We compared Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT and Eaton UPS based on our user's reviews in several parameters.
In summary, Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT users praise its reliability, power capacity, scalability, user-friendly interface, and cost-effectiveness. However, issues with maintenance, software compatibility, noise levels, user interface, and battery lifespan are noted. Meanwhile, Eaton UPS users value its reliability, power backup efficiency, integration, interface, and durability. Suggestions for improvement include enhancing efficiency, power consumption, user interface, durability, reliability, customer support, and adding advanced features.
Features: In terms of valuable features, the Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT is praised for its reliability, power capacity, scalability, smooth transition during power outages, intuitive management interface, and valuable support. On the other hand, the Eaton UPS is highly regarded for its reliable performance, efficient power backup, seamless integration, intuitive interface, superior durability, consistent operation, uninterrupted power supply, data protection, convenience in system integration, user-friendly interface, and robust build quality.
Pricing and ROI: The Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT product has been praised for its fair pricing and reasonable setup cost, as well as a seamless licensing process. On the other hand, users have also expressed satisfaction with the affordability and straightforward setup cost of the Eaton UPS product, along with a hassle-free licensing process., The Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT offers reliable performance and substantial cost savings, with high efficiency and easy scalability. Users appreciate its uninterrupted power delivery and efficient customer support. On the other hand, the Eaton UPS provides a significant ROI with increased power efficiency and reliable performance. Users find it worth the investment due to its high-quality build, durability, and improved power management capabilities.
Room for Improvement: The Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT can improve in areas such as maintenance requirements, software compatibility, noise levels, user interface, and battery lifespan. In contrast, users suggest that the Eaton UPS could benefit from improved efficiency, power consumption, user interface, durability, reliability, customer support, and advanced features.
Deployment and customer support: The user feedback for Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT indicates varying duration for deployment and setup, with one user taking three months for deployment and an additional week for setup. Eaton UPS users also reported similar timeframes, but context suggests deployment and setup periods may overlap., Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT has reliable customer service, as users have commended the assistance and guidance provided by their representatives. Eaton UPS also offers great support with prompt assistance and expertise in issue resolution. Both companies prioritize customer satisfaction.
The summary above is based on 3 interviews we conducted recently with Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT and Eaton UPS users. To access the review's full transcripts, download our report.
"The battery life seems to be pretty good. I don't have a lot of experience with other units of its size, but it does a good job of keeping our unit up."
"The most valuable feature is the control... we couldn't live life without [PredictPulse]. It does add a level of comfort knowing that PredictPulse is telling us about potential errors before they happen. My preference is to keep it in ESS mode. It saves me a good amount of money."
"It's also very important that the solution is a three-phase UPS. Three-phase cuts down on power usage, which cuts down on our electrical bill, compared to a single-phase product."
"The touch-screen functionality is easy to read. There are tabs at the top and there are statuses at the top, graphics that give you a quick glance. We use the touch-screen for metering, to make sure the input and output meters are good. We also check alarm events and system history. Those are the things we usually check the most."
"Our Eaton UPSs help with business continuity. I have a reliable system in place that I know that I can trust."
"In our data center, we have redundancy in all of our racks. When UPS feeds one half of the rack, the other feeds the other half of the rack. We have dual power supplies to everything. We have a lot of redundancies because of that. Luckily, with Eaton dual Battery Cabinets, we can maintain the systems at all times (short of a transformer issue), even while we're doing the maintenance on them. Our IT department loves this, because we don't shut them down at all."
"The technology is reliable."
"We have utilized the building-block nature of the solution as we have grown. We can add modules, which helps from a cost standpoint and protects the initial capital investment in the system, rather than having to completely replace the system. We can start small scale and incrementally fund additional capacity as needed rather than purchasing a system, having to pull it out, and buying a brand new one."
"We have not had a lot of issues over the many years we have been using the solution."
"Stability is one of the key points. The durability and lifetime of the product are also notable."
"You can scale it by adding batteries."
"I like it because we don't have any problems."
"I want to monitor remotely and that is a complaint I have... The remote monitoring software they have does not provide the same information that the touch screen provides and neither provide me the same information that the field techs can draw out of the unit when they directly connect to them."
"One time, a feedback breaker in a system-bypass module, or something like that, was tripped. We brought them in to see what caused it. They figured it out and we haven't had an issue like that again, since."
"We do not use Eaton's remote monitoring, we use StruxureWare. We do use all of Eaton's web interface cards and their SNMP polling, but it's actually going to a Schneider product. Eaton makes something similar, it just wasn't as intuitive."
"When it comes to the power management software portion, that's the part that I haven't really seen or heard a lot about. The dashboards of the UPS's, or the management software, are one area that they could probably improve a little."
"The industry is going to a smaller footprint, but that does come at a cost, specifically for battery reserve time, size and density of the system, and BTU generation. Those three areas contribute to the heat generation factor. I think that they've done a really good job. But, when you look across our infrastructure, it's the UPS system that takes up the most space of any of our products."
"If they could reduce the footprint even more, that would be great. And they could always make heat dissipation better."
"I do like the ESS mode which I operate with the 9395s. However, I've got an issue with one of my UPS strings here in Denver: That ESS mode is too sensitive to utility noise. So the utility shows no outages but I've got the UPS switching it in and out of ESS mode."
"Outside of a full-service contract, my only concern is technician availability for repairs. Where we don't have a full-service contract with them, which unfortunately is the larger portion of our equipment from them, we're just like anybody else, waiting for a slot for a technician to arrive."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"We have been having some issues with the solutions controller and we are having problems finding spare parts."
"Schneider's vendor, I believe, needs to be more involved with the customer. We have to constantly look for them because they don't come to me. I have to go there, and I don't want to. I don't want to waste time looking for a vendor. We require immediate attention."
"The duration of the batteries could be much better."
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Eaton UPS is ranked 2nd in Data Center Power Solutions while Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT is ranked 1st in Data Center Power Solutions with 5 reviews. Eaton UPS is rated 9.0, while Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT is rated 8.4. The top reviewer of Eaton UPS writes "Company value is more than the product. It is their people Eaton's great product and people keep bringing me back". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT writes "Easy to manage, reliable, and worth the price". Eaton UPS is most compared with Liebert NX, Tripplite SmartPro, Schneider Electric-APC Symmetra PX, Gamatronic Mega Power+ and PowerPlug, whereas Schneider Electric-APC Smart-UPS VT is most compared with Liebert NX, MGE Galaxy, Schneider Electric-APC Symmetra PX, Emerson Network Power Npower and Tripplite SmartPro.
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