★★★★★ 5/5

Pros

Cons

The product that comes most highly recommended from us is the APC outlet surge protector with 11 outlets for you to plug in plenty of your most essential electronic devices with total peace of mind. It also comes with 2 USB charging ports for your mobile phone.

This is a safe, reliable form of protection for your PC and it’s coming from one of the leading names in the industry who are known and trusted for their power protection. Surges, lightning, and spikes due to other power disturbances will no longer damage your stuff!

It has been through comprehensive IEEE testing and the surge protector complies with all local agency safety requirements, with the P11U2 ensuring the primary level of surge protection. It’s capable of handling up to 2,880 joules so you should be protected from any type of power problems.

The 6-foot power cord hits the sweet spot of being long enough for larger PC set-ups where there may be a greater distance between the wall outlet and your computer, and not being so long that it’s going to get tangled up or look untidy in your home. It has an attractive, black design and it wouldn’t look out of place in a professional office setting, either.

Belkin 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Editor's Rating

★★★★★ 4.9/5

Pros

Cons

Next up we have the Belkin outlet surge protector which has 12 outlets (6 regular outlets and 6 BlockSpace outlets for larger power adaptors) and a right-angle AC plug. It’s another great choice for anyone looking to safeguard their computers, appliances, or other electronic devices in their home.

The power cord is 8 feet in length which is longer than our top pick, but this is airing slightly on the too-long side of things, especially if your computer is situated close to where the wall outlet is located. It could end up getting in your way while you’re gaming which will take you out of the experience, although the rest of the design is supposed to be more aimed at space-saving and the gray color keeps it minimalistic.

It’s user-friendly and there’s a clear indicator light that tells you when your power strip is ‘protected’ which is when it’s green, or when a connection is ‘not grounded’ which is indicated through a light red flashing up.

It’s expected to last for a good 3 to 5 years which is pretty decent for a surge protector, although this is likely to vary from case to case. With a 3,940 joules energy rating and a 6,000 volts maximum spike voltage, it can handle a fair bit of power without a problem.

APC 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Editor's Rating

★★★★★ 4.6/5

Pros

Cons

Next, we have another option from APC, but this time it has 12 outlets and it can handle up to 4,320 joules. It’s slightly more expensive than our top pick, but if you think you’d benefit from the extra output and the higher joules then it’s definitely worth it.

It has a 6-foot power cord which is an ideal length for your surge protector, although it has a straight 3-prong plug which is less flexible than the swivel plugs on some of the other surge protectors we’ve included in this list.

In addition to the outlets, there are two USB ports that provide 2.4 amps of charging power for your mobile phone and other small devices. You’ll be able to charge them in a short amount of time which can be a really useful feature to have in your surge protector.

ACP is so confident in this product that they’ve given it a lifetime warranty and a generous $300,000 connected equipment protection policy, so this is a surge protector you know you can trust or at least feel safe in the knowledge that in the case of failure, the cost of replacement won’t solely fall to you.

Anker Power Strip 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Editor's Rating

★★★★★ 4/5

Pros

Cons

We have another 12-outlet surge protector for our next review, but this time it’s from Anker which is a well-known and trusted brand. It features a 3-line 4,000 joules surge protection energy rating so it can keep all your connected devices safe from power disturbances.

It has 3 USB ports which is going to be super useful when you have friends over for a gaming night as you can all charge your phones without having to take turns. You can also rely on this surge protector to charge super fast thanks to their world-renowned PowerIQ technology which delivers optimum performance.

There’s a thick rubber coating that runs around the surge protector and integrated copper wiring, as well as flame retardant casing combine which ensures complete safety for you and your electricals. The power cord is 6 feet in length which is ideal for most instances.

For what you pay for, you get the 12-outlet surge protector itself, a welcome guide, a worry-free 18-month warranty, and a lifetime $300,000 connected equipment warranty.

Tripp Lite TLP1208TELTV 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Editor's Rating

★★★★★ 4.6/5

Pros

Cons

Last on our list is the Tripp Lite TLP1208TELTV surge protector. Like many of the others on our list, this one has 12 outlets so it has plenty of space for your electrical equipment. It’s a little bit more on the expensive side but it’s packed full of useful features.

It provides premium surge protection and there’s a built-in tel/DSL with gold coax jacks, as well as an integrated 12a circuit breaker means every outlet is equally as protected and will shut down your connected equipment in the event of a power overload.

The right-angle plug allows for plenty of convenient mounting options and there’s an 8-foot long power cord which means you don’t need to rearrange your set-up just to move closer to the wall outlet. It also features LED diagnostics that let you know if there’s suppressor damage.

There’s a lifetime warranty offered with the surge protector which shows that it should last you a long time, and there’s insurance cover of up to $150,000 for your connected devices and appliances, although this is less than what is offered by other protectors in this list.

Final Word

It might not have any effect on the actual gaming experience you get to have each time you sit down to play at your PC, but having a good-quality surge protector will be the unsung hero of your gaming set-up as it constantly works behind the scenes to keep your electronics safe.

We hope you’ve been able to find the right one amongst the five products we’ve reviewed for you in this article, and after rigorous testing, we’re confident to say that any one of them would do a great job of preventing power surges from damaging your electrical devices.

Our Top Picks

APC 11 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 11 Outlet Surge Protector

Belkin 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Belkin 12 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 12 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 12 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 11 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 11 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 11 Outlet Surge Protector

Belkin 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Belkin 12 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 12 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Anker Power Strip 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Anker Power Strip 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Tripp Lite TLP1208TELTV 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Tripp Lite TLP1208TELTV 12 Outlet Surge Protector

In-depth Review

APC 11 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 11 Outlet Surge Protector

Belkin 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Belkin 12 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 12 Outlet Surge Protector

APC 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Anker Power Strip 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Anker Power Strip 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Tripp Lite TLP1208TELTV 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Tripp Lite TLP1208TELTV 12 Outlet Surge Protector

Final Word

The Author Who Worked On This Article