surge protectors

1 are they required?

2 whts the coaxial protection in it ?

3 which one is better? its not the price but belkin is nice and small.

Amazon.com: Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter with Surge Protection: Electronics

Amazon.com: Belkin Mini Surge Protector/Dual USB Charger: Electronics

4. does the above 2 have cut off the electricity or is it use and throw after the surge?

 

Belkin have pretty good ones but to be honest so does everyone else. If it does in fact stop a surge just chuck it and get a new one, they're extremly cheap these days.

 

1) They aren't required, but they're definitely recommended. A surge is the easiest way to fry your power brick and possibly the whole laptop. If you're able to, I'd also suggest looking at renter's insurance or adding to your homeowner's insurance if your laptop is more expensive than your deductible.

2) Coaxial protection is generally for cable modems and TV's. A surge can happen over any wire in your house, not just the electrical lines. Phone lines and cable are just as likely to be struck by lightening, etc.

3) The easiest way to compare surge protectors is to look at the Joule rating. Higher ratings mean that they're more likely to block a dangerous surge. Others are outlet spacing (like for transformer brick plugs), total connections, cord length, etc.

4) Most models on the low end are ones that need thrown out after a surge. They sort of self-destruct in a surge to save the devices on the other end. Rather cheap models should also be replaced every few years as the parts inside eventually wear out and can be less effective in a surge. Expensive models work like circuit breakers and can just be reset if there's a spike. Also, really nice models also regulate power and can clean it up if it drops/spikes or if there are frequency fluctuations. They can do a lot more than just protect from power surges.

 

that was really helpful man, i m gonna go with monster, they look good, thnx