Quick Answer

For OBS recording in South Africa, a 1500VA (around 900W) line-interactive UPS is the practical spec floor: it keeps a mid-range gaming PC and monitor running long enough to save your recording and shut down cleanly during a brief power dip. Expect around R2,500 to R4,500 locally for a quality 1500VA unit.

Why 1500VA is the floor for recording

A recording PC plus monitor can draw 400W to 600W under load. A 1500VA (roughly 900W) UPS gives enough headroom to keep that running for several minutes during a short outage, so OBS can finish writing the file and you can save your work. Smaller 650VA units may not hold a gaming PC long enough to matter.

Line-interactive versus pure sine wave

For a PC with an active-PFC power supply, a pure sine wave UPS is safer than a stepped-approximation unit, which some modern PSUs reject. A line-interactive pure sine wave 1500VA unit handles voltage dips smoothly and switches to battery fast enough that the PC never notices. This avoids mid-recording shutdowns from brief sags.

Sizing for your actual setup

Add up your PC, monitor, and any peripherals to estimate the load. A 1500VA unit suits a single gaming PC and monitor; a dual-monitor or higher-wattage rig may want a 2200VA (around 1320W) unit. Check the UPS runtime rating at your wattage, not just the VA number, to know how many minutes you actually get.

FAQ

What size UPS do I need for OBS recording?

A 1500VA (around 900W) line-interactive UPS is the practical floor for a single gaming PC and monitor. It holds the system long enough to save your recording and shut down cleanly during a brief dip.

Do I need a pure sine wave UPS?

Yes, for a PC with an active-PFC power supply. A pure sine wave unit handles the load smoothly, while stepped-approximation units can be rejected by modern PSUs and cause shutdowns.

How much runtime does a 1500VA UPS give?

At 400W to 600W load, a 1500VA unit typically gives several minutes, enough to save and shut down. Check the runtime rating at your wattage rather than the VA number alone.

TIP

1500VA pure sine wave line-interactive UPS for OBS, and set Windows to shut down automatically on low battery so a brief dip never costs you a recording.